Did we call it, or did we call it? Back in January, we featured Hello Alfred on our 50 Startups to Watch in 2018 list for its innovation in hospitality services technology. Fast forward several months, and the company just raised $40 million in Series B funding — nearly four times the amount it raised in its Series A round in 2014.
The company provides subscription-based services that take care of household chores like laundry and grocery shopping. It partners with residential developers to offer these capabilities for people who need extra help around the house — people like Hello Alfred’s co-founders Marcela Sapone and Jessica Beck. The pair came up with the idea for the company after working long hours and realizing the need for reliable hospitality services.
“Hello Alfred has always been about creating a better world — a better home, a better work environment and a better life,” Sapone said in a statement. “By focusing on earning the trust of our clients and employees, Alfred has built the first inside-the-home experience that provides our clients the basics they need on a weekly basis and our Alfred Home Managers a rewarding opportunity to be a part of people's lives.”
Hello Alfred has always been about creating a better world — a better home, a better work environment and a better life."
The Series B was led by real estate developers Divco West and Invesco, with participation from early investors New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Spark Capital. To date, the company has raised more than $52 million in funding, and will use the capital to help it continue to expand around the country.
This investment comes on the heels of theSkimm’s latest $12 million Series C funding, which defied the current notion that female-led businesses receive less VC funding than male-led businesses.
“When we first met Marcela and Jess in 2014, their vision to re-imagine the retail landscape through inside-the-home services and commerce was revolutionary,” said Bijan Sabet, Managing Partner at Spark Capital. “They have created a new category by earning the trust of consumers and simplifying the way they buy and get things done every week.”
Currently, Hello Alfred serves eight U.S. cities and plans to launch in nine more in the near future. By the end of 2018, it will be available in over 100,000 homes. To power this expansion, the company will double its team within the calendar year.
