Brian Altomare is the founder of LugLess, a New York-based company that ships luggage including awkward things including bicycles ($179), skis ($79) and golf clubs ($89). Lugless clients don’t have to pay airline baggage fees, stand in crowded check-in and baggage claim areas, and they avoid the chance of the airline losing the luggage. Altomare pitched LugLess on Shark Tank in 2013. He didn’t get a deal but the exposure helped LugLess land a spot on Entrepreneur Magazine’s list of 100 Brilliant Companies.
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One year after Shark Tank, LugLess was acquired by competitor Luggage Forward, which works in partnership with Federal Express, UPS, and DHL, among others. The year Luggage Forward acquired LugLess the company was ranked the 48th fastest growing Travel & Hospitality company with a three year growth rate of 61% by Inc. Magazine.
