Andrew Ekmark knew there had to be a better way to shop for greeting cards.
Oftentimes, the lengthy process involved navigating through crowds of people to find the right card with the perfect message, he said.
“Then, I eventually walk out, paying $6.50 for a card,” he said. “It’s just so expensive.”
That process led Ekmark and his wife Sammi to launch Ink’d Greetings, a Phoenix-based startup that aims to disrupt the billion-dollar greeting card industry and rival companies such as Hallmark and American Greetings.
Ink’d, founded in 2023, creates automated, self-service kiosks that allow customers to customize and print greeting cards on-demand, choosing from a variety of designs and themes for special occasions.
Customers can add a personalized message and signature. The cards are printed on high-quality cardstock within 10 seconds via the company’s kiosks. There's also an option to add a digital gift card with a QR code on the back of the greeting card.
“Now, you can put gift cards directly on your greeting cards, which makes a perfect all-in-one gift,” Sammi Ekmark said.
In November, Ink’d placed its first kiosk in the Chandler Fashion Center. The company has its sights set on expansion in the Phoenix area — and eventually nationwide — via pilot partnerships with 7-11 and Speedway.
“We definitely want to expand in Phoenix before we go national,” Andrew Ekmark said.
Within the year, the company plans to roll out nearly 100 kiosks in multifamily and office spaces throughout the Valley. Additionally, it plans to launch kiosks in properties operated by Santa Monica-based Macerich Co., which owns Chandler Fashion Center and Biltmore Fashion Park.
Ink'd selected for Stanford StartX accelerator
This month, Ink’d was among eight startups selected to participate in Stanford University’s StartX accelerator program, said Andrew Ekmark, who graduated from Stanford with a bachelor’s degree in engineering.
The company was chosen from hundreds of applicants for the program, whose alumni includes Lime, Patreon and Protocol Labs.
“We're so thrilled to get in and will be there all summer,” Andrew Ekmark said.
The accelerator program will provide mentorship and resources to Ink'd as it looks to scale its network of kiosks.
Ink’d has four employees, including chief commercial officer Ged Backland, who is the former head of humor for Hallmark and American Greetings, and creator of the popular “Aunty Acid” card designs.
What's more, the company in February entered an agreement with Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (OTC: PRET), which manages a large portfolio of malls concentrated on the East Coast. The company has not yet established any of its kiosks in PREIT's properties as it's focusing on growth in the Phoenix market, Andrew Ekmark said.
Since its inception, Ink’d has raised $1 million from undisclosed investors. The company — which claims it has a $19.9 million valuation — has also launched a crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine.
As of April 8, it has raised $119,120 from 106 investors, according to its crowdfunding page on StartEngine.
