Valpas, a Helsinki-based startup specializing in pesticide-free solutions to keep hotels bedbug-safe, has raised €4 million in a seed funding round. The investment was led by Zenith VC, and will be used to expand the existing Valpas affiliation into 1000+ members.
- Founded in 2017 by Martim Gois, Vertti Sarimaa, Aleksi Jokela, and Matti Parkkila, Valpas offers smart anti-bedbug bed legs that trap bedbugs during the first night a guest stays in a room, preventing infestation. The technology attracts bedbugs using CO2 emitted by sleeping humans and uses a unique material design to trap them. The system is supported by an IoT and AI-enabled mobile app that provides image recognition for pest identification and disposal.
- Earlier, Valpas team claims it has already worked with over 300 hotels including Accor Hotels, The Luxury Collection, Design Hotels, ARP-Hansen and Bob W in over 40 destinations across Europe, Mexico and Japan.
No travel or home insurance covers the cost and pain of a bed bug infestation at home. Nearly every infestation at home comes after a night in a hotel or rental bed. By staying at a Valpas affiliated hotel, travellers know the room they get is clean and no matter where they go around town the hotel keeps them safe,
Martim Gois, CEO and co-founder of Valpas, commented.
- Zenith VC, a Swedish VC firm investing in post-revenue businesses focused on solving real-world business problems across Nordics, led the funding round.
- Icebreaker VC, Finnish Industry Investment, Canon Marketing Japan MIRAI Fund, Activum SG Ventures, Houghton Street Ventures, Rockaway Ventures, and Morrow Ventures, also participated in the financing.
Valpas will use the fresh investment to ramp up the production of its bedbug prevention technology and build strategic partnerships with travel booking agents and platforms. According to the startup, this will make it easier for travelers to identify and choose bedbug-safe hotels.
