Warby Parker

Neil Blumenthal, Dave Gilboa, Andrew Hunt and Jeffrey Raider co-founded Warby Parker while studying for MBAs at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. They launched in February 2010, starting with online eyewear sales and seeking to reduce the cost of prescription glasses.⁠[1]

According to Wharton’s report based on an interview with Blumenthal, Warby Parker completed $41.5 million in financing, with investors including J.Crew chief executive Millard Drexler and American Express.⁠[2]

The company opened its first standalone store in New York’s SoHo neighborhood, extending its online business into physical retail. Its early Home Try-On service let customers select five frames to try at home for five days.⁠[2]

Warby Parker began selling contact lenses in fall 2019, expanding its range beyond frames, prescription glasses and sunglasses.⁠[3]

Warby Parker’s Class A common stock began trading through a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WRBY. The company is a public benefit corporation headquartered in New York.⁠[4][5]

Warby Parker and Target announced shop-in-shops staffed by Warby Parker employees, offering eyewear, contact lenses and eye exams, with five initial locations planned. Warby Parker’s 2025 impact report subsequently confirmed that the five locations had opened.⁠[6][7]

The companies announced a partnership to develop AI-powered glasses for all-day use. Transaction counsel Paul, Weiss reported that Google committed up to $75 million for development and commercialization, plus a further investment of up to $75 million subject to collaboration milestones.⁠[8]

The company ended its Home Try-On mail service, shifting attention to stores and virtual try-on. Its 2025 impact report stated that 88% of stores offered eye exams at year-end.⁠[7]

For 2025, net revenue was $871.9 million, up 13.0%, and GAAP net income was approximately $1.6 million, marking the company’s first profitable full year. It added 47 net new stores, ending the year with 323.⁠[5]

The company launched Warby Parker Sport, initially comprising five Italian-made nylon frame designs in prescription and non-prescription versions, sold online and through its stores.⁠[9]

Warby Parker unveiled its first Intelligent Eyewear design with Google and Samsung: a dark-green nylon frame incorporating Gemini and Android XR. The announcement targeted a fall release for the initial collection.⁠[10]

For the quarter ended June 30, net revenue was $235.5 million, up 9.8%, and net income was approximately $4.6 million; earnings included an $11.8 million benefit from tariff refunds. Fifteen net new stores brought the total to 352.⁠[11]

Warby Parker designs eyewear in-house and sells directly through its website and stores in the United States and Canada. Its offerings include prescription glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, eye exams and vision tests. Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa serve as co-chief executives.⁠[3][12][11]

Through Buy a Pair, Give a Pair and nonprofit partners, the company supports distributing a pair of glasses to someone in need for each pair sold. Its April 2026 announcement reported cumulative distribution of more than 25 million pairs.⁠[9]

Digital tools include Virtual Try-On and Advisor, which recommends frames using facial measurements and style preferences. When checked in October 2026, the separate Intelligent Eyewear page still described a forthcoming launch and offered registration for updates.⁠[13][14]

Warby Parker: Official website: https://www.warbyparker.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[12]

X: https://x.com/warbyparker (opens in a new window); YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: https://www.youtube.com/@warbyparker (opens in a new window); LinkedInLinkedInLinkedIn is a social networking platform for professionals. It was founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman and others, launched in 2003, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2011; after Microsoft acquired it for approximately $26.2 billion in 2016, it became a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary. Its revenue comes from membership subscriptions, advertising, and recruitment solutions.Open the full entry: https://www.linkedin.com/company/warbyparker (opens in a new window).⁠[15][16][17]