Ron Johnson’s Startup, Enjoy, Raises $150M

Menlo Park-based Enjoy Technology, the eCommerce startup led by Ron Johnson, former VP of retail operations for Apple, has raised an additional $150 million in Series C funding, TechCrunch reported on Tuesday (Aug. 27).

Led by L. Catterton’s new consumer technology platform, LCH Partners, the new growth funding brings Enjoy’s total raise to date to $350 million. Prior investors include Riverwood Capital, Stamos Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Highland Capital and Oak Capital Management.

The funding will go toward U.K. expansion and other international growth. Enjoy Technology operates in 54-plus U.S. markets and will be offered in 11 U.K. markets. Its goal by 2020 is to reach 80 percent of the U.K. population.

Enjoy is an eCommerce same-day delivery site that also delivers help. Tech-savvy people make the deliveries so customers can get their devices set up and have questions answered.

“No more fumbling with the manual or returning it because it’s not what you thought it would be,” the company’s website says. “We think technology should make your life better. And we’re here to make that happen.”

Johnson is best known for pioneering the concept of Apple’s retail stores and Genius Bar. When he first rolled out Enjoy in 2015, the goal was to figure out how to provide personal service to those who want to buy online.

“One of the observations from my time at Apple is that Apple makes the easiest to use products on the planet, but look at how busy the stores are with people asking questions and needing help” he said in a 2015 interview. “So what about the rest? How do you deliver help in this digital world we live in?”

Enjoy Technology generates its revenue from its business partners, who pay to have their products sold through an online storefront. Enjoy then returns information like what sort of challenges customers face with their setups, and helps to reduce calls to tech support while also increasing brand loyalty.