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Hey Rowan, based in New York City, New York, United States, provides ear piercing services performed by licensed nurses, complemented by the sale of hypoallergenic and nickel-free jewelry designed for sensitive ears. As of November 2024, the company operates 65 studio locations and employs 400 individuals, projecting an annual revenue run rate of $100 million, reflecting approximately 100% annual growth. Rowan has secured a total of $24 million in funding across two rounds, with its most recent round raising $20 million. The organization targets children, teenagers, and adults, positioning itself as a medical-grade alternative to traditional piercing venues like mall kiosks or tattoo parlors. Its operational decisions are informed by consultations with Harvard Medical School professors and doctors, ensuring a scientific approach. Founded by CEO Louisa Serene Schneider, Hey Rowan was established in 2017.
Hey Rowan has raised $20.0M across 1 funding round.
Hey Rowan has raised $20.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Hey Rowan (Rowan) is a women-led technology-enabled startup revolutionizing ear piercing by treating it as a safe medical procedure performed exclusively by licensed nurses, paired with hypoallergenic, nickel-free jewelry.[1][4] It serves families, children, athletes, and adults seeking celebratory, low-risk piercings, solving issues like high infection rates (reduced from ~30% industry average to <1%), poor placement, and unsafe mall or tattoo parlor experiences.[1][3] Rowan offers services through owned brick-and-mortar studios, partnerships like 250+ Target stores, and a DTC e-commerce platform for earrings and aftercare products, with strong growth including $24M total funding (including a $20M Series B in 2021), ~400 employees, 65 stores targeted, and a $100M annual revenue run rate as of recent reports.[1][2][3]
Founded in 2018 by Louisa Serene Schneider, a former financial services executive skilled in venture capital and asset management, Rowan emerged from her personal quest for a safe, fun ear piercing experience for her young daughter.[1][4] Frustrated by "tired and unsafe" mall options or clinical pediatrician visits that missed the milestone celebration, Schneider researched the market and identified ear piercing as an overlooked medical procedure with poor outcomes.[1][3] She pivoted from initial ideas to a nurse-led model after learning pediatricians routinely performed piercings safely, launching with studios in NYC and Connecticut.[1][3] Early traction built quickly: over 150,000 piercings by 2021, rapid expansion via Target partnerships, and multiple funding rounds culminating in the 2021 Series B led by VMG Partners.[1][2]
Rowan rides the wave of consumer health tech and retail wellness, modernizing a stagnant $1B+ ear piercing market dominated by outdated mall kiosks and unregulated parlors.[1][3] Timing aligns with post-pandemic demand for safe, experiential retail and DTC personalization, amplified by Target partnerships that leverage big-box foot traffic for rapid scaling.[1][3] Favorable forces include rising parental focus on child safety (e.g., allergy-aware products), active lifestyles driving niche innovations like sports earrings, and venture interest in "femtech" adjacencies.[3] Rowan influences the ecosystem by elevating piercing standards—pushing competitors toward medical-grade practices—and pioneering nurse-staffed pop-ups, potentially inspiring similar upgrades in body art or pediatric services.[1][3]
Rowan is primed for continued dominance, targeting further store expansions beyond 65 locations, deeper retail integrations, and product extensions like advanced aftercare or multi-piercing tech amid sustained 100% growth.[3] Trends like AI-driven customization, global wellness retail, and Gen Alpha's milestone economy will propel it, while supply chain resilience and nurse networks sustain margins toward $100M+ revenue.[2][3] Its influence may evolve from disruptor to category leader, redefining "celebratory health" experiences—echoing how it transformed a simple piercing into a safer, joyful family tradition.[1][4]
Hey Rowan has raised $20.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $20.0M Series B in October 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2021 | $20M Series B | VMG Partners | Sara Foster, Beechwood Capital, Goldcrest Capital, Silas Capital, Table Management, Thirty Five Ventures | Announced |
Hey Rowan has raised $20.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Hey Rowan's investors include VMG Partners, Sara Foster, Beechwood Capital, Goldcrest Capital, Silas Capital, Table Management, Thirty Five Ventures.
