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M

Michael Van

Co-founder & CEO, Furnishr

E-commerce

Michael Van, also known as Mike Van, co-founded Furnishr with Karen Lau in Toronto in 2016 and is its CEO. Furnishr sells furnished rooms as packages: it designs, sources, delivers, assembles and styles furniture and decor for a home. BetaKit reported in 2020 that the company had passed $1 million in annual revenue while largely bootstrapped.

Michael hasn’t spoken on a TechTO, TechVancouver or TechWaterloo stage. This profile is here because Michael co-founded Furnishr, which appears in 1 talk in the archive.

Around the web ×2

Article
How Furnishr Grew to $1 Million in Annual RevenueBetaKit
2020
Interview
Warby Of X: Furnishr, D2C Home FurnishingPYMNTS
2016

Quick answers

Who is Michael Van?

He is the co-founder and CEO of Furnishr. Furnishr's about page, checked 2026-09-19, lists "Mike Van, Co-Founder & CEO" next to Karen Lau, Co-Founder & CTO.

When and where did he start Furnishr?

BetaKit reported on 2019-08-01 that Karen Lau and Michael Van started Furnishr in Toronto in 2016, after the two had moved 15 times between them and wanted an easier way to furnish an apartment.

How did Furnishr grow under Van?

BetaKit reported on 2020-02-25 that Furnishr, founded in 2016 and mostly bootstrapped, had reached $1 million in annual revenue. Van, as CEO, and Lau described building customer feedback loops, including a design consultation call for every customer.

Who has invested in Furnishr?

XRC Ventures' portfolio page for Furnishr, checked 2026-09-19, lists the company as active in its Fund II and names Michael Van as CEO/Co-Founder.

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Maintained by TechTO · facts sourced and dated · last reviewed Sep 19, 2026