If public car parks are always full, dozens of private parking spaces remain empty for most of the day.
Jessica Tagliabue and Ilaria Pessina, from Como involved in the digital marketing sector, started from a simple observation to create Hosteggio, a startup that aims to become the Airbnb of paid parking: those who have their own parking will also be able to rent it for a few hours a day, those looking for a parking space will be able to book it before arriving in the city, avoiding stress and wasting time.
Demand meets supply
«I live in the Borghi area – says Tagliabue – and I experience the problem of parking in Como every day. Right now, if I look out the window, I see many cars driving around looking for a parking space. Years ago I lived in Viale Geno: same situation. My experience and my work in the field of digital marketing led me to create Hosteggio together with my colleague Ilaria, who lives in Val d’Intelvi: we will try to bring together supply and demand, guaranteeing a profit for the owners of places car and avoiding unnecessary trips for those arriving in the city”.
The idea is simple to explain. Many people from Como who have their own parking leave the space free for most of the day, for example while they are at work: soon with the Hosteggio app they will be able to rent the space while they are away from home. Using the same app, those arriving in Como by car will be able to book the private parking closest to their destination.
Private investors are sought
«In the United Kingdom there is a very similar business model, but in Italy there are still no relevant competitors. We are developing the project with one of my companies based in Switzerland, in the meantime we have started a process with Startup Geeks, a very well-known online incubator in Italy. In September we will set up an ad hoc company for Hosteggio on Italian soil.”
From a financial point of view, Tagliabue and Pessina will activate crowdfunding campaigns and seek private investors, but they are also evaluating loans at subsidized rates for female entrepreneurs. «In recent weeks we have been choosing the financing sources best suited to us and our idea, in the meantime we are developing the startup based on our skills. The interest on the market is strong, because it is a project that can easily be replicated on a scale in other cities.”
Como will be the test field, if Hosteggio is successful it could be extended to other urban centers. «We would like to reach 5-6 cities in Northern Italy during the first three years» says Tagliabue, based on the development projects and market research carried out so far.
The earnings and costs linked to the use of Hosteggio will depend on the users: the price is set by whoever rents the parking space, the company retains a small percentage.
«Rates a little lower»
Tagliabue and Pessina, however, offer clear guidelines: «We will suggest that users charge a little less for hourly parking than the blue car parks located in the same area. It seems essential to us for the system to be successful and become competitive with the only real one. competitor which is the Municipality of Como. In the first phase it will also be important to offer a couple of hours of free parking, to allow motorists to become familiar with the system”.
Hosteggio could come into operation in Como after the summer, certainly before the end of the year. «In ten days we have already received 25 requests for information from owners».
To guarantee access to parking spaces located inside garages, there are various solutions: «On the market there are very cheap Bluetooth devices that guarantee opening through an application. For older shutters, classic lockers can be used with a code to be communicated to the customer as already happens with holiday homes in the historic center.”
