Startup that turns unused buildings into "sexy" self

Jun 12, 2023

Photo courtesy of Stuf

As a commercial real estate professional, Katharine Lau has walked through a lot of buildings, always noting weird and unused "funky" spaces.

Driving the news: Struck by the wastefulness of such vacant square footage in otherwise dense urban areas, Lau founded Stuf Storage in 2020. The startup transforms unused basements, storefronts and other spaces into self-storage units.

Why it matters: In cities like Seattle with a plethora of office vacancies, city leaders are calling for innovative ways to use that space and encouraging businesses to see opportunity in serving the needs of a growing residential population.

Of note: Stuf, named among the world's most innovative companies by Fast Company in 2022, secured $11 million in a Series A financing round.

How it works: Lau enters into a revenue-sharing contract with owners who have space. She then installs prefabricated, secure and tech-enabled storage equipment.

What's next: Lau said she wants to do for self-storage what Warby Parker did for eyeglasses, elevating a common item into something "accessible, sexy and fashionable."

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