SELLIT9 raises $4.1M to expand recommerce trade-in platform across North America

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SELLIT9 has raised $4.1 million in new funding to expand its recommerce trade-in platform across Canada and the United States, as the Toronto-based company looks to scale partnerships with retailers and grow its technology.

The funding round was led by the Business Development Bank of Canada’s Seed Venture Fund, with participation from MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund, AQC Capital and Anges Québec.

The financing is aimed at accelerating the company’s growth strategy, including expanding its platform capabilities, increasing its network of retail partners and entering the U.S. market. SELLIT9 operates a trade-in platform that allows consumers to exchange unused household items—starting with electronics—for value, while enabling retailers to offer trade-in incentives without managing inventory.

Josh Guttman
Josh Guttman

“Consumers sit on billions of dollars of untapped value sitting idle in their homes, while household debt and the cost of goods are at record highs,” said Josh Guttman, co-founder and chief executive of SELLIT9. “This funding allows us to scale our platform, partner with more retailers, and make the circular economy the default choice for consumers looking to unlock fast liquidity while reducing e-waste.”

The company said its model is designed to create purchasing power for consumers while supporting retailers with customer retention and sales growth initiatives tied to trade-ins. It also positions itself within the broader shift toward reuse and refurbishment of goods.

SELLIT9 co-founder and chief technology officer Oswaldo Alvarez said the company’s technology has been built to support a wide range of product categories beyond its initial focus on electronics.

Oswaldo Alvarez
Oswaldo Alvarez

“The hard part of this business is making an accurate trade-in feel instant, and building it so the same engine works for any product, not just one category,” said Alvarez. “We started with electronics because that’s where the value and the waste are most concentrated, but the platform is built for used goods of all kinds. This funding lets us price more items in real time, grow our engineering team in Toronto, and scale for the U.S. market.”

Since launching, the company said it has facilitated the trade of more than 6,000 items with a total value exceeding $2.4 million through a network of more than 100 refurbishers and 25 merchants. It added that the model has diverted electronic waste from landfills, though it did not quantify the total volume.

Investors in the round pointed to the company’s approach to recommerce and its potential to expand within the retail sector.

Dinar Ahmed
Dinar Ahmed

“SELLIT9 is bringing a differentiated approach to recommerce, enabling consumers to turn owned goods into purchasing power. We believe their platform can reshape how value is unlocked across the retail landscape. Josh and Oz are exactly the kind of entrepreneurs the Seed Venture Fund partners with, fully aligned with BDC’s mission to back ambitious Canadian companies with the potential to become category leaders,” said Dinar Ahmed, partner at BDC Seed Venture Fund.

Kalthoum Bouacida
Kalthoum Bouacida

AQC Capital partner Kalthoum Bouacida said the firm sees the platform as a way to modernize the trade-in market across multiple stakeholders.

“We are very excited to support SELLIT9 in this new stage of growth,” said Bouacida. “The team has built an innovative solution modernizing the trade-in market through a simple and efficient technology for merchants, resellers and consumers. We’ve been impressed by the founders’ vision, execution, and ambition, and we look forward to supporting the company as it revolutionizes the resell market.”

The company framed the investment as coming at a time of economic pressure for consumers and increasing focus on waste reduction, positioning its platform as an alternative way to access value from unused goods while supporting reuse.

SELLIT9 said it plans to use the new capital to expand its engineering team in Toronto, enhance real-time pricing capabilities across more product categories and deepen its presence in the U.S. market as it scales operations.

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Mario Toneguzzi
Mario Toneguzzi
Mario Toneguzzi, based in Calgary, has more than 40 years experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He worked for 35 years at the Calgary Herald covering sports, crime, politics, health, faith, city and breaking news, and business. He is the Co-Editor-in-Chief with Retail Insider in addition to working as a freelance writer and consultant in communications and media relations/training. Mario was named as a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert in 2024.

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