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鈥檚 news that the Manchester-based startup had raised 拢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鈥檚 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: 鈥�2026 is the year Housr becomes a market leader in the US, while continuing aggressive growth in the UK and entering new European markets.
鈥淎t the start of Q2, I鈥檒l 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.
鈥淲hile I鈥檒l be US-based, I鈥檒l remain actively involved at a global level across all markets.
鈥淲ith this expansion, Housr will operate from three headquarters: Manchester, New York and Chicago.
鈥淲hat 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鈥檙e only just getting started.
鈥淗ousr has the clearest plan we鈥檝e ever had, and 2026 is about execution at scale.鈥�
Housr will be recruiting extensively across the US and UK to support its growth plans.
Panter admitted: 鈥�2026 will be the most demanding and exciting year of my life. The ambition is big enough to be uncomfortable and that鈥檚 exactly how it should feel.鈥