How We Tried to Revolutionize Renting: The Rise and Journey of Renthis2me”
In 2019, during a casual trip to Maridaki Beach, South Crete, my best friend Aris Kefalogiannis and I stumbled upon a simple yet powerful idea. We wanted to play the guitar, but couldn’t find one for rent. That moment sparked a thought: what if we could rent items as easily as we rent homes on Airbnb? This was the birth of Renthis2me, a platform where everything could be shared, and everything could be owned by you—a world where every object had the potential to be rented, from guitars to tools and more.
The Vision Behind Renthis2me
Renthis2me was more than just an idea. It aimed to create a marketplace where people could share everyday items with their community, bringing convenience to those who needed things temporarily, while helping owners monetize their unused belongings. Whether it was a bicycle, camera, or camping gear—if you had it, you could rent it.
Turning the Idea Into Action
Our journey from idea to execution started when we joined the OKthess accelerator, a transformative experience that introduced us to the Lean Startup methodology. To validate our idea, we created fake listings on Facebook Marketplace for random items and waited to see if anyone wanted to rent them. This simple test helped us understand the demand side of our concept—people were interested.
The €15K Funding Breakthrough
After gaining initial traction through OKthess, we raised €15K from EIT, an achievement that gave us the fuel we needed to build our platform and kickstart our marketing efforts. We launched a marketing campaign that took us directly to the streets of Ermou, armed with a Polaroid camera. We offered free pictures to passersby and used that interaction to introduce them to Renthis2me. Beyond street campaigns, we also visited universities to promote entrepreneurship and our vision of a shared economy. Our digital campaigns further extended our reach and introduced Renthis2me to a wider audience.
The Tough Decisions
Like many startups, we faced a crossroads after burning through a significant portion of our funding. We had two choices: pursue another round of funding or exit gracefully. Although we were in talks to raise €80K and even had acquisition discussions with a competitor, something in our gut told us it was time to pivot. My best friend left for the USA to pursue a master’s degree, and I decided to start a new venture, Recomelius, a creative design studio.
Lessons Learned
The journey of Renthis2me was filled with highs and lows, but it was also one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. We validated a market, built a product, raised funds, and had meaningful conversations about acquisition—all from a simple idea on a beach. Renthis2me taught us how to build, pivot, and sometimes, when to let go.
ecomelius