Lapee, the Copenhagen-based sanitation startup recognized for its viral pink urinals for girls and gender non-conforming individuals who squat to pee, has secured €800k in funding and launched an fairness crowdfunding marketing campaign to ask its international group to turn into co-owners.
The current funding spherical is backed by a combination of VC and enterprise angels, with the most important cheque coming from Finest Nights VC, the funding arm of Jägermeister. The choice to workforce up with an investor throughout the identical occasions trade ecosystem is seen as a significant strategic win by the workforce.
“Our profitable journey with Lapee has been strongly motivated by the customers’ reception and love for the product. In the present day, we need to thank our group and our supporters by giving an opportunity to co-own the corporate. Investing in Lapee is collaborating in a giant change and serving to us inform the world that ladies additionally pee. Investing in Lapee is investing in gender equality, security and freedom,” mentioned Gina Périer, Founder and CEO of Lapee.
Based in 2019 by Gina Périer, the corporate goals to revolutionise public sanitation and gender inclusion at mass occasions and past.
Already a extensively recognisable product on platforms like TikTok, the place Lapee’s movies have amassed over 90 million views previously yr alone, the startup has turned heads at a whole bunch of music festivals, sporting occasions and public areas.
With a product that goals to be each sensible and visually hanging, Lapee has discovered an viewers able to champion its mission – and now, put money into it.
“Now that now we have simply closed a Seed spherical with VC and enterprise angels it reveals there’s a robust enterprise case right here. However the true success of Lapee wouldn’t be achieved with out our group: the Lapee customers and likewise the shoppers, festivals, and all the opposite occasions which can be enhancing sanitation for girls and gender non-conforming folks. So we need to open a part of Lapee’s possession to those that matter essentially the most to us,” mentioned Petra Kaukua, COO of Lapee.
The crowdfunding marketing campaign is being launched through Republic Europe and affords shares in change for monetary backing, marking an accessible funding alternative aimed on the very viewers that made Lapee viral.
The startup’s mission shouldn’t be solely to scale globally, however to foster a broader dialog about inclusive design and gender fairness in public areas.
Lapee’s rapid plans embody European growth and additional deployments into under-served environments similar to stadiums, city public parks, and even building websites. One such set up is already deliberate at a worksite in Denmark, demonstrating a push towards equality in male-dominated industries the place entry to appropriate sanitation has lengthy been insufficient.
“Securing an funding from somebody who can be in the identical trade as us is further particular and we are able to’t wait to increase each our Lateam and produce the bodily Lapees to the remainder of the world as nicely!” mentioned Rosa Jensen, Group Supervisor at Lapee. “Feminine employees pee too – it is so simple as that.”
The male urinal was invented 2000 years in the past by the Roman emperor Vespasiano – however he forgot about his personal spouse Flavia – Lapee desires to alter that with its recent capital and an fairness crowdfunding marketing campaign now open to the general public; getting into its subsequent chapter with each trade backing and grassroots assist.
