May 18, 2023

Share this Close Founder Laurel Hess is pictured at Hampr headquarters, located within the Opportunity Machine, on Wednesday, November 18, 2021, at the LITE Center in Lafayette. STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD BOWIE STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD BOWIE hampr Hampr, an app-based wash-and-fold laundry service launched two years ago in Lafayette, closed a $5 million round of funding. Now in 35 markets across nine states, the business hatched by Lafayette business owner Laurel Hess is using the funding to reach its goal of tripling its current footprint by the end of the year. Hampr is receiving hundreds of new market requests each week. Since November, it has more than doubled its customer total and is now topped 10,000, Hess said. "The Gurtin team is overjoyed to continue supporting hampr in this round,” said Grant Gurtin of Gurtin Ventures, who invested in this round. “As a hampr member myself, I'm blown away by the quality of the customer experience. The combination of a high-quality product and an analytics-driven approach to growth will allow the company to quickly expand its footprint across the US." Hampr users can purchase an annual membership for $39 and place an order with local “washrs,” who will pick up the order and return the laundry clean and folded. The size of the company's original team has more than tripled, Hess said, and it will announce new membership options soon. "It’s a thrilling time to be in the laundry business," Hess said. "It’s truly the one chore that never stops for busy individuals, single parents and families.” Email Adam Daigle at adaigle@theadvocate.com .