Backstage Capital is a venture capital fund investing in the best startups led by underrepresented founders in the U.S. The firm was founded in 2015 by Arlan Hamilton and is headquartered in West Hollywood, California, United States.

Backstage Capital

ROOMBUS

Roombus builds disaster-proof smart houses that can withstand storms, earthquakes, and stop burglars. It is a multi-model business that caters to home buyers, renters, and various hybrid models in-between. Roombus also offers High-Density Energy Storage batteries.

Roombus is a California-based startup that manufactures smart, prefabricated homes called "The Nest." Designed to be disaster-proof and eco-friendly, each housing unit in The Nest range comes equipped with Roombus' proprietary RoomOS operating system. This smart home technology enables features like indoor air quality monitoring, automatic air purification, remote door unlocking via smartphone, and integrated solar energy storage with battery backup.

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Roombus

Roombus is a California-based startup that manufactures smart, prefabricated homes called "The Nest." Designed to be disaster-proof and eco-friendly, each housing unit in The Nest range comes equipped with Roombus' proprietary RoomOS operating system. This smart home technology enables features like indoor air quality monitoring, automatic air purification, remote door unlocking via smartphone, and integrated solar energy storage with battery backup.
The Nest homes boast a rigid steel frame, premium insulation, and tough composite burglar-proof glass, making them earthquake-resistant, hurricane-proof, and fire-resistant. Roombus offers three models - the 480 square-foot Solo starting at USD 89,000, the 336 square-foot Nano priced at USD 69,999, and the compact 240 square-foot Pico for USD 59,000 as of 2022.
Roombus initially planned to commence deliveries in March 2022, but the timeline was pushed back to September 2022 to prioritize fulfilling orders for early investors and reservation holders. The company aims to provide affordable, sustainable, and fully integrated smart homes through precision engineering and thoughtful human-centric design.

Outsite is a global network of co-living spaces designed for digital nomads, remote workers, and location-independent professionals. Founded in 2015, Outsite offers fully-furnished private accommodations, such as apartments, studios, and private rooms, with reliable high-speed internet, workspaces, and amenities tailored for remote work and productivity.
As of 2024, Outsite operates 49 co-living spaces across the US, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. These locations range from urban centers to coastal retreats and alpine getaways, providing a diverse array of destinations for digital nomads to explore while maintaining their work routine.
Outsite's co-living spaces are equipped with dedicated workspaces, including desks, common areas, and, in some locations, coworking cafes. Accommodations typically feature private bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, fully-equipped kitchens, outdoor spaces, and other amenities like pools, hot tubs, and laundry facilities.
To ensure a seamless experience, each Outsite location has a dedicated Community Manager who assists with check-in, organizes events, and provides support to guests. The company also partners with organizations like One Tree Planted to promote sustainability, planting a tree for every booking made.
Outsite operates on a membership model, offering annual and lifetime plans that provide access to exclusive deals, perks, and the ability to book stays across their global network. Members can earn credits and rewards for longer stays, fostering a sense of community among digital nomads who frequently move between Outsite locations.

Outsite

The Collective is a pioneering co-living company that offers a new way of urban living for renters, particularly those in their 20s and 30s, in London. It operates large-scale co-living buildings that provide private en-suite or studio apartments along with access to shared amenities like gyms, cinemas, spas, co-working spaces, and community events. The company's primary focus is on offering convenience, community, and an enhanced living experience through fully-furnished units, utilities included, housekeeping services, and a vibrant events program.
The Collective's flagship properties include the 550-room The Collective Old Oak in West London and the 705-room world's largest co-living building in Canary Wharf. The company's business model is centered around providing value for money by allowing tenants to trade private space for more communal areas, resulting in lower rents compared to traditional apartments. This approach aims to address the growing demand for affordable housing among young professionals in major cities.
In response to the pandemic, The Collective adapted its events program to a hybrid format, offering both in-person and virtual options. It also partnered with experts to introduce wellness initiatives and practices to support members' mental and physical health during lockdowns. While The Collective faced challenges during the pandemic, leading to its collapse in late 2021, its two live sites in London remained operational after reaching an agreement with stakeholders, indicating confidence in the co-living model's fundamentals.
The Collective's acquisition by Red Door Ventures fell through in mid-2018, but lenders Deutsche Bank and Catalina RE provided substantial debt for the Old Oak development, valuing it higher than the initial asking price, implying a yield of around 4.00%. This demonstrated the investment community's confidence in the collective living concept.

