🏅 A Bold Vision Ends
Colizey launched in April 2019 to redefine sports e-commerce. The French startup aimed to create a seamless, personalized shopping experience. It covered apparel, shoes, accessories, and even supplements. After six years, the marketplace shut down on Feb 4, 2025.
📉 The Market Shift
CEO Maxime Scialom cited brand restrictions as a major hurdle. Sports brands blocked distributors from selling on marketplaces. This made it hard to bring in new merchants and keep existing ones. Without growth, funding dried up, leading to closure.
💰 The Financials
Colizey raised $13M in funding but struggled to sustain operations. It paid out $54M to its 250 merchants across 10 European countries. Over 350K customers used the platform, mainly in France and Italy. However, without retail profits, sustainability remained a challenge.
🏬 What’s Next?
The shutdown leaves a gap for merchants who relied on Colizey. Many will now look for alternative marketplaces. The big question: can single-category marketplaces survive without retail revenue? The industry might be moving beyond this model.
Are single-category marketplaces still viable?
