Someone Somewhere: Revolutionizing Sustainable Business with AI and Artisanal Craft
Three childhood friends, Antonio Nuño, Fatima Alvarez, and Enrique Rodriguez, co-founded Someone Somewhere in 2016. The startup aims to connect Mexican artisans with global companies seeking sustainable products. By working with hundreds of artisans from Mexico's poorest states, the company helps formalize their businesses and offers access to financial services.
In 2023, Someone Somewhere employed AI, particularly Stable Diffusion’s text-to-image model, to create AI-assisted designs illustrating how global brands could integrate artisanal techniques. A viral LinkedIn post featuring a concept for an adidas-branded Mexican National Team soccer jersey garnered over 1 million views in March, resulting in a partnership with adidas. This collaboration focused on hand-embroidered jerseys, representing Mexican cultural heritage and showcasing the potential of AI to generate employment opportunities.
The use of AI has significantly accelerated Someone Somewhere’s growth, enabling the design of 5,000 products a month, up from a mere 10. The company's revenue has surged 36-fold in the last three years, and it has expanded its collaborations with an increased number of brands compared to the previous year.
In addition to AI, the strategic utilization of QR codes led to a partnership with Nimble, a sustainable electronic accessories company. Subsequently, Someone Somewhere’s products are now available through Apple stores worldwide, following a chance encounter on a Delta flight, where Nimble’s CEO recognized the high-quality products.
Despite only raising $1.7 million in funding, Someone Somewhere has been profitable since 2022 and is currently seeking a new round of funding to capitalize on the burgeoning trends in nearshoring and sustainable procurement.
Key Takeaways
- Someone Somewhere leverages AI to scale its artisan-made products, increasing its design output from 10 to 5,000 monthly.
- A viral LinkedIn post led to a partnership with adidas, resulting in the launch of hand-embroidered Mexican National Team jerseys.
- The startup's revenue has grown 36-fold in three years, now collaborating with triple the number of brands.
- The incorporation of QR codes facilitated a deal with Apple, placing artisan-made items in their stores globally.
- Despite raising only $1.7 million in funding, Someone Somewhere has been profitable since 2022 and plans to raise new funding to capitalize on the sustainable procurement trend.
Analysis
The ascent of Someone Somewhere showcases the potential of AI and social media in propelling sustainable business expansion. The viral LinkedIn post and subsequent partnership with adidas underscore the substantial impact digital marketing can have on brand exposure and revenue generation. Furthermore, this success emphasizes the significance of cultural heritage in product design and the escalating demand for sustainable, artisan-made goods.
The collaboration with Nimble and the inclusion of products in Apple stores validate the startup's business model, employing technology to amplify production while upholding artisanal excellence. The company's profitability and rapid revenue growth signify robust market demand and operational efficiency.
Future funding endeavors are likely to expedite expansion, benefitting Mexican artisans and reinforcing the trends in nearshoring and sustainable procurement. Investors, particularly those focused on ESG, may view this as a compelling opportunity, buoyed by the startup's proven track record and alignment with global sustainability objectives.
Did You Know?
- Stable Diffusion’s text-to-image model: A state-of-the-art AI technology that generates images from textual descriptions. In Someone Somewhere’s context, it was instrumental in creating AI-assisted designs, significantly scaling the company's design capabilities from 10 to 5,000 products monthly.
- Nearshoring: A business strategy involving the relocation or outsourcing of operations to neighboring countries, usually to optimize costs and enhance efficiency. Someone Somewhere plans to raise new funding to capitalize on this trend, aligning with their mission of supporting local artisans and sustainable procurement.
- QR codes on products: A technology embedding Quick Response (QR) codes on products to offer additional information or functionality. For Someone Somewhere, the use of QR codes led to a partnership with Nimble, enabling the sale of their artisan-made products through Apple stores globally, expanding their market reach significantly.