Meet our teams: kawaloo is one of the teams in our Future City Incubator. The startup is an online marketplace enabling users to rent or lease unused space via a digital platform.
How did you come up with the idea for kawaloo?
Jan’s problem quickly caught on with his long-time friend and later business partner Marcel, who also recently faced similar difficulties.
Our thought was: We share our apartments, cars and even pets – but the search for simple storage space in the neighbourhood is a real challenge for individuals. Even though so many basements and attics are almost empty.
So, what if there was an online platform that easily brings together unused space with those people who urgently need storage space?
This question initiated kawaloo and our mission was immediately clear: We want to make unused storage space visible and easily accessible.
What is the biggest challenge you have encountered so far?

Given the price level and growing convenience of existing storage offers, how is your offer an interesting proposition to both sides commercially?
What other spaces does kawaloo target after storage spaces?
The Corona situation in particular helped us to further diversify our supply side as event locations, co-working spaces and regular offices started renting out their unused space. This not only provides a more attractive choice for our users who seek storage space but also improves our know-how about the characteristics of various facilities.
We have been on a strong growth path since the beginning of the BIA funding program and we are very confident to launch some more interesting and sustainable initiatives in the future.

What do you think about the new movement towards minimalism?
With our ambition to use our limited space in urban areas more efficiently, we would like to establish this central idea in our community and inform all kawaloo members how they can best use minimalism concepts for themselves.

In a perfect world, what would your home look like?
When it comes to creating our dream home, we agree: we want as much flexibility as possible. Flexible rental contracts and rental-purchase models that fit a person’s lifestyle and future plans are the first step. Furthermore, room layouts and furnishings are important. Movable walls that make it possible to divide rooms according to different scenarios, and furniture that can be adapted to individual circumstances would definitely be part of our perfect home design. For us, if you want to seize all chances of today, you have to remain flexible and agile. And in our opinion, that starts with housing.
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