Redbubble vs Teespring: Founders, CEOs and History
Redbubble was founded in 2006 by Martin Hosking, Peter Styles, Paul Vanzella and is led by Vivek Kumar. Teespring was founded in 2011 by Walker Williams, Evan Stites-Clayton and is led by Aaron Day.
Company facts
Founders
Redbubble
Martin Hosking
Martin Hosking co-founded Redbubble in 2006, led it through its 2016 ASX listing, and returned to lead the 2023-2025 turnaround of the group now called Articore.
Peter Styles
Peter Styles co-founded Redbubble in Melbourne in 2006 and was its early managing director.
Paul Vanzella
Paul Vanzella, a Melbourne graphic designer, co-founded Redbubble in 2006.
Teespring
Walker Williams
Walker Williams co-founded Teespring in 2011 with Evan Stites-Clayton and led it as CEO through its Y Combinator and venture-funded growth years. He later stepped back from the role.
Evan Stites-Clayton
Evan Stites-Clayton co-founded Teespring in 2011 and worked on building the platform that let anyone sell custom apparel through pre-order campaigns.
CEOs and their tenures
Redbubble
- Martin Hosking2006–2025
Co-founder; former CEO and Managing Director
Co-founded Redbubble, led it through the 2016 ASX listing, and returned to lead the 2023-2025 cost turnaround.
Source - Michael Ilczynski2021–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Led Redbubble through the post-pandemic sales decline and the launch of artist account tiers.
Source - Vivek Kumar2025–present
Group CEO & Managing Director, Articore Group
Former CEO of TeePublic and then CEO, Marketplaces; appointed Group CEO in June 2025 and led the FY26 return to profit.
Source - Robin Mendelson2025–present
Chair of the Board
US-based director appointed Chair in the June 2025 board renewal.
Source - Derek Yung2026–present
Group Chief Financial Officer
Group CFO following the January 2026 CFO change.
Source
Teespring
- Aaron Day
Chief Executive Officer, Amaze Holdings
Took the business public as Amaze Holdings (NYSE American: AMZE).
Source - Walker Williams2011–2017
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer (20112017)
The founding who created the social commerce crowdfunding category and established custom apparel as an accessible online asset class.
Source - Chris Lamontagne2018–present
Former Chief Executive Officer
Repositioned Teespring around creator merchandise.
Source
Timeline: Redbubble and Teespring side by side
2006Redbubble
Redbubble Founded in Melbourne: Martin Hosking, Peter Styles, and Paul Vanzella establish Redbubble in Melbourne, Australia, with a vision to give independent artists an easy way to sell their art on…
2011Redbubble
Global Fulfiller Network Expansion: Redbubble establishes third-party print-on-demand fulfillment agreements in the United States and Europe, enabling local printing and faster international shipping.
2011Teespring
Teespring founded
Walker Williams and Evan Stites-Clayton launched a pre-order model for custom T-shirts.
2013Teespring
Y Combinator
Teespring went through Y Combinator.
2014Teespring
Venture rounds
Raised a Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz and a $35 million Series B led by Khosla Ventures.
2016Redbubble
Initial Public Offering on ASX: Redbubble lists on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: RBL) to fund global expansion.
2018Redbubble
Acquisition of TeePublic: Redbubble acquires US rival TeePublic for US$41 million, creating the world's largest marketplace coalition for independent creator merchandise.
2018Teespring
YouTube merch shelf
Became a launch partner for YouTube's merchandise shelf beneath creator videos.
2019Redbubble
Launch of Redbubble Partner Program: Introduces an industry-first fan-art licensing model, partnering with entertainment leaders (Warner Bros, Netflix, Hasbro) to allow creators to legally sell compli…
2020Redbubble
Pandemic E-Commerce Surge & Mask Sales: Redbubble experiences record revenue as global e-commerce explodes; the marketplace sells millions of artist-designed fabric face masks alongside surging home d…
2021Teespring
Rebrand to Spring
Teespring rebranded as Spring to reflect products beyond T-shirts.
2023Redbubble
Return of Martin Hosking & Cost Restructuring: Co-founder Martin Hosking returns as CEO, implementing A in cost reductions, introducing artist tiering fees, and returning the group to positive operati…
2023Teespring
Warehouse closure
Spring closed its production warehouse and laid off staff, according to Business Insider.
2024Redbubble
Rebranding to Articore Group Limited (ASX: ATG): Redbubble Limited formally changes its corporate name to Articore Group Limited on the ASX to reflect its holding structure managing both Redbubble and…
2025Teespring
Public via Fresh Vine Wine
Fresh Vine Wine completed its acquisition of Amaze Software (Spring, Teespring Marketplace) in March 2025 and renamed itself Amaze Holdings (AMZE).
2026Teespring
Q2 2026 update
Amaze reported Q2 revenue of about $0.6 million (+32% QoQ) and a narrower net loss of about $4.4 million.
Acquisitions
Questions about Redbubble vs Teespring
Who is the CEO of Redbubble and Teespring (Spring by Amaze)?
Redbubble is led by Vivek Kumar and Teespring (Spring by Amaze) is led by Aaron Day. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Redbubble founded vs Teespring (Spring by Amaze)?
Redbubble was founded in 2006 — 5 years before Teespring (Spring by Amaze), which was founded in 2011. Redbubble's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Teespring (Spring by Amaze).
How many employees does Redbubble have compared to Teespring (Spring by Amaze)?
Redbubble employs approximately 260 people. A verified employee count for Teespring (Spring by Amaze) is not currently available.
Where are Redbubble and Teespring (Spring by Amaze) headquartered?
Redbubble is headquartered in Australia and Teespring (Spring by Amaze) is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Redbubble and Teespring (Spring by Amaze)?
Redbubble was founded by Martin Hosking, Peter Styles, Paul Vanzella. Teespring (Spring by Amaze) was founded by Walker Williams, Evan Stites-Clayton.
Which company has a longer operating history — Redbubble or Teespring (Spring by Amaze)?
Redbubble has been operating for approximately 20 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Teespring (Spring by Amaze) has been in operation for around 15 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Redbubble vs Teespring overview