Neighbor.com, a self storage app for the sharing economy, has been named one of Fast Company's 2019 World Changing Ideas in the Apps category. Now in its third year, the World Changing Ideas Award honors businesses, policies, projects and concepts that offer innovative solutions to the issues facing humanity.
A panel of eminent judges selected winners and finalists from a pool of more than 2,000 nominees from across the globe, from New Zealand to Shanghai to Switzerland. Neighbor will be highlighted among other finalists and winners in the May issue of the print magazine, which hits newsstands April 16.
Neighbor's platform aims to revolutionize self storage solutions by allowing neighbors to participate in the self storage economy. Homeowners and renters can list empty space for rent, allowing these "hosts" to make up to $15,000 per year off of the extra space in or around their home. In turn, local renters can access storage space at half the price of traditional storage offerings with the added convenience and safety of using space nearby.
"What makes us 'world changing' is our ability to help everyday people make a meaningful income year after year in a very simple way. Our users are paying off their mortgage, student debt and more by listing something as simple as an empty garage, basement, RV pad, or garden shed on our platform. When it comes to the sharing economy, this is about as passive and rewarding as it gets."
-Joseph Woodbury, CEO and co-founder, Neighbor
Since receiving venture funding in March 2018, Neighbor has invested in many areas of the platform, including the safety of its users. Neighbor offers every host property damage and liability protection up to $2 million. For renters, Neighbor provides $25,000 in property protection for items stored. Both guarantees create a safer, trusted experience at no additional cost to the host or renter.
"Our goal is to make the storage process as simple, safe and affordable as possible," said Woodbury. "I think the award reflects our goal to give every storage renter a 10-star experience. We love the idea of a renter being able to visit only one website or download only one mobile app and find the perfect storage facility or storage location and feel safe during the whole process. That's why we extend a $25,000 guarantee free of charge to all of our renters."
Founded in 2017, Neighbor is a peer-to-peer self storage company based in Lehi, Utah. The company connects people who have unused space in their homes, garages or apartments to renters who are looking for affordable storage. Neighbor benefits renters by providing safe, accessible storage while giving hosts the opportunity to earn income from their empty space.
World Changing Ideas is one of Fast Company's major annual awards programs and is focused on social good, seeking to elevate finished products and brave concepts that make the world better. A panel of judges from across sectors choose winners, finalists, and honorable mentions based on feasibility and the potential for impact. With a goal of awarding ingenuity and fostering innovation, Fast Company draws attention to ideas with great potential and helps them expand their reach to inspire more people to start working on solving the problems that affect us all.
