KKR Backs Fresha in Unicorn-Making Deal

Fresha, a platform to book local self-care services, led by William Zeqiri, Nick Miller, and the team, has announced an $80 million primary growth investment from funds managed by KKR, a leading global investment firm. The transaction values Fresha at over $1 billion, marking a defining milestone in its mission to transform how self-care businesses operate globally.

Fresha has entered a new growth chapter with an $80 million funding round led by KKR, pushing the company beyond a $1 billion valuation and accelerating its vision for AI-powered beauty and wellness technology.

The funding brings Fresha’s total capital raised to $285 million and will support global expansion alongside continued investment in AI and product innovation. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in London, Fresha has become one of the fastest-growing beauty and wellness platforms globally, with a strong presence across the UK, GCC, Australasia, North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Fresha serves more than 130,000 beauty and wellness businesses globally across categories including hair, beauty, barbering, nails, wellness, fitness, and spa. The platform powers over 35 million monthly appointments and more than $15 billion in annual GMV, making Fresha one of the largest platforms in the global beauty and wellness industry.

Patrick Devine, Partner and member of KKR’s Tech Growth team, described Fresha as a differentiated platform combining software, financial services, marketplace capabilities, and embedded AI into the daily operations of beauty and wellness businesses, while highlighting strong potential for continued global expansion amid growing demand for vertical-specific technology solutions.

Marta Szczerba, Director in KKR’s Tech Growth team, highlighted the consistent execution delivered by William Zeqiri and the broader leadership team at Fresha, while emphasizing the company’s proactive adoption of AI to drive meaningful business outcomes and support the next phase of growth.

William Zeqiri, Founder and CEO of Fresha, described the company’s unicorn milestone as a reflection of the trust placed in Fresha by its partners, while noting that KKR’s experience in scaling category-defining technology companies will support Fresha’s next phase of global expansion and AI-driven innovation across the beauty and wellness industry.

Nick Miller, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Fresha, emphasized the company’s focus on building intuitive software shaped by the needs of salon owners, stylists, and spa operators, while noting that KKR’s investment will help accelerate AI innovation aimed at reducing operational friction and creating new revenue opportunities for partners.

The investment follows over a year of extensive diligence by KKR, including large-scale surveys and industry interviews across key global markets. The research consistently ranked Fresha as the top-performing platform across core criteria such as product quality, usability, support, and marketplace strength, alongside strong Net Promoter Scores and customer value metrics.

The findings also highlighted Fresha as a mission-critical operating platform delivering measurable gains in revenue, efficiency, and retention for businesses, with strong long-term customer loyalty. Positioned as a market leader across multiple regions and operating at scale with strong growth and profitability, Fresha is now accelerating AI-driven development across its core product suite to further enhance automation and business performance.