Hest, the Seattle-based maker of sleeping gear for outside fanatics, raised $2.7 million in Sequence A funding this month as the corporate sees continued progress.
The preliminary shut was backed by present traders — Ascend, Cascade Seed Fund, Alliance of Angels, and a lot of Seattle-area angel traders — and Hest is opening the spherical to new traders with a closing shut later this yr.
Founder and CEO Aaron Ambuske advised GeekWire that Hest continues to expertise important progress with a 50% improve in gross sales this yr. The startup expects to show an working revenue for the primary time.
Ambuske mentioned the expansion is pushed by an expanded product line and a rise in gross sales at REI, the place Hest is now in all shops. The corporate additionally has a partnership with electric vehicle maker Rivian.
The contemporary money might be used to help future progress alternatives.
“We’re launching a brand new product class in 2026, increasing our partnership with Rivian and investing in new gross sales channels,” Ambuske mentioned. “We not too long ago launched in Japan and can proceed to discover worldwide choices when they’re a match.”
He added that whereas tariffs imposed by the Trump administration “have been lots to navigate,” over half of Hest’s price of products and closing meeting are within the U.S., so the corporate has been “barely insulated from the turbulence.”
Ambuske, who spent 18 years at K2 Sports activities, launched Hest in 2019 to fulfill his need to convey a extra snug sleeping expertise to automobile and tent campers.
Primarily based in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood, Hest opened its first showroom this summer time. The corporate employs 10 individuals.
