With California’s recent cluster of devastating wildfires destroying homes and claiming lives, Airbnb is offering some shelter to displaced residents in its home state. This week, the company added free housing listings to serve evacuees affected by the Hill and Woolsey Fires outside Los Angeles and the Camp Fire in northern California. The free Airbnb […]
View More Airbnb hosts offer free housing to evacuees displaced by California wildfiresCategory: Real Estate
“Rent tech” focused RET closes first fund; pours $5M into management platform SmartRent
Today, Real Estate Technology Ventures (RET) Ventures announced the final close of $108 million for its first fund. RET focuses on early-stage investments in companies that are primarily looking to disrupt the North American multifamily rental industry, with the firm boasting a roster of LPs made up of some of the largest property owners and […]
View More “Rent tech” focused RET closes first fund; pours $5M into management platform SmartRentHow issues of microtransit, congestion and parking are closing in on cities
Earlier this week in a new experimental newsletter I’ve been helping Danny Crichton on, we briefly discussed transit pundit Jarrett Walker’s article in The Atlantic arguing against the view that ridesharing and microtransit will be the future of mass transit. Instead, his thesis is that a properly operated and well-resourced bus system is much more […]
View More How issues of microtransit, congestion and parking are closing in on citiesThis tiny house grows with your family
Tiny houses are all the rage but once you put more than a few people in one you have a problem: Where can you go from there? Nowhere. Exactly. What you do is, if you need that extra push over the cliff, you know what you do? Talk to Brian Gaudio. Gaudio is the founder […]
View More This tiny house grows with your familyConvene uses landlord partnership model to outclass WeWork
Recent reports that SoftBank may take a majority stake in WeWork has added fuel to the already hot market for startups in the workspace and property tech sectors. One of the more compelling companies that stands to benefit from this trend is New York-based Convene. Started by co-founders Ryan Simonetti (CEO) and Chris Kelly (president), […]
View More Convene uses landlord partnership model to outclass WeWorkDomio just raised $12 million in Series A funding to build “apart hotels” across the U.S.
Hotels can be pricey, and travelers are often forced to leave their rooms for basic things, like food that doesn’t come from the minibar. Yet Airbnb accommodations, which have become the go-to alternative for travelers, can be highly inconsistent. Domio, a two-year-old, New York-based outfit, thinks there’s a third way: apartment hotels, or “apart hotels,” […]
View More Domio just raised $12 million in Series A funding to build “apart hotels” across the U.S.Sick of managing your Airbnb? Vacasa raises $64M to do it for you
Airbnbing can be a ton of work. Between key pickups, tidying, and maintenance emergencies, renting out your place isn’t such a passive revenue source. But Vacasa equips owners with full-service vacation home management, including listings on top rental platforms like Airbnb and HomeAway, as well as local cleaners who come between guests. It now manages […]
View More Sick of managing your Airbnb? Vacasa raises $64M to do it for youIndonesian co-working startup GoWork lands $10 million
Co-working today is a global game that’s played by many more than just WeWork, despite the company’s valuation surging to $20 billion. But, as WeWork increasingly globalizes its focus, the U.S. firm is coming into contact with smaller players who are highly localized in markets with the potential to grow significantly. One such market is […]
View More Indonesian co-working startup GoWork lands $10 millionSoftBank is considering taking a majority stake in WeWork
SoftBank is reportedly considering an investment of up to $20 billion in WeWork using capital from its Vision Fund.
View More SoftBank is considering taking a majority stake in WeWorkDivvy, an interesting new fractional home ownership startup, just raised a Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz
Tech startups have found all kinds of ways to lend money to people who have either too little or not very good credit. The approach of a nearly two-year-old, 15-person San Francisco-based startup called Divvy Homes is among the more creative we’ve seen, even while we question (for now) whether it’s good over the long […]
View More Divvy, an interesting new fractional home ownership startup, just raised a Series A round led by Andreessen HorowitzThe next big restaurant chain may not own any kitchens
If investors at some of the biggest technology companies are right, the next big restaurant chain could have no kitchens of its own. These venture capitalists think the same forces that have transformed transportation, media, retail and logistics will also work their way through prepared food businesses. The Battle Is For The Customer Interface Investors […]
View More The next big restaurant chain may not own any kitchensOur 3 favorite startups from Urban-X’s 4th demo day
Urban-X, the urban-tech startup accelerator backed by BMW MINI and early-stage urban-tech fund Urban.Us, hosted a demo day today for its fourth cohort of companies at its Brooklyn HQ. The seven presenting companies offered solutions to issues plaguing modern cities, including toll-road pricing, energy and construction management, and even the inefficiencies of modern cycling helmets. In […]
View More Our 3 favorite startups from Urban-X’s 4th demo day