BrewDog founder tips Basket as next unicorn as it launches crowdfunding campaign
An innovative AI-driven shopping platform founded by a former Dragons’ Den contestant is aiming to raise £2 million through Crowdcube.
London-based Basket, launched in 2023 by serial entrepreneur Lex Deak, has already amassed over 250,000 users and is setting its sights on a major expansion. Deak says this new funding push represents a pivotal moment in the company’s ambition to reshape online retail through agentic, AI-powered – technology that actively anticipates and acts on user needs.
The startup has already attracted heavyweight backing from the likes of Groupon co-founder Eric Lefkofsky and BrewDog’s James Watt, who has described Basket as a potential “next unicorn”.
Since its debut, Basket has logged impressive organic growth: more than 10 million products saved by users, hundreds of thousands of purchases tracked, and a 57% monthly repeat usage rate.
Positioned as a next-generation shopping assistant, Basket allows consumers to curate product lists from any online retailer, complete with live price alerts, stock updates, and tailored AI recommendations. The platform’s conversational interface is designed to let users simply ask for what they need, with the AI doing the heavy lifting.
Basket has already raised over £4.5 million in previous funding rounds. Deak, a seasoned entrepreneur, also founded QVentures, which facilitated over £250 million in funding for more than 200 businesses.
Notably, Deak appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2009 at just 23 years old and has since gone on to win numerous entrepreneurial accolades, including Young Entrepreneur of the Year by EN magazine and Rising Star by the StartUp Awards UK.
Deak said: “This funding round marks a crucial step as we expand our platform and push the boundaries of what AI can do for online shopping. Agentic AI isn’t just an idea for the future – it’s already becoming a reality, and Basket is leading the way.”
James Watt added: “Basket is one of the most exciting consumer startups I’ve come across. The growth has been explosive, the market opportunity is huge, and the product speaks for itself. I’m proud to be backing Lex and the team.”
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