Avoli, a women’s footwear brand that focuses on volleyball athletes, has successfully closed a $2.1 million seed funding round, surpassing its original goal of $1.5 million. Among the investors contributing to this achievement is Ho Nam, co-founder of Altos Ventures.

Launched in 2023, Avoli plans to channel the funds into several key areas, including boosting working capital, expanding its team with strategic hires, ramping up brand marketing efforts, and increasing the accessibility of its footwear products.

In line with this expansion strategy, Avoli has also announced its first retail partnership with Scheels, a well-known sports retailer. This collaboration will see Avoli’s footwear exclusively available in select Scheels stores across the United States, making it easier for customers to get their hands on the brand’s popular volleyball shoes.

The partnership aims to meet the rising demand for volleyball footwear, particularly among female athletes, as the sport continues to gain popularity in the U.S.

“In our first year as a company, we’ve seen an unprecedented demand for our footwear amongst the volleyball community, and our partnership with Scheels will make Avoli shoes more widely accessible to women and girl athletes around the country,” said Rick Anguilla, Avoli’s co-founder. “Scheels’ dedication to quality and an excellent customer experience aligns perfectly with our mission at Avoli, and we look forward to working together to grow the sport of volleyball.”