Auckland-based startup pioneering peer-to-peer storage platform

Ten years ago, you wouldn't stay in someone's home whom you didn't previously know.

You couldn't rent their car or their valuables.

Yet now you can, and do - so imagining being able to rent someone's unused space to store your excess items isn't too hard.

A while ago, founder Cameron Wislang was moving into a small apartment in Auckland's CBD to be closer to work.

Coming from a larger house, he was slightly materially over-committed.

So, he decided that he needed to store some of his more sentimental items.

Already paying sky-high Auckland rental prices, he found storage facilities in Auckland were all the same.

Every time he went for a new quote, the price seemed to just keep rising.

Out of frustration, Wislang came up with a peer-to-peer storage model, where someone with unused space could rent it out at a fair price to those looking to store their items.

Fast forward to March 2017, where he took his idea to Auckland's Startup Weekend accelerator and met now co-director, Louise Heijnen.

Through the weekend of tough challenges, they managed to make it out the other side, winning first place and gaining recognition from some of New Zealand's top entrepreneurial minds.

Since then, the pair has been working tirelessly to bring a top-quality product to market which would be a first of its kind in New Zealand. 

"We have made sure that To the Loft is a product that will work securely and seamlessly with the New Zealand marketplace, which hasn't been easy, but definitely worth it," says Wislang.

"The top priority for us has and always will be the safety and trust of our customers. We have robust checks in place to make sure your items or your home will be safe.

The founders fondly think of To the Loft as an Airbnb for storage and have now successfully launched the service and found a high demand.

Looking to the future, Wislang says, "We have many different partnerships and collaborations coming up - watch this space.