User:Stephen Shih/sandbox

Simba Sleep is an online mattress retailer founded by James Cox, Andrew McClements, Harry McClements and Steve Reid in 2015. The company, based in London, operates in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, North America and the Middle East. Apart from online retailing, the company has business agreement with John Lewis, a chain of high-end department stores operating throughout the United Kingdom. Since its foundation, the company sold over 45,000 mattresses.

History
Since 1979, the company was operating as the thread spool supplier to a Derbyshire-based mattress factory. In 2002, company's management decided to start the production of their own mattress, which combine a layer of foam and specially designed conical springs.

Business model
As an online platform, Simba Sleeps sells directly to the consumer through its website, cutting out the intermediary and reducing the shipping costs by packing the mattress into a roll.

Investors
In 2016, Simba Sleep raised £5 million from Innocent Drinks, lastminute.com and made.com, which would be supporting its overseas expansion.

In February 2017, the company raised additional £9 million from new investors, including investment company Henderson Group.

In June 2017, the company raised £11.4 million of new money, while also issuing £1.8 million worth of shares to settle a liability.

Communication
In 2017, Simba Sleep presented Real Madrid C.F. and Wales international footballer Gareth Bale as its "Sleep ambassador", after developing a prototype airline seat for him. The company begun conversations with commercial and private airlines to determine how such technology can be adapted for other transport vehicles, such as trains.

Awards and recognition
In June 2017, Forbes featured Simba Sleep in a list of Britain's top 10 start-up companies.