# Eddy Lu

> Eddy Lu is the Los Angeles-based co-founder and CEO of GOAT Group. After studying computer science at UC Berkeley and working at Deloitte and Lehman Brothers, he and longtime collaborator Daishin Sugano cycled through mobile apps, retail shops and the social-dining startup Grubwithus. A counterfeit pair of Air Jordan 5 Grapes gave them the problem that became GOAT: creating trust in online sneaker resale through technology, human authentication and a controlled buying experience.

- **Role:** Co-founder and CEO of GOAT Group
- **Organizations:** GOAT Group, GOAT, Flight Club, Grailed, alias, Sneakers.com, Grubwithus, Beard Papa's, Lehman Brothers, Deloitte, Y Combinator
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor's degree in computer science, University of California, Berkeley
- **Known for:** Co-founded GOAT, an authenticated sneaker marketplace launched in 2015., Built GOAT Group into a five-brand marketplace group serving more than 60 million members across 170 countries by 2025., Led GOAT Group through a $195 million Series F in 2021 at a $3.7 billion valuation.

## Career timeline

- **2003-2005** — Worked as a consultant at Deloitte after graduating from UC Berkeley.
- **2005-2006** — Worked in equity research at Lehman Brothers.
- **2007** — Lu and Daishin Sugano left their corporate jobs on the same day to pursue businesses together.
- **2006-2010** — Owned and operated Beard Papa's cream-puff franchises while testing mobile apps, apparel, tea and import-export ideas.
- **2011** — Grubwithus, their social-dining startup, joined Y Combinator's Winter 2011 batch.
- **2012** — Grubwithus raised a reported $5 million round but later proved difficult to scale.
- **2014** — A counterfeit pair of Jordan 5 Grapes bought by Sugano prompted the idea for a trust-and-safety sneaker marketplace.
- **2015** — Co-founded and launched GOAT; a Black Friday promotion drove more than 100,000 downloads and overwhelmed the app.
- **2018** — GOAT acquired sneaker consignment pioneer Flight Club, combining digital marketplace reach with physical retail.
- **2019** — GOAT expanded into apparel and accessories and launched in China; Foot Locker invested $100 million.
- **2021** — GOAT Group raised a $195 million Series F at a $3.7 billion valuation and reported 30 million members.
- **2022** — GOAT Group agreed to acquire fashion resale marketplace Grailed, bringing its combined community above 50 million members.
- **2025** — GOAT Group reported more than 60 million members in 170 countries across five brands.

## Achievements

- Co-founded GOAT, an authenticated sneaker marketplace launched in 2015.
- Built GOAT Group into a five-brand marketplace group serving more than 60 million members across 170 countries by 2025.
- Led GOAT Group through a $195 million Series F in 2021 at a $3.7 billion valuation.
- Expanded the business through the acquisition of Flight Club in 2018 and Grailed in 2022.
- GOAT reported preventing $72 million worth of counterfeit sneakers from entering its marketplace in 2019.
- Received an EY Entrepreneur of the Year award with co-founder Daishin Sugano.

## Latest updates

- **2025-05** — GOAT Group reported a community of more than 60 million members across 170 countries and five brands: GOAT, Flight Club, Grailed, Sneakers.com and alias.
- **2024-07** — Lu discussed GOAT's pivot, early scrappiness and founder journey on The Social Radars podcast.
- **2022-10** — GOAT Group announced an agreement to acquire Grailed in a cash-and-stock deal to deepen its apparel and accessories business.

## Links

- Website: https://www.goatgroup.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddylu
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/eddylu

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/eddy-lu
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-27