WA Leaders Members Unite!

Adventure Peer to Peer Gear Rental Marketplace and Online Booking Platform for West Australian Holiday Accommodation Announce Strategic Partnership

Quipmo and WA Homestay, have announced a strategic partnership which will make travel in WA even more amazing!

 This partnership is a significant step for both prominent Perth startups, increasing market reach and penetration for each business right across Western Australia.  Quipmo already has gear listed in 21 countries, and WA Homestay has properties listed around the state. Quipmo and WA Homestay believe this partnership provides a great opportunity for WA Homestay guests. Having easy access to great adventure gear will allow guests to get the most out of their holidays in beautiful WA!

 Across Australia, people have spent too much time indoors in lockdown, but with that ending, people are craving travel and adventure.

Quipmo was a lightbulb moment in 2015 for founder and adventure enthusiast, Chris Evans. Chris balanced the stress of studying for his MBA during the day, with nights spent reminiscing about his global travels and passion for outdoor adventures.

"I realised the challenge and frustration of finding quality adventure gear when you are travelling and the cost of transporting that gear from home when you head to remote locations was a recurring theme," he said. "The problem to solve was how to make accessing quality gear for adventurers more efficient, affordable, and readily available."

The answer was Quipmo or ‘equipment for the moment’ - the online surf, bike and snow peer-to-peer gear rental marketplace. Quipmo not only s adventure travellers access to great gear, but helps existing hire businesses increase the number of rentals they make and gives like minded locals the opportunity to make a few bucks off their gear when they are not using it.

Launched in 2017, the venture has already forged 12 major strategic partnerships that include world sporting tours and international, national, and state sporting bodies across both able-bodied and adaptive sport.

Amanda Walker’s love for Western Australia and experience as a holiday home owner, led to her founding WA HomeStay.

 “I spoke to other accommodation providers and they felt the same way I did. The fees the international platforms are charging are too high and their customer service is poor,” she said. “WA HomeStay was born as I believe a local platform that cares about the local community can offer a better service for less”.

 A genuine love for the amazing holiday destinations in WA and wanting to share those with her guests is what drives Amanda. Initially starting in the South West, WA HomeStay’s listings have expanded to include the Peel region, Jurien Bay and more. Intrastate travel to the South West has increased by up to 40% from last year. Travellers wanting to maintain social distancing have fuelled a 30% increase in  demand for self contained accommodation. As a result, WA HomeStay has enjoyed unprecedented demand during 2020.

Despite COVID 19 decimating the travel and leisure sectors globally, Quipmo and WA Homestay have both had incredible years.

Quipmo secured $500k pre-seed funding from diversified private investment firm Eastcourt; was awarded full scholarship by the City of Canning to the WA Leaders Executive Leaders program; was selected by the Western Australian Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science, and Innovation to represent the State via a virtual trade mission at this year’s London Tech Week; and was also named Startup News’ Most Admired Start Up for 2020.

WA Homestay and  Amanda’s rise has been as equally stellar, with Amanda being named in Business News’ 40 under 40 awards; WA Homestay was awarded full scholarship by the City of Canning to the WA Leaders Emerging Leaders program; in 2019 WA HomeStay represented stakeholders in submissions to the Western Australia’s Government inquiry into short term accommodation; and was named as a finalist in the “New Business” category in the 2019 WA Tourism Awards.

 Of the Strategic Partnership, Amanda says "it is a great way to add value to my guests’ holiday experience  and support another WA start up at the same time. The South West, in particular, is a world renowned outdoor adventure destination. By partnering with Quipmo, our guests can rent anything from an ebike, to a SUP, kayak or surfboard and more to enjoy the region without the hassle of transporting bulky gear "

Chris states “We’re absolutely thrilled to be partnering with WA Homestay to make it easier for people to do more of what they love, more often. This partnership offers something for the whole family - holidays just became easier, and more fun!”

Both Chris and Amanda agree that while COVID-19 has created enormous challenges for the world’s tourism industry, they are both incredibly optimistic about the domestic travel market. Amanda says “the variety of natural beauty that WA possesses is second to none”, and Chris offers “I think this period has really opened many people’s eyes to how very lucky we are to have WA as our backyard – there really has never been a better time to go and explore it and to enjoy an adventure.”

 2020 has not always been easy but these two Perth tech startups are proving that hard work and strong relationships can bring success.

For more information about the contents of this article, please contact Amanda Walker of WA Homestay at Amanda Walker admin@wahomestay.com.au and Chris Evans of Quipmo at chris.evans@quipmo.com