)
A Melbourne-based startup helping apartment dwellers combat parcel theft is on track to grow its team and network after raising $1 million in a pre-seed round.
One Key Access received backing from Antler – which also made an initial investment - in addition to LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund and angel investors.
Speaking with Business News Australia, One Key Access co-founder and CEO Chanel Costabir says the capital will be used to hire more staff, accelerate product development and expand into other states.
She also noted the platform, which launched in Melbourne this month, has received a positive reception.
“We're very close with the delivery drivers whenever we're onboarding a building. They love it – the solution is really seamless for them,” says Costabir, who founded One Key Access alongside Raymond Ngai.
Founded in 2020, One Key Access works by connecting couriers to access control systems via cloud computing, granting them entry into buildings and parcel lockers.
Costabir explains the company offers a range of storage solutions that vary in budget and size.
“We work with a number of different parcel locker vendors. We refer [clients] to a large locker bank which is very similar to the Australia Post,” she says.
“Other buildings simply don't have the budget to be able to afford them – so there's a clear direction toward a communal locker being a more suitable solution for the building.”
Costabir adds that to deter the possibility of residents stealing parcels, the shared locker - which is protected with a smart lock - is also monitored with a security camera and digital log.
“This team has worked at the absolute coalface of this problem,” Antler venture partner Laura Faulconer says.
“By knowing what hasn't worked in the past, and [having] a finger on the pulse of what the market need is, One Key Access has carved out an exciting niche that will streamline last mile logistics.”
Former Australia Post employees, the co-founders spent over a year developing the software to make it ready for market. Now, they work alongside their previous employer, in addition to other courier giants like Aramex, Couriers Please and DHL.
LaunchVic CEO Dr Kate Cornick prasies One Key Access for helping “solve a common pain point for thousands of Australian online shoppers.”
But for Costabir, Australia is only the beginning.
“We've started in Victoria but we see this as being a solution that's ideally in every building in Australia, if not the world,” she says.
Enjoyed this article?
Don't miss out on the knowledge and insights to be gained from our daily news and features.
Subscribe today to unlock unlimited access to in-depth business coverage, expert analysis, and exclusive content across all devices.
Support independent journalism and stay informed with stories that matter to you.
)
)
)
)
)
