A Chicago startup wants to make smart lockers more than just a high-tech mailbox.
Koloni, led by co-founders Brian Dewey, Kyle Sheker and Kate Lyon, makes software for smart locks that lets any business create a sharable locker system for their customers. It sells its software to kayak and canoe rental companies, parks that rent equipment like tennis rackets and basketballs, and restaurants that want to put food in lockers outside their storefront for easy pickup for customers and delivery drivers.
The startup recently raised a $1.3 million seed round led by Jason Calacanis’ Launch Fund, along with Twelve19 Ventures, ISA Ventures, Chicago Early Growth Ventures and Locker One Ventures.
Koloni, now with 13 employees, plans to use the funding to expand its product globally, Dewey told Chicago Inno. Around 60% of its business is currently done in Europe, Dewey said, as consumers there have been quicker to adopt to the sharing economy tech.
Koloni's business picked up dramatically during the early months of the pandemic as companies looked for contactless delivery experiences for their customers. Restaurants and ghost kitchens use the startup to create a locker system for delivery orders, which makes things more efficient for drivers and keeps the front of house less cluttered. Ski rental shops have used its software to offer easier equipment pickup for patrons. And apartment complexes use Koloni to offer tenants access to vacuums and other amenities.
The startup, which has around 100 customers, works with third-party smart lock makers and white-labels its app to companies who can create their own branded smart lock solutions.
Dewey said he hopes to see more public spaces adopt locker sharing, which could be useful for peer-to-peer transactions through sites like Facebook Marketplace.
