MONO, a design-driven advertising and branding agency announced that entrepreneur Jake Webb and his new company, Thrift MRKT, are the recipients of the firm’s new Brand-In-Residence Accelerator program. Designed to help diverse entrepreneurs in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area grow their business, the program was created after MONO saw the success of a 2022 pilot program. In June, MONO put out a call to local businesses to apply to the program and evaluated a number of businesses before deciding on Jake and Thrift MRKT. As the new Brand-In-Residence at MONO, Jake and his employees will receive mentorship, access to agency leaders and other business leaders, as well as the use of MONO’s office space and accompanying resources.

Thrift MRKT is an e-commerce platform set to launch in 2024 that prioritises security and peace of mind for buyers and sellers in the resale e-commerce market by verifying item authenticity. To accomplish this, the company will employ a two-step process, using artificial intelligence to check the tags, fabric, material, stitching, graphic designs, and any copyrighted design details, as well as an additional check by a trained certification expert at its Minneapolis authentication centre. Founded by entrepreneur, Jake, who brings a combination of extensive experience in the tech space and vintage selling community, the company has already secured $2.5 million in advance funding.

“I’ve always been interested in vintage clothing and even tried owning a retail store in Minneapolis in 2018. As AI has continued to grow, I knew that there was an opportunity to use it in a way to help solve the largest issue in the vintage space - authentication. Our new verification process will empower buyers to shop confidently and offers sellers a space to be successful and profitable,” said Jake.

“We are thrilled to have Jake and his new venture, Thrift MRKT, as our first Brand-In-Residence,” said Jim Scott, co-founder and CEO of MONO. “With a cultural emphasis on the importance of sustainability and the love of the past, the vintage clothing market has been exploding. With his experience, Jake is creating something in the vintage e-commerce space that is unique to those who love buying and selling vintage resale items, and we believe with our branding and design expertise, we can help him launch and scale his business in a significant way.”