Student living platform Housr has raised £7.5 million in private financing to accelerate its product innovation and expansion across the UK and US.
The round includes backing from Ashta Capital and Juniper Equity, two Texas-based investment firms known for supporting high-growth operating companies.
The Manchester-founded startup, which grew revenues by 186% year-on-year, is on a mission to modernise student housing through technology.
Founded in 2021 by Harry Panter and Ben Clayton while studying at the University of Manchester, the company’s free-to-use app has become a digital ecosystem for student life, offering rentals, local deals, roommate-matching and ride-sharing, all in one place.
“This financing is a powerful validation of our team’s vision and the measurable impact we’re having on the student rental industry,” said Panter, co-founder and CEO of Housr.
“The market is rapidly shifting towards demand for an all-in-one, student OS, with the home at the heart of everything, and our platform is uniquely positioned to capitalize on that demand.”
The new funding will also be used to drive product development, expand the firm’s team and grow its geographic footprint, with a goal of reaching 1m students across the UK and US within 12 months.
Eric Priamo of Juniper Equity added: “The university market is massive, especially here in the US, but really globally, because that’s where Housr has the opportunity to go.
“There’s around 4,000 universities in the U.S, so just think about that. That population that Housr can go to and have engaging with the app, and just in Texas alone, there’s probably somewhere between 750,000 to a million students.
“There’s just a massive market here that you only need to capture a very, very small percentage for it to grow and be incredibly valuable.”