BacklotCars parks another $25 million in Series B round led by NY-based investor
April 15, 2019 | Startland News Staff
KC-fueled BacklotCars will further its mission to disrupt the wholesale automotive space, thanks to the close of a $25 million Series B funding round, the company announced Monday.
Led by New York-based growth equity firm, Stripes, the round brings BacklotCars — which seeks to ease pain points for automotive wholesalers — to $38 million in funding total since it was founded in 2014.
“We’re excited to have Stripes partnering with us on this next round of funding, as well as the continued support from existing investors,” said Justin Davis, CEO of BacklotCars. “Stripes’ experience with guiding high-growth, tech-driven marketplaces will be helpful as we double down on our mission of making wholesale easy.”
Backlot Cars’ latest round saw continued support from KCRise Fund, the company said, in addition to another seven existing investors that included: Origin Ventures, Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, Royal Street Ventures, and Chaifetz Group.
“We are thrilled to be joining the BacklotCars team,” said Saagar Kulkarni, Principal at Stripes. “The BacklotCars marketplace, combined with its transportation and financing products, is a complete solution for dealers. We believe their tremendous growth is proving that car dealers want a digital marketplace for buying and selling inventory. We look forward to partnering with Justin and the team as they continue to expand their footprint and create value for dealers nationwide.”
Rapidly raising, the Crossroads-based company closed on an $8 million Series A round in December 2018.
Click here to read about the previous funding round.
“We have a talented team of problem solvers here that gets things done,” Nathan Sterner, growth and marketing manager, said of the company’s growth mindset at the time.
With it latest cash infusion, BacklotCars will continue its expansion, promising to enhance current products, expand inventory, and create additional resources focused on dealer success, Davis said.
“We’re focused on building one platform for all dealers to transact efficiently, not just a new version of the same old auction,” he said.
Featured Business

2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
New edition of a classic story: Made in KC founders lead ownership group buying Rainy Day Books; How they plan to expand its legacy with next chapter
When the owners of Kansas City-bound Rainy Day Books announced they were selling their popular bookstore in May, they looked for two qualities in its new owners: a commitment to uphold the customer experience and determination to grow the business, said Geoffrey Jennings. “It has been a six-month process to find people who could understand…
UMKC top student entrepreneur’s refrain: It isn’t how many ideas you have, it’s what you do with them
Improvising is vital in jazz and entrepreneurship, noted Tate Berry, UMKC Student Entrepreneur of the Year. A double major in jazz studies and business administration, Berry is well-versed in both. “Composing music is a very long collaborative creative process, which has given me the skills to look at intricate problems from a distance and develop…
Marsha Willis joins Facebook accelerator to boost 30K-strong community of Black-owned businesses, supporters
Marsha Willis’ decade-long journey of supporting Kansas City-based, Black-owned businesses is headed to the next level — thanks to a funding infusion from Facebook and Willis’ own focused commitment to providing elevated experiences to the online community she’s built. “Our focus is to create a centralized place where we can share resources and education for…
The Popper drips with KC: Why this award-winning brand won’t quit ‘until the aliens on other planets know’ his city
Walter Edwin is better known as the Popper, but it might as well be “KC,” he said. His love for Kansas City has inspired both his music career and award-winning apparel business. As a performer, he’s rapped about his hometown on his singles “I’m KC” and “For the City,” and as a collaborator on Tech…


