Koala (company)
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| ASX: KOA | |
| Industry | Furniture |
| Founded | November 2015 in Australia |
| Founder |
|
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | |
| Products | Bed in a box |
| Website | koala |
Koala is an Australian company selling mattresses and other furniture under a direct-to-consumer model. It was founded in November 2015 by Dany Milham and Mitch Taylor with a "mattress‑in‑a‑box" model that sold compressed foam mattresses online and delivered them directly to customers.[1][2]
Koala is headquartered in Sydney, and operates primarily as an online retailer.[3] The company later expanded beyond mattresses into products including sofas, sofa beds, and bases.[3]
Koala has promoted sustainability initiatives and wildlife conservation partnerships, including a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (Australia), with the company donating to adopt a symbolic koala for every mattress sold.[4]
History
Koala was founded in 2015 by Dany Milham and Mitch Taylor, who launched the business with a focus on online mattress sales and simplified delivery.[1] The founders introduced a mattress compressed into a box that could be shipped directly to customers under a "bed‑in‑a‑box" retail model.[2]
Early marketing campaigns for the mattress included demonstrations designed to show reduced motion transfer between sleepers.[5] The company later expanded its product range beyond mattresses to include living‑room and bedroom furniture products, although it continued to be best known for its mattresses.[3] In 2020, some manufacturing was controversially moved to China.[3][6]
Co‑founder Dany Milham left the company in 2021 to start the grocery delivery startup Milkrun before returning as chief executive in 2024.[7] Koala has expanded beyond Australia into international markets. The company launched in Japan in 2017.[8] The company has since launched in the United States, garnering attention with its social media marketing.[9]
In 2022, Koala was reported to be preparing for an IPO on the Australian Securities Exchange, but that effort was later abandoned.[10] As of 2026, the company was reportedly again preparing a ASX IPO, targeting an April listing with an estimated valuation of about $300 million.[2][11]
The company debuted on the Australian Securities Exchange on March 31, 2026, the float was priced at $3.40 and gained almost 12% on the first day of trading leaving the company with a market capitalisation of $340 million.[12]
ESG initiatives
The company has partnered with WWF-Australia since 2017, with a focus on koala conservation and turtle conservation in the Great Barrier Reef.[13] The company donates 1 per cent of revenue to environmental causes, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, totaling $1,000,594 as of 2019.[4]
References
- 1 2 "Koala co-CEO leaves the top job after less than a year". Australian Financial Review. 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- 1 2 3 "Dany Milham is back and fast-talking his way to a $400m IPO". Australian Financial Review. 2026-02-05. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- 1 2 3 4 Carter, Bridget (2025-03-26). "Koala Furniture's $250m-plus float gains early fund manager backing". The Australian. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- 1 2 Waters, Cara (2019-04-07). "'A purpose outside of business': Mattress start-up Koala helps turtles". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ Dias, Dinushi (2016-02-16). "How a startup backed by Australia's cricket captain turned over $1 million in less than three months". SmartCompany. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ Cockburn, Gerard (2020-10-11). "Millennial bed brand Koala moves manufacturing to China to help expansion". News.com.au. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "Milkrun founder Milham returns to his roots at Koala". Australian Financial Review. 2024-11-01. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ McIlvaine, Heather (2017-10-17). "Mattress retailer launches in Japan". Inside Retail Australia. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ Scanlan, Rebekah (2021-10-01). "Koala mattress you can flip takes TikTok by storm". News.com.au. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ Macdonald, Anthony; Thompson, Sarah; Sood, Kanika (2022-09-12). "Koala's financials a mystery in maiden IPO pitch". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ Carter, Bridget (2026-03-09). "Koala Furniture targets $305m listing in April, raises $70m for IPO". The Australian. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "Investors flock to Koala as furniture retailer soars on ASX debut". Australian Financial Review. 2026-03-31. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "Koala and WWF innovating together to help protect biodiversity - WWF-Australia | Protecting an Aussie icon with Koala | WWF Australia". wwf.org.au. Retrieved 2026-04-30.