90% of arrests during Mardi Gras are for public urination. This statistic, combined with the general hassle, encouraged two local entrepreneurs to make it easier to find a place to use the bathroom during the madness that is Mardi Gras.
“Never again will you say there ain’t no place to pee on Mardi Gras day.”
Airpnp, a brand new, New Orleans-based startup, is applying the sharing economy business model to bathrooms.
The platform takes care of lavatory logistics so you don’t have to. Airpnp allows people to rent out their bathrooms to people in their immediate location who need to use it. The platform also allows people to use their mobile phone to locate bathrooms available for rent in their immediate area.
Founders and “entrepeeneurs” Max Gaudin and Travis Laurendine are both born and raised in New Orleans and are all too familiar with the experience of searching for a bathroom during the festival. Often the solution is a “rogue pee,” or an illegal urination. Airpnp is the legal alternative for urinating during Mardi Gras.
Other companies who have proven this model include the ride sharing service Uber and Airbnb, a website for people to rent out lodging. “By allowing unused resources to be rented out to people who demand such resources it creates value on both sides of their transaction with enough excess value for their platforms to generate revenue.”
Airpnp founders are hoping to take the sharing economy model one step further. Since launching the site on Monday, the platform has already received 1,450 signups.
“Airpnp will definitely work outside of a Mardi Gras environment,” said co-founder Max Gaudin. “We plan to expand to other markets after launching here in New Orleans.”
To sign up to list your bathroom as an “entrepeeneur” visit airpnp.co/entrepeeneur.
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