Bounce: Revolutionizing Short-Term Storage Solutions Across the Globe

Bounce was founded by Cody Candee and Aleksander Rendtslev in 2018 to address a common frustration faced by travelers and city dwellers alike: what to do with personal belongings while on the go. Whether it's a tourist needing a place to store luggage between check-out and a late flight, or a local who needs temporary storage for gym bags or shopping items, Bounce provides a convenient, on-demand bag storage solution. The company allows users to book storage space at local shops, hotels, and businesses that have unused storage areas. By partnering with these businesses, Bounce created a decentralized network of storage points available in over 1,000 cities worldwide, transforming the way people store their belongings and navigate cities.

Cody Candee

Co-founder and CEO, Bounce

Founder(s)
2
Year Founded
2018
Customers (B2B / B2C)
B2C, B2B
Industry
Travel, Consumer Services
Revenue
$25M
Funding
$12M Series A

The Idea

Cody Candee first conceived of Bounce in 2014 as an “Uber for your things” but didn’t immediately act on it. While moving between cities like San Francisco, London, and New York, Candee experienced firsthand the hassle of carrying around belongings all day. In 2017, he and co-founder Aleksander Rendtslev launched a simple landing page offering luggage storage in New York City. After quickly securing their first customer, the duo hustled on Citi Bikes, manually picking up and storing bags themselves. This marked the birth of Bounce—a startup that provides on-demand luggage storage by partnering with local businesses.

Challenges

Despite the initial validation, building Bounce wasn’t easy. The founders faced several early challenges, including:

  • Logistics complexity: Managing real-time storage pickups and drop-offs was tough. The team quickly pivoted to partner with businesses for fixed-location storage, simplifying operations.
  • Personal hurdles: In early 2018, both founders dealt with personal and financial challenges. Aleksander’s visa was at risk, and they had taken out personal loans to fund the startup.
  • Scaling rapidly: Although they launched successfully in New York, growing into new markets while maintaining operational efficiency posed a significant challenge.

To overcome these difficulties, the team focused on testing new cities one at a time. When they expanded to San Francisco, they saw their revenue grow 6x in just three months, proving that Bounce could scale.

Industry Context

The short-term storage market was largely unaddressed when Bounce entered the scene. Travelers often relied on expensive station lockers, while locals had no real options for storing everyday items temporarily. Bounce saw an opportunity to digitally transform this space by leveraging partnerships with local businesses, offering a more flexible and convenient alternative.

Bounce operates within the broader urban logistics and sharing economy industries, akin to platforms like Uber or Airbnb, where local businesses offer space and services through a technology-enabled marketplace. Bounce’s key differentiation lies in its affordable rates and wide availability, providing a global network of trusted locations.

Founders

Cody Candee, the CEO, comes from a background in product management, having worked at Intuit before venturing into entrepreneurship. His extensive travel experiences fueled his desire to create a service that would give people more freedom in cities.

Aleksander Rendtslev, the CTO, complements Candee with his technical expertise. Together, their focus on building a high-quality tech platform has been essential to Bounce’s success. Their shared vision of making cities more navigable by providing flexible storage has propelled the company’s growth(Wisconsin School of Business)

Product

Bounce’s app allows users to find luggage storage locations in nearby partner stores, including local businesses like coffee shops and hotels. For a daily rate starting at $5.10/day, users can store their belongings safely and conveniently, freeing them to explore cities without their heavy baggage(Boring Business Nerd).

Bounce offers a simple, app-based service where users can find, book, and store their belongings at nearby locations such as hotels, shops, and cafes. The service includes:

  • On-demand storage: Book storage for items like luggage, backpacks, or gym bags at vetted local businesses.
  • Flexible pricing: Affordable, with rates starting at $5.90 per day. Users can also opt for additional BounceShield™ protection, which covers up to $10,000 of items.
  • Global availability: With locations in more than 1,000 cities, Bounce provides travelers and locals with a global storage solution.

Bounce is now expanding its product offering to include delivery services, giving users the ability to store and have items delivered anywhere within a city—a feature aimed at expanding convenience further.

USP

Bounce’s USP is its ability to turn local businesses into storage hubs. This decentralized model allows for a much broader network than traditional station lockers, which are often confined to transport hubs. By using technology to partner with existing businesses, Bounce can offer flexibility, affordability, and global reach.

Additionally, the company’s focus on instant booking and a user-friendly app has streamlined the process for users, making it accessible to both locals and tourists

Competitors

Bounce faces competition from traditional storage services like train stations and airports, as well as newer startups like LuggageHero and Stasher. However, Bounce’s vast network of retail partners and focus on both tourists and local commuters give it a significant edge in market coverage(YEC | Young Entrepreneur Council).

Build

Bounce’s initial prototype was built in just three weeks. The founders tested early logistics models by directly picking up and delivering bags around New York City. This hands-on approach allowed them to refine the user experience before fully developing the tech platform. Over time, they built a robust app and expanded their partnerships(Alltop Startups).

Implementation

Bounce’s implementation strategy involved partnering with local businesses, including hotels and stores, to provide convenient storage solutions. This business model allowed them to avoid overhead costs associated with maintaining physical storage spaces, focusing instead on technology and customer acquisition.

Bounce also invested heavily in marketing through platforms like Product Hunt, where they were voted #1 Product of the Day, helping to drive early user growth.

Growth

Despite early financial struggles, Bounce has seen explosive growth. Within a year of its launch, the company was operational in multiple U.S. cities. Post-pandemic, Bounce accelerated its global expansion, reaching over 4000 cities and amassing over 12,000 storage locations(Alltop Startups)(Everything Marketplaces).

Bounce has raised $15.2 million in funding from prominent investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and General Catalyst. The company’s focus on expanding its offerings (such as delivery services) positions it for long-term profitability.

Bounce’s rapid rise is highlighted by its inclusion in Inc.’s list of fastest-growing companies. Recently, Bounce ranked #8 overall, #1 in California, and #1 in the travel industry.

Pricing

Bounce’s pricing for luggage storage varies slightly based on location but remains competitive and affordable. In most U.S. cities, Bounce charges around $5.90 to $6.90 per bag per day. This flat fee applies to bags of all sizes, from backpacks to carry-ons, and includes $10,000 BounceShield™ protection to cover theft or damage. This makes it significantly more cost-effective than traditional station lockers, which can be twice as expensive. Bounce also offers insurance for users looking for additional coverage.

Key Takeaways

  • Resilience: Bounce navigated early struggles and the pandemic by pivoting to meet market needs.
  • Global scale: Bounce rapidly expanded to over 4000 cities, becoming a key player in travel and consumer services.
  • Partnership model: By partnering with local businesses, Bounce scales without heavy capital expenditure.
  • User-centric approach: The simplicity and affordability of Bounce’s services make it a strong contender in the on-demand storage market.

Bounce has successfully transformed the way people store their belongings in cities. Their innovative business model of using existing local businesses for storage has allowed them to scale rapidly while maintaining a user-centric platform. As Bounce continues to expand, it is poised to become the go-to solution for travelers and locals looking for convenient, short-term storage.

Hoping to identify a unique problem to solve with a profitable solution like Bounce? Check out our guide on “How to Find Niche Markets with High Growth Potential”.