Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
a brit start up has secured an investment of almost £1 million, paving the way for its female urinals to expand across Europe, the US and Australia.
funding for bristol-based Pequel comes in response to growing demand from event organizers around the world.
The capital investment will facilitate the production of the company’s next generation urinals, which will be flatpacked for efficient global export.
The new units boast several patent-pending advancements and a stackable form factor, allowing almost three times more people to be carried on a lorry than traditional portable toilets.
This not only reduces road congestion but also significantly reduces the carbon footprint of events.
Pequel’s queue-breaking urinals are reportedly 2.7 times faster than traditional portable facilities. This year they have already been deployed at 25 events, including major gatherings glastonbury And london marathon,
Co-founders Amber Probyn, 27, and Hazel McShane, 29, estimate that their urinals have been used 1.25 million times since their first event in 2022.
Users have described them as “amazing”, “innovative” and “game-changing”.
Ms McShane said: “We have heard from events and toilet suppliers around the world that they are keen to use our women’s urinals.
“Like us, they want women to spend less time in queues and more time enjoying the events they love.
“This funding means we can export this British innovation and give the gift of shorter queues to women around the world.”
The new design allows urinals to be flatpacked and stacked.
The founders estimate that 56 urinals can fit in each lorry, compared to about 21 for conventional portable toilets.
Feedback from women led to other engineering improvements, such as flippable occupant signals and an improved splashback.
Ready for the 2026 season, they will also be easy to take off and move around at venues.
Ms Probyn said Pequel would work with overseas events, festivals and toilet suppliers to reduce queuing times.
He said: “We knew women would welcome any innovation that meant they didn’t have to stand in queues for hours.
“We didn’t expect how much love the urinals would receive, and we’ve been stunned by the support we’ve received from women at events.
“We are really proud to be a female-led startup and we are honored that so many amazing female investors have chosen to support us.”
This time around, Pequel’s founders have raised £925,000, bringing the total amount raised across three funding rounds to £1.4 million.
This third and most recent round was funded mostly by business women with a passion for equality and an eye for success stories.
Julie Davis, impact investor at We Have the Power, said: “It’s always satisfying to invest in a service you’ve used and admired.
“I first met Pequel when running in the London Marathon and it was great to jump the queues in the stressful wait to start the race.
“But what I really like is its potential to have a huge sustainability impact by reducing toxic waste production at events.”
Another investor, music agent Emma Banks, said: “I saw a little TV clip about Hazel and Amber where they talked about the prequel and it impressed me.
“I’m so happy to help these two inspiring women tackle an inequality that has been evident for a long time, and now has a really cool solution.”