Los Angeles-based, on-demand storage startup Clutter has raised $2 million to acquire more customers in areas it operates in and expand to Orange County and San Diego over the coming months.
Clutter founder Brian Thomas told TechCrunch last week that his startup’s big technology differentiator is that it owns its own software stack, letting it skip legacy warehouse management systems altogether. It also means Clutter can use essentially any space as storage, so long as it provides climate controls and offers adequate access to its drivers.
On the user side of things, Clutter offers the experience you’d expect from an on-demand version of long-term storage. Depending on what someone’s hoping to put away, it’ll send a car, van or truck and even help pack up belongings (though that’s optional, because some people just don’t want others touching their junk). Then it brings that stuff to one of its locations, and keeps it until you need it back. When that happens, it’ll handle returns, too.
Thomas says Clutter keeps belongings in storage for an average of ~1.5 years, though considering the service is only two years old, that figure may change over time. Still, it’s a good sign for its long-run business prospects, as its subscription-style business model means that regardless of the *amount* kept in storage, a customer is more valuable if they stick around longer.
The round was led by Resolute Ventures, with Amplify, Joanne Wilson, David Sacks, Matt Coffin, and others participating.