Mighty Jaxx Profitability Shows the Business Reality Behind Collectibles Hype

The collectibles industry is often perceived as trend-driven and speculative. In reality, it is built on logistics, intellectual property rights, and disciplined unit economics.

Southeast Asia’s digital economy continues to expand, with GMV projected to exceed US$300 billion, driven largely by e-commerce at US$185 billion. Within this growth, only a few companies scale globally while remaining profitable, and Mighty Jaxx is one of them.

Founder Grit and Leadership Behind Mighty Jaxx’s EBITDA Profitability

East Ventures’ early investment in Mighty Jaxx was centered on founder capability rather than product hype.

Founder Jackson Aw entered the business in 2012 by learning manufacturing and global trade directly on factory floors in China.

“There were so many moments I felt like quitting; honestly, almost every day! But creating your own company means you can’t just be a ‘creative guy’, you are forced to learn everything from scratch.” Jackson Aw, Founder of Mighty Jaxx

Jackson highlighted the steep learning curve of logistics and trade terms.

“Early on, customers asked if it was ‘FOB’ (Free On Board), and I was like, ‘What is that? What do you mean?’ I had to take a quick 101 course on every aspect of the business, end-to-end.”

Supply Chain Mastery as a Competitive Business Moat

Understanding the complexity of handcrafted collectibles became central to Mighty Jaxx’s operational discipline. Each product involves hundreds of specialists, from painting to assembly.

“I originally thought collectibles were machine-made. The truth is, hundreds of people work on each product. One person paints the eyes, another applies the base color, and so on. That realization gave me the heart to create,” Jackson said.

This operational depth later enabled Mighty Jaxx to build scalable systems and reach EBITDA profitability, a notable achievement amid tighter funding conditions. “It is 50% belief from other people, and 50% pure grit,” Jackson added.

Phygital Collectibles and Trust in the Southeast Asian Market

Trust remains a major challenge in the collectibles market due to counterfeits. Mighty Jaxx addressed this through its proprietary “phygital” platform, embedding NFC chips into physical products.

The technology enables instant authentication and connects collectors to a digital ecosystem. This strengthens lifetime value by allowing the company to retain users and understand their preferences.

“For our world, it lies between three variables: the price point, the IPs we represent, and our brand,” Jackson explained. “These variables change with the macro environment and spending power.”

Scaling Mighty Jaxx Through Global IPs and Product Verticalization

Mighty Jaxx operates across multiple price tiers, from mass-market collectibles available in over 24,000 retail points to super-premium SuperKraft sculptures.

“When we decided to do something really high-end [like SuperKraft], the intention was to demonstrate Mighty Jaxx as a brand capable of creating highly crafted items for the most premium collectors globally,” Jackson said.

Partnerships with Sanrio, Toei Animation, and Warner Bros. validate Mighty Jaxx’s operational standards.

“In the very beginning, I had to go down individually and basically beg for 30 minutes to pitch,” Jackson shared. “95% of them failed, but I focused on volume.”

These global IP collaborations now function as a customer acquisition engine, supporting Mighty Jaxx’s expansion across the US and Europe.

PHOTO: EAST VENTURES

This article was created with AI assistance.

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