Student living platform Housr has stepped up its US expansion plans by announcing two new office openings in New York and Chicago.
It follows last year’s news that the Manchester-based startup had raised £7.5m in private financing to accelerate its product innovation and expansion across the UK and US.
The round included backing from Ashta Capital and Juniper Equity, two Texas-based investment firms known for supporting high-growth operating companies.
Housr, which grew revenues by 186 per cent 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.
Co-founder Harry Panter said: “2026 is the year Housr becomes a market leader in the US, while continuing aggressive growth in the UK and entering new European markets.
“At the start of Q2, I’ll be relocating to New York. This is a deliberate move that reflects our ambition and long-term commitment to building the most important rental and living platform in the US.
“While I’ll be US-based, I’ll remain actively involved at a global level across all markets.
“With this expansion, Housr will operate from three headquarters: Manchester, New York and Chicago.
“What began as an idea Ben Clayton and I had at university has grown into a company with teams in some of the most exciting cities in the world, and we’re only just getting started.
“Housr has the clearest plan we’ve ever had, and 2026 is about execution at scale.”
Housr will be recruiting extensively across the US and UK to support its growth plans.
Panter admitted: “2026 will be the most demanding and exciting year of my life. The ambition is big enough to be uncomfortable and that’s exactly how it should feel.”