“The world is flat and good ideas travel fast,” said Travis Laurendine in response to his newest venture, Airpnp, going global.
The app that was born out of basic supply and demand logic connects people who need to use a bathroom with those willing to rent out their toilets. Users pay a small fee and renters benefit in much the same way as other sharing economy business models.
Laurendine co-founded Airpnp along with a second New Orleanian, Max Gaudin, less than two weeks ago in anticipation for Mardi Gras and has already experienced a spike in users outside of not only New Orleans, but outside of the United States as well.
Since inception, over 100,000 unique visitors have checked out the golden startup’s website, airpnp.co. They now have bathrooms all over the world, including listings in Israel, Turkey, France, Ireland, Taiwan, Australia and many more.
A sampling of the bathrooms available on Airpnp. “The French and Belgians really love us,” says co-founder Max Gaudin.
The “entrepeeneurs” have been covered on National Public Radio, Fox News, New York Post, USA Today and international outlets such as The Telegraph and Gizmodo India.
Airpnp has proven its need outside of the predicted festivals, marathons and other large-scale events. “The President of the Belgian Society of Urology emailed and said he’s very thankful for our initiative and there’s a clear need for his patients who encounter a lot of difficulties,” Gaudin told Silicon Bayou News.
What’s next? “We’re going to be peeing all over SXSW,” says Gaudin. The Airpnp team is definitely not short on bathroom puns (both of them have done television interviews in bathrooms already).
Airpnp will also be implementing payment through the app in the near future.