CityStasher: ‘Airbnb of luggage’ backed by Trivago investors in $1.1m funding round

The app, which provides temporary storage locations across the UK, looks to expand into mainland Europe

CityStasher chief executive Jacob Wedderburn Day (middle) expects rapid expansion abroad (CityStasher)

Luggage storage startup CityStasher has secured $1.1m in a fundraising campaign, supported by a number of investors including venture capital firm HOZWAT Partners, which has in the past also backed hotel comparison website Trivago.

CityStasher, which was launched in 2016, plans to use the funds expand across Europe. It said that it aims to build a “significant presence” in ten countries outside the UK, including France, Germany and Italy, by the end of the year.

The app provides a list of places where items of luggage can be temporarily stored, for up to a day, at a small cost.

CityStasher currently has 200 luggage storage points across the UK, as well as in Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin.

Luggage storage points can be found in shops, hotels, train stations and public venues, such as Wembley Stadium in London.

“We want to provide a safe, convenient and affordable option for every single laden-down traveller”, said CityStasher chief executive Jacob Wedderburn-Day.

“We’ve already safely stashed 50,000 bags and we predict that 2018 will see this number increase dramatically as we rapidly expand our European presence and start to map out our global ambitions.”

Data published on Friday showed that UK tech firms attracted a record amount of money last year, with up to £3bn raised in venture capital funding during the 12 months ending in December.

According to the Mayor of London’s official promotional agency, London & Partners, investment last year was almost double the £1.63bn invested in British tech firms in 2016, with London accounting for around 60 per cent of all tech startup funding.