BrellaBox Launches Kickstarter For NYC Umbrella-Sharing Program

NEW YORK CITY -- The inventor of an automated umbrella-renting program is trying to raise funds on Kickstarter to support its New York City debut, dubbed "Yellow Taxis, Green Umbrellas." NeueHouse, a club for artists and entrepreneurs in the city's Flatiron district, will be home to the first 'brellaBox this fall.

After running a pilot program with its first-generation two-way vending machine, 'brellaBox said it designed a new machine that is more compact and reportedly seamless in the way it dispenses umbrellas. Its "smart umbrellas" are tagged and tracked using RFID technology. Customers are charged a small fee to rent an umbrella, and use a credit card to activate the rental. Email reminders tell them when the umbrella is due back.

'BrellaBox also plans to design a smartphone app to be used in conjunction with its new machine for more widespread use of umbrella sharing as a service.

The startup is hoping to roll out hundreds of machines filled with green umbrellas to businesses across the city, which will receive the 'brellaBox two-way vender, umbrellas, and a sticker to place in their window signifying their participation in the program.

"Kickstarter will help us launch 'brellaBox in NYC and bring umbrella sharing programs to cities where demand has been high, such as Milan, Chicago, Singapore, Dublin and Vancouver," said 'brellaBox chief executive John O'Connor.