With storages in 1,000+ locations in more than a hundred cities worldwide, Stasher has now become every traveller’s solution to hassle-free and safe luggage storage. It’s rattling the left luggage and bag storage industry through its practical answer to many tourists’ dilemma: ‘Where do we stash our bags?’ 

Company name: Stasher

Founders: Jacob Wedderburn-Day & Anthony Collias

Headquarters: London

Launched: 2015

Q: In simple terms, what does your startup do?

Jacob: Stasher is a platform where travellers and city-dwellers can book to store luggage in shops or hotels that have extra space. It’s a win-win: the shops get paid for storage and it adds footfall, and people who need storage get more convenience since we cover all train stations as well as tourist attractions.

Q: What problem/s do you seek to solve or help?

Jacob: Most Airbnbs have late check-ins and early check-outs, which means most people will have to drag their bags behind at the start and beginning of their holiday. If you ever found yourself in that situation, you know how much of a hassle it can be. Our service is also popular with event goers and culture aficionado—recent bag policies mean going to a stadium or museum with a bag is not possible anymore; hence, Stasher!

Q: Are you funded and how?

Jacob: We received £1.5m investment from Venturefriends, Howzat, Charlotte Street Capital, Wayra in 2018, which is also when the ex-president of Hotels.com joined our board. Our angels include the CEO of Big Yellow Storage.

We're currently raising a new round to fund our expansion plans.

Q: What were you doing before you started Stasher?

Jacob: We started Stasher when we were still at university, although at the time it was very much a side hustle. After graduation, Ant started a job at BrainLabs, a digital marketing agency, while I was on the Bank of England grad scheme. After four months, we had raised our first round of investment from the CEO of Big Yellow Storage, and the first customers were starting to trickle in. That's when we both decided to go full time and give Stasher a go!

Q: What inspired you to start Stasher?

Jacob: Ant and I always talked about having our own startup one day, but we never quite thought it would happen so soon after graduating. Stasher started from a joke—people were always asking to store their stuff at Anthony's home near King's Cross. When a friend asked, Anthony replied, "Sure, but I'm charging you for it." That was the lightbulb moment! We soon realised there was a real market ripe for the taking, and that bag storage is a pain point for most tourists.

Q: What are your goals over the next five years? Where do you see yourself and Stasher?

Jacob: Our aim is to become the world's largest urban storage network—we want to be in every town and city people could need us in! We believe the way to achieve this is by providing a useful, affordable, and reliable service worldwide. You know that feeling you get when it’s late, you book an Uber because you’re desperate to get home, and it’s such a relief to have that on hand? We want to provide that similar feeling. What Uber is for ride-sharing, we want to be for luggage storage and travel in general.

Images courtesy of Stasher. To learn more, visit the Stasher website.

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