The Collective

PodShare is a co-living community that offers an innovative housing solution catering to millennials, digital nomads, and individuals seeking flexibility, affordability, and a sense of community. The company operates on the principle of "access, not ownership," providing members with access to fully furnished private sleeping pods and shared amenities across multiple locations.
PodShare's housing network spans various neighborhoods in Los Angeles and San Francisco, with plans to expand further. The core concept revolves around custom-built 50 sq ft sleeping pods that are part of larger shared living spaces. This co-living arrangement not only promotes cost-effectiveness but also fosters social interaction and a sense of community among members, which the company refers to as "maximum collisions."
The PodShare model offers an all-inclusive living experience, encompassing furnished accommodations, utilities, toiletries, daily cleaning services, and additional perks like access to food, events, gyms, software, and entertainment subscriptions. The flexible payment options and no-deposit policy contribute to a hassle-free living experience for members.
PodShare's disruptive approach addresses the challenges of unaffordable and inflexible housing in urban areas. By offering a location-independent housing network, members can seamlessly transfer their accommodations without the need to pay for multiple residences simultaneously.
Founded in 2012 by Elvina Beck, a Russian-born entrepreneur, PodShare has grown from its first location in Hollywood to multiple sites across Los Angeles. In 2019, the company expanded to San Francisco, marking its first location outside of Los Angeles. Beck's vision aligns with the evolving societal preferences, particularly among millennials and freelancers who value flexibility, affordability, and community over traditional living arrangements.

Podshare

Colonies is a pioneering French startup offering urban co-living solutions. It operates a unique co-living model that combines affordability, community, and convenience, particularly appealing to young professionals and students seeking more than just accommodation in cities. Each Colonies co-living space features fully furnished private bedrooms or studios alongside common areas designed to foster a sense of community.
The company's approach involves sourcing and refurbishing properties, furnishing them to create a blend of private and communal spaces. As of May 2022, Colonies had around 1,100 tenants across 180 sites in Paris, Toulouse, Marseille, Nantes, Bordeaux, Lille, Berlin, and Brussels. Properties range from houses to apartment buildings, with larger developments like a 330-unit residence planned for delivery in Orsay in 2022.
Colonies aims to provide flexible, community-focused living environments with an average monthly rent of EUR 590 as of 2022, inclusive of utilities, insurance, internet, and weekly cleaning services for shared areas. The startup raised EUR 221 million in funding over four rounds by December 2023, with a EUR 30 million round led by Crédit Mutuel Impact in December 2023 to support expansion plans.
While initially targeting young professionals, Colonies has broadened its offerings to cater to students, who comprised 35% of its tenant base by 2022. The company envisions extending its co-living concept to families, offering amenities like childcare facilities and spaces for parents to socialize.

Colonies

Zoku is a pioneering home-office hybrid hotel concept designed for global nomads and traveling professionals. Launched in 2016, it redefines the traditional hotel experience by providing flexible living and working spaces under one roof. The brand's core offering is the Zoku Loft, a revolutionary room design that shifts the focus from the bed to the living area, featuring a multifunctional space with a kitchen, work desk, and loft-style sleeping area accessible via a retractable staircase.
Zoku's lofts are equipped with modern amenities, including fully-equipped kitchens, ample storage, office supplies, and stylish furnishings from Danish design brand Muuto. The concept prioritizes intelligent use of space, facilitating seamless transitions between living, working, and socializing. Beyond the lofts, Zoku offers diverse social areas, coworking spaces, rooftop gardens, fitness studios, and event venues to foster a sense of community and connection among residents and locals.
Since its inception in Amsterdam, Zoku has expanded to Copenhagen and Vienna, with plans to establish a presence in other European innovation hubs like London, Barcelona, Berlin, and Paris. The brand has garnered recognition for its innovative approach, winning accolades such as the 2015 Radical Innovation Award and "Best Innovation & Disruption" from the Serviced Apartment Awards.

Zoku

Companies that provide communal-living (co-living) spaces with separate or shared living spaces.

Companies that function on an owner-operator model or as a third party platform to provide fully furnished apartments/ houses for rent as a "ready-to-live" service for customers either on a month-to-month basis, or shorter/ longer stays as decided by the customer.

Companies that construct tiny or micro homes, often with reduced building/ assembly times with added eco-friendly elements.

Companies that construct mobile tiny or micro homes which can be attached to a vehicle to be transported.

Companies that develop housing that is designed to withstand and mitigate the impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and tornadoes using resilient building materials or special features.

Companies that develop solutions which support alternative living styles with solutions such as multipurpose and manoeuvrable furniture, modular sleeping pods, smart motorized storage solutions etc.

Living solutions that have a lower negative environmental impact compared with traditional homes

Roombus

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