Two founders from Falmouth University’s Venture Studio, Launchpad, have created a new marketplace connecting local communities with spaces for hire.
Lauren Packham and Masayuki Kishi are the creators behind SpaceforU, an online event venue booking platform.
The duo only joined Launchpad in September 2022 and have already validated their market, created the booking system and website, and onboarded their first customers.
Lauren explained how it started: “I already run a CIC specialising in wellness events in Plymouth and was actively renting spaces for my events so knew of the pain points in finding appropriate spaces and the amount time and effort that goes into the research.
“I thought it would be great to have a platform that can take away the hassle, so we started with my Plymouth venue contacts and also tapped into my connections to wellness practitioners to test the market.”
Masayuki added: “Peer-to-peer marketplaces are notoriously difficult to start – it’s a classic chicken and egg problem. Without venues we have nothing to sell and without users it’s difficult to get venues onboard!
“Convincing our first venues to list with us was tough, especially when our marketplace had no listings. But now that we have over 40, and we’re very happy to see venues list their spaces on their own without us reaching out to them. We’re also starting to see more spaces being rented on our platform and an increase in users, so we’re determined to continue to fuel that growth going forward and provide more value to the community we’re serving.”
Lauren and Masa have been market testing the concept in the Plymouth area. Tom Lavis, CEO of YMCA Plymouth, said: “I’m delighted to announce that YMCA Plymouth have signed-up to support the SpaceforU booking facility. They are building a platform that will truly cater for all your booking needs and we’re proud to support their pilot scheme. As an independent Plymouth charity, we’re keenly aware of the current cost-of-living crisis and the need for affordable and safe places for members of our community to get active. SpaceforU will provide the YMCA with an innovative way to support local people, as it’s a ‘one-stop-shop’ for booking our activity spaces and I’m sure it will become a real asset to our future users.”
SpaceforU are now keen to expand into Cornwall. If you have a space to rent out or are looking for somewhere to hire head to their website – SpaceforU
IMAGE: (l-r) Lauren and Masa from SapceforU
