USC Alum's Startup Hits $1.5B
USC alum John Imah's fashion-tech startup has reached a $1.5 billion valuation by tackling major inefficiencies in the industry. His journey from teenage tech prodigy to unicorn founder is being highlighted as a blueprint for combining deep domain expertise with technical skills to capture a large market.
John Imah's startup, SPREEAI, reached its $1.5 billion valuation after a Series B funding round in May 2025. The company has raised nearly $100 million in total, with The Davidson Group leading the latest investment round. This positions SPREEAI as a significant player in the Los Angeles fashion-tech scene, which saw a 5212% increase in funding in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous year. The company tackles the massive issue of returns, which were projected to cost U.S. retailers about $850 billion in 2025. The apparel category is hit hardest, with online return rates for clothing reaching as high as 26%. SPREEAI's core technology offers a photorealistic virtual try-on experience that boasts 99% sizing accuracy, aiming to drastically reduce this expensive problem for brands. SPREEAI functions as a white-label ecosystem that brands can integrate directly into their online and in-store platforms. Key partnerships have been established with luxury designer Sergio Hudson and contemporary womenswear brand Kai Collective, allowing customers to virtually try on their collections. The company is also the exclusive technology partner for the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) for digital innovation. The startup's board includes prominent figures from both the fashion and business worlds, such as supermodel Naomi Campbell, co-founder Bob Davidson, and business magnate Larry Ruvo. To sharpen its technological edge, SPREEAI has also formed research and talent development collaborations with MIT and Carnegie Mellon University. Before founding SPREEAI in 2022 with Lisa P, Nigerian-American entrepreneur John Imah built an extensive resume in global partnerships and product strategy at tech giants like Meta, Snap Inc., Twitch, and Samsung. This deep experience in scaling technology products provided the foundation for his approach to solving fashion's deeply rooted inefficiencies.
