Queensland-based laundry services company The Laundry Lady has secured its first external funding round, raising $1 million to drive expansion into international markets.
The Seed round was led by Brisbane investor and Techniche chair Karl Jacoby, with additional backing from Brisbane Angels, AngelLoop, AI ethicist Dr Catriona Wallace, and several other local angel investors. The Queensland Government’s Female Founders Co-Investment Fund and Austrade’s Export Market Development Grant also provided support.
Founded in 2012 by Susan Toft, The Laundry Lady has until now grown entirely through bootstrapping. The business currently operates in Australia and New Zealand with more than 375 home-based contractors, who deliver pickup and delivery laundry services to residential, business, NDIS and Aged Care clients through an online booking and payments system.
Toft, who is CEO, said “This investment marks a pivotal moment in The Laundry Lady’s growth journey. Having built this business from the ground up over the past decade with no external capital, we’ve demonstrated both the demand for our service and the effectiveness of our business model,” she said. “This funding will accelerate our technology development and support our expansion plans into Canada and the United Kingdom, where we see tremendous opportunity for our tech-enabled contractor model.”
The fresh capital will go towards enhancing the company’s TimeBoss platform, which provides tools for service-based businesses. Planned upgrades include mobile apps, AI features, and advanced segmentation capabilities, alongside preparations for the international rollout.
Toft highlighted the significance of the Queensland government’s participation through the Female Founders Co-Investment Fund. “We’ve built a business that not only provides an essential service to busy families and businesses but also creates flexible income opportunities predominantly for women,” she said. “With this investment, we’re ready to take The Laundry Lady to the world stage, demonstrating that Australian female founders can build global businesses.”
Queensland’s science and innovation minister Andrew Powell praised the company’s trajectory. “The Queensland Government’s support for The Laundry Lady shows how important our Female Founders Co-Investment Fund is to helping innovative businesses scale up their enterprises,” he said. “It’s brilliant to see Queensland businesses like The Laundry Lady expand its footprint internationally, showcasing the strength of our local startups.”
