History of Funko in Timeline
Funko Inc. is an American company founded in 1998 by Mike and Claudia Becker. They manufacture pop culture collectibles such as vinyl figurines, bobbleheads, plush toys, action figures, apparel, accessories, and games. The company began as a small project to create nostalgia-themed toys, with their first product being a Big Boy restaurant mascot bobblehead.
1998: Funko Founded
Funko was founded in 1998 by Mike Becker and Claudia Becker with the goal of creating low-tech, nostalgia-themed toys.
2002: Freddy Funko Debut
Funko introduced its mascot, Freddy Funko, in 2002.
2005: Funko Leadership and Expansion
In 2005, Brian Mariotti purchased Funko and expanded its product lines and licensing agreements with companies such as Warner Bros., Nickelodeon, MTV, NBCUniversal, Disney, Marvel Entertainment, and Major League Baseball.
2005: Mariotti Acquires Funko
Mike Becker sold Funko to Brian Mariotti in 2005. Mariotti moved the company to Lynnwood, Washington, and expanded product lines.
2006: Convention Exclusives
Funko began offering convention-exclusive products at events like San Diego Comic-Con starting in 2006.
2010: Funko Pop! Line Creation
Funko's Pop! Vinyl line, designed in a Japanese chibi style, was created in 2010.
2011: Funko Pop! Launch
Following a preview at San Diego Comic-Con 2010, Funko officially unveiled its Pop! Vinyl line at the New York Toy Fair in 2011.
2012: Funko Sales Milestone
Funko achieved over $20 million in merchandise sales in 2012.
2013: Funko Acquired by Fundamental Capital
Private equity firm Fundamental Capital acquired Funko in 2013 to raise funds.
2015: ACON Investments Acquires Funko
ACON Investments, LLC purchased Funko from Fundamental Capital in late 2015, retaining the existing staff and leadership.
2015: Marvel Collector Corps Launch
Funko partnered with Marvel in 2015 to launch Marvel Collector Corps, a subscription box service offering exclusive collectibles, apparel, and accessories.
June 2017: Loungefly Acquisition
Funko acquired Loungefly, a fashion accessories line, in June 2017.
August 19, 2017: New Headquarters and Flagship Store
Funko opened its new headquarters and a 17,000-square-foot flagship store in downtown Everett on August 19, 2017.
November 2, 2017: Funko's IPO
On November 2, 2017, Funko went public on the NASDAQ stock exchange, but experienced a significant drop in share prices.
February 2019: Forrest-Pruzan Creative Acquisition
In February 2019, Funko acquired the board game development studio Forrest-Pruzan Creative, including its imprint Prospero Hall, to form Funko Games.
September 16, 2019: Funko Film Announcement
Warner Animation Group announced a live-action/animated Funko film in active development on September 16, 2019, with directors Mark Dindal and Teddy Newton.
November 2019: Hollywood Store Opening
Funko's second storefront, a 40,000-square-foot space with life-size statues and movie "sets," opened in Hollywood, Los Angeles, in November 2019.
2019: Pop! Town Line Launch
Funko announced its Pop! Town line, featuring a Pop! Vinyl figure with a stylized landmark building, at Toy Fair 2019.
February 2021: Screenwriter Confirmed
In February 2021, Teddy Newton was confirmed as the screenwriter for the Funko film, in addition to his directing role.
August 2021: Digital Collectibles Launch
Funko launched a line of digital collectibles in August 2021, allowing collectors to purchase Funko-themed non-fungible token (NFT) packs.
June 2022: Mondo Acquisition
Funko acquired Mondo, a high-end pop culture company, in June 2022.
January 2023: Bitty Pop! Launch
Funko introduced Bitty Pops, miniature 1-inch versions of Funko Pops, at the London Toy Fair in January 2023.
March 2023: Excess Inventory Disposal
Funko announced in March 2023 that they would be disposing of excess inventory due to limited warehouse capacity.
2023: Funko Fusion Game Announcement
Funko announced the development of a game called Funko Fusion, based on NBCUniversal IPs, in 2023.
2023: "Dogg House" Store Launch
In partnership with Snoop Dogg, Funko opened the “Dogg House” store next to So-Fi Stadium in California in 2023, selling exclusive Funko Pop Vinyl figures and featuring a Funko-themed mural.
