Tech

John Imah Sold 2 Companies Before He Was 16 Years Old, Now He’s Leading A $1.5B AI-Powered Retail Company

blacknewsdailyAugust 12, 2025

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John Imah founded a tech company that has hit unicorn status.

For Imah, the drive to succeed was instilled early. Growing up in a Nigerian household, his parents pushed him toward one of two career paths: lawyer or doctor. Tech wasn’t even on the radar. His family also grew up poor, so when his parents sacrificed for them to move to America, it was with the hope of building a better future. That dream came to life when several family members became doctors and nurses. But tech stayed in a “gray bubble” for most of them. However, Imah embraced it fully, showing an interest as early as age 7.

“My parents knew early on because when I was 7 years old, I took apart my first computer. It was just a natural God-given talent,” he explained on the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast hosted by AFROTECH™ Brand Manager Will Lucas. “They were pissed. Like ‘We just bought this new household computer, and you just took it apart. If you don’t put this back together…’ And so I ended up putting it back together, and it worked. And then that’s where they were like, ‘Huh There’s something here.’”

SpreeAI

Imah became a self-taught coder dedicated to learning the nuances of technology. Before he was 16, he had already launched two companies — a mobile game development company and one that offered solutions to 3D professionals — and sold them. With credibility and experience, it may be no surprise that Imah’s knack for tech led him to secure corporate roles at Snapchat, Twitch, and Meta. He then turned his attention to his next venture in 2023, marrying his tech background with his passion for fashion. He launched SpreeAI, a retail tech company that offers a photorealistic try-on technology powered by AI.

“I was always looking for a way to merge tech and fashion. There were tools and products out there. The challenge, it wasn’t necessarily up to par or the standard that I was looking for. And so before the world started talking about AI and ChatGPT, I was already sort of in the mix of exploring AI and machine learning,” he mentioned to AFROTECH™. “When ChatGPT launched, in many ways, we benefited from that because it educated the world on what this AI thing is. And we became a part of that conversation because the name of the company, SpreeAI. And so when people are searching, we come up. And so we get a lot of that SEO. And so in many ways it was very meaningful to us.”

How It Works

SpreeAI wants to ensure customers feel confident in their purchases, reducing the likelihood of returns. From a product page, shoppers can choose clothing, jewelry, and other accessories from any number of brands to try on virtually. Following instructions on the company’s website, users simply upload a photo and can see how the item will look instantly. According to Imah, the platform’s sizing tool is 99% accurate in predicting whether a piece will fit snugly or loosely. The company is also developing new features, including a virtual wardrobe and AI stylist that could channel the style sensibilities of Pharrell Williams, Louis Vuitton’s creative director.

“Not everyone in the world has worked with a stylist, but with AI, we can give you your own personalized stylist based on the data that we have on you, but then also we can create the tone. So you can feel like the creative director, Pharrell from Louis Vuitton is speaking to you directly, right,” Imah said. “Because he knows a lot about you and such. And so there’s a lot of different feature sets, if you will, that we’re sort of accompanying to build this product that’s almost like a platform.”

He added, “If you think about the evolution of Instagram, it was a picture app, it was a photo app. You upload pictures, but now if you see how it’s basically evolved, you can send messages, you can upload stories, there’s shopping, etc. And that’s sort of the same way that I would view our product. It is going to be an evolution of a multitude of things that it can do based on how we see people shopping just as a whole.”

Valuation

SpreeAI raised nearly $60 million in funds by 2024, according to a LinkedIn post. Having launched startups that were already sold, in addition to his career background in tech, Imah acknowledged he was already reputable in the eyes of investors to the point where they were not investing in his product but rather directly in him.

“It wasn’t necessarily about the product. And I know that’s not usually the case for entrepreneurs. And so I wouldn’t say it was easy for me to raise money, but it wasn’t as difficult as maybe someone that’s starting from scratch to raise money and then start their journey,” he acknowledged on the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast.

In May 2025, the company announced it had reached a $1.5 billion valuation following an undisclosed funding round led by The Davidson Group, a press release mentions. Furthermore, it has captured the attention of supermodel Naomi Campbell, who serves on the company’s board alongside entrepreneurs Bob Davidson and Larry Ruvo.

AFROTECH™ Future 50

Imah’s footprint has led him to be recognized as a Visionary Founder on the AFROTECH™ Future 50 list, which awards technology disruptors. He views the feat as an honor and was excited to be listed among other leaders, including Morgan Hewett (CEO & former Co-Founder, Options MD); Ashlee Wisdom (Founder & CEO, Health In Her Hue); and Joshua Reid (Founder & CEO, LunchTable).

“It’s really important for someone like myself and others who are on that list, or future people that will be coming on that list, to also understand that we are in a very unique position and we can’t take it for granted. There are so many people out there that would kill to be in the position that we’re in. And so what’s really important is to give back because that’s how you really truly build a community and not just talk about it,” he expressed.