Bellhops, a tech-enabled startup providing on-demand moving help powered by college students announced Tuesday that is has raised $6 million from Silicon Valley Investors, bringing the company’s total venture funding to $7.8 million, including previous investment from local investors, The Lamp Post Group.
Bellhops’ funding round was led by Binary Capital, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm whose founders are notable for their early investments in Instagram, SnapChat and Twitter.
Other investors participating in the round include Lowercase Capital (Facebook, Uber, Twitter), Scott Banister (Zappos, PayPal, Uber), Alexis Ohanian (founder of Reddit) and the rapper Nas.
"We’re excited to have the capital we need to continue grow the business and hire talented people in Chattanooga,” said Cameron Doody, chairman and co-founder of Bellhops. “Bellhops is built for young professionals, students and families who need an affordable, fun alternative to traditional moving services.”
“Close to 50 million Americans move every year, and three out of four are considered ‘do-it-yourselfers’ when it comes to moving. It’s not that they want to do it themselves, they’re price conscious and have needs that are manageable enough to forego the hassle and cost of traditional moving companies,” said Mr. Doody. “Our customers are those who would otherwise roll up their sleeves, buy pizza and beg friends and family for help.”
Last month, Bellhops was the national winner of the Miller Lite Tap the Future competition in Chicago on September 18, 2014. As the winner, Bellhops was awarded $220,000 after pitching to a panel of judges including fashion mogul Daymond John from ABC’s “Shark Tank.
Local residents can book Bellhops for loading/unloading help, rearranging furniture, and local moving. Local businesses can also book Bellhops for labor on demand in bulk, with discounted rates. Bellhops has a 100% replacement policy on damaged items/property, are fully insured and have a 100% satisfaction guarantee.