Canal
The business, the turning points, and the decisions behind them.
Some sections are still being researched2 / 4
Sections to complete：02 · 05
01 / WHAT IT BUILT
What the company did
Canal was an e-commerce platform that let brands sell each other's products through curated partnerships — described as a dating app for brands. Founded in 2020 by Bennett Carroccio, Clay Schubiner and Liam Kinney, it built a curated network of direct-to-consumer brands, giving existing storefronts access to inventory from suppliers with a similar ethos. It took no upfront or monthly fee, instead earning a commission when it facilitated a transaction, and later launched a Shopify app so brands could use its technology with existing partners.
02 / FAILURE REASONS
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03 / EVENT HISTORY
Events in the structured record
- Founded
Founded by Bennett Carroccio, Liam Kinney and Clay Schubiner as a platform connecting like-minded brands to sell each other's products.
- Seed round
Raised $4.5 million in seed funding led by Andreessen Horowitz and Forerunner Ventures, emerging from stealth with a curated brand network.
- Series A
Raised a $22.5 million Series A, growing its network to about 165 brands and launching an app on the Shopify App Store.
- Acquired by Rokt
Acquired by e-commerce technology firm Rokt (announced July 17, 2025). Canal's network of roughly 1,900 retailers and DTC brands — including Macy's, SHEIN and Anine Bing — was integrated into Rokt's AI-powered platform as Rokt Catalog, with the co-founders joining Rokt's product leadership team.
04 / CONTEMPORARY REBUILD ASSESSMENT
Difficulty of rebuilding this project today
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.
Overall assessment: Not completed
05 / CAUSAL CHAIN / AFTERMATH
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.