Washa

Washa ApS was an on-demand laundry and dry-cleaning service founded in Denmark in 2014 by Karim Ben M'Barek, Jannick Christensen, and Max Børglum Stripp. The company was born from a personal need of co-founder Karim Ben M'Barek, who, as a busy entrepreneur, found managing his laundry to be a significant hassle and saw an opportunity to create a convenient solution for others. The business targeted both private households and corporate clients, offering to pick up, clean, and deliver laundry and textiles within 24-48 hours through a digital platform.

The company's business model focused on convenience, aiming to save customers time. Clients could schedule services via Washa's website or app, and the company handled all logistics, from collection by their 'Laundry-heroes' to processing at specialized facilities and returning the clean items to the customer's doorstep. A key partnership was established with the textile services giant Berendsen, which not only handled the cleaning process but also became a significant investor in Washa, alongside notable angel investors from the Danish TV show "Løvens Hule" (the Danish version of Dragons' Den). In 2015, the founders secured a DKK 1.5 million investment on the show from Jesper Buch, Christian Stadil, and Tommy Ahlers, which was pivotal for developing a new logistics system to optimize delivery routes and operational efficiency. This system increased the number of stops their drivers could make per hour from eight to over twelve.

Despite its early traction, media attention, and multiple awards, Washa's journey was turbulent. The company faced significant financial challenges, leading to two bankruptcies between 2018 and 2019. The founders eventually bought back the assets to continue operations. By January 2020, Karim Ben M'Barek stepped down as CEO, leaving Max Stripp as the last remaining founder in the company. PitchBook data indicates the company eventually went out of business following a liquidation event in January 2023.

Keywords: on-demand laundry, dry cleaning service, laundry delivery, Washa, Karim Ben M'Barek, Jannick Christensen, Max Stripp, Berendsen, Løvens Hule, Jesper Buch, laundry pickup, textile care, online laundry, corporate laundry service, app-based laundry, Denmark, Copenhagen, laundry logistics, subscription laundry, clothing care