Fresha Reaches $1 Billion Valuation With $80 Million KKR Investment
Fresha, an AI-powered marketplace for beauty and wellness businesses, raised $80 million from KKR at a valuation exceeding $1 billion. The London-based company, founded in 2015, has now raised $285 million total and operates profitably.
The platform manages appointments and payments for more than 130,000 beauty and wellness businesses across hair salons, spas, fitness studios, and aesthetics clinics. Fresha processes over 35 million appointments monthly and facilitates more than $15 billion in annual gross merchandise value.
How Fresha Plans to Use the Capital
Fresha will direct the new funding toward international expansion and product development, with a specific focus on AI capabilities. The company operates in the United Kingdom, Australasia, the Gulf Cooperation Council region, North America, Continental Europe, and Southeast Asia.
William Zeqiri, Fresha's founder and CEO, said the investment reflects customer confidence in the platform. "This investment is a strong testament to the trust our partners place in Fresha every day," he said.
What KKR Sees in the Company
KKR made the investment through its Next Generation Technology Growth strategy, which focuses on vertical-specific software. Patrick Devine, a partner on KKR's Tech Growth team, said Fresha combines software, financial services, and marketplace capabilities with embedded AI in ways that integrate directly into daily business operations.
Marta Szczerba, director in KKR's Tech Growth team, highlighted the management team's approach to AI implementation. "The team have been on the front-foot in implementing AI in a way that drives meaningful business outcomes," she said.
Product Development Focus
Nicholas Miller, Fresha's co-founder and chief product officer, said every feature the company builds comes directly from feedback from salon owners, stylists, and spa operators. "This round reinforces what our customers have been telling us for years: Fresha delivers one of the most complete, intuitive, and valuable platforms in the industry," he said.
Miller identified AI as the primary area for product investment. The company sees potential to reduce operational friction and create new revenue opportunities for its business partners.
For product development professionals, understanding how companies like Fresha embed generative AI and LLM capabilities into vertical software offers practical lessons in AI for product development.
Your membership also unlocks:
