“I’ve always wanted to give back and be in Oakland, to build in Oakland, and that’s what we did with Courtsmith. Growing up here I knew that there were geniuses and smart kids all around, but most of us don’t get a shot. ICA Fund was our first major investor. ICA stepped up and believed in us. Our team will continue to leverage this to scale up and hit our targets.” — Courtney Smith, Founder of Courtsmith

Courtsmith is an Oakland-based manufacturer of technology-driven athletic apparel, team uniforms, and accessories. Courtsmith is deeply rooted in Oakland with strong local brand recognition and notable partnerships with local athletes. Courtsmith is focused on creating good jobs within the community: the staff is made up almost entirely of people of color — most of whom were born and raised in the East Bay. This authenticity, coupled with cutting-edge design and first-class customer service, is what drives coaches and athletes to identify with the Courtsmith brand.

ICA Fund first worked with founder Courtney Smith through our Growth Strategies business education program in 2017. Then in 2020, after the company was blindsided by the pandemic’s manufacturing disruptions, ICA made a loan to Courtsmith through our pandemic-era Rapid Response Loan Fund, which gave them time to implement their recovery plan. Courtsmith emerged from the pandemic with a stronger business model that includes team uniforms, apparel, and brand partnerships with rising athletes.

Since 2020, they have doubled their revenue each year and exceeded $1M in annual revenue in 2023. ICA Fund invested in Courtsmith in 2021 and again in 2023 to continue to fuel this expansion. Courtsmith has big plans to keep growing with regional and category plans for scale, all while carrying through their commitment to building and hiring locally. Since our first investment, the team has grown from 4 total employees to 8 full time and 5 part-time employees as of November 2023, with more new hires on the horizon.

Learn more about Courtsmith and check out their recent collections at www.courtsmith.com.