Austrian Recommerce Pioneer Refurbed Secures €50M to Revolutionize UK’s Sustainable Tech Market

Major Funding Round Fuels European Expansion

Austrian recommerce marketplace refurbed has successfully closed a €50 million funding round to accelerate its European expansion strategy, with particular focus on entering the United Kingdom market. The Vienna-based platform, which specializes in refurbished electronics, household items, and sports products, plans to use the capital injection to further develop its AI-driven sustainable commerce platform while establishing a foothold in one of Europe’s largest digital markets.

Major Funding Round Fuels European Expansion
Sustainable Commerce Meets Profitability
UK Market: A Strategic Priority
Environmental Impact and Market Position
Product Offering and Quality Assurance
Future Outlook and Market Impact

The investment round was led by prominent investor Alex Zubillaga alongside Orilla, the investment platform of the Riberas family. Existing shareholders demonstrated strong confidence in the company‘s trajectory, with significant participation from Evli Growth Partners, Bonsai, Almaz, C4 Ventures, and Speedinvest.

Sustainable Commerce Meets Profitability

Refurbed has demonstrated that environmental responsibility and business success can go hand in hand. “This was another exceptional year,” stated Peter Windischhofer, Co-founder and CEO of refurbed. “Profitability in March, 40% year-on-year sales growth, and leveraging AI across our revenue-generation machine. All of this fueled our funding round and accelerated our expansion plans. We proved that doing good and doing well aren’t opposites: they’re the same playbook.”

The company‘s financial performance has been particularly impressive, achieving double-digit EBITDA profitability and maintaining positive cash flow since March 2025. For the fiscal year 2025, refurbed aims to reach approximately £860 million in gross merchandise value, building on its current position as Europe’s fastest-growing refurbished marketplace.

UK Market: A Strategic Priority

The United Kingdom represents a significant strategic opportunity for refurbed’s expansion plans. As one of Europe’s largest and most digitally advanced markets, the UK presents both substantial demand for sustainable technology and a clear gap in quality refurbished supply. Despite the recommerce sector contributing over £7 billion annually to the UK economy, the market lacks reliable, high-quality refurbished technology options.

The potential impact is substantial, with refurbed identifying over 100 million unused phones sitting in drawers across the country. Of these, approximately 33 million devices could be restored for reuse, representing a significant opportunity to bring more products into the circular economy while addressing the UK’s growing sustainability concerns.

Environmental Impact and Market Position

Since its founding in 2017 by Peter Windischhofer, Kilian Kaminski, and Jürgen Riedl, refurbed has processed an impressive 9 million devices and served 4 million customers across 12 European markets. The company currently employs nearly 300 people and has established market leadership positions in both Germany and Austria., as covered previously

The environmental benefits of refurbed’s business model are quantifiable and substantial. The company reports saving approximately 350,000 tons of CO₂ emissions, preventing 1,136 tons of electronic waste, and conserving 116 billion liters of water through its refurbishment operations. These achievements align perfectly with the UK’s Net Zero goals, Right to Repair legislation, and e-waste reduction targets.

Product Offering and Quality Assurance

Refurbed distinguishes itself in the recommerce market through its rigorous quality standards and customer protection measures. The marketplace offers more than 45,000 professionally refurbished products at prices up to 40% cheaper than new equivalents. Their product range spans multiple categories including:

Electronics: Smartphones, laptops, tablets, and accessories
Household Appliances: Various home and kitchen devices
Personal Mobility: E-bikes and related equipment
Sports Accessories: Various sporting goods and equipment

Every product sold through the platform comes with a minimum twelve-month warranty, providing customers with confidence in their sustainable purchasing decisions. This commitment to quality has been instrumental in building consumer trust in the refurbished products market.

Future Outlook and Market Impact

As refurbed prepares to enter the UK market, the company aims to support national sustainability priorities while empowering consumers to make smarter, more environmentally conscious choices. The timing appears optimal, with growing consumer awareness about electronic waste and increasing regulatory support for circular economy initiatives.

The company’s expansion into the UK represents more than just business growth—it signifies a broader shift in consumer behavior toward sustainable consumption. By making refurbished products mainstream and accessible, refurbed is positioned to play a crucial role in transforming how consumers approach technology purchases while contributing meaningfully to environmental conservation efforts across Europe.