TULU
TULU is a Usage Economy platform that installs IoT-enabled smart units in residential buildings, giving residents on-demand access to household products, essentials, mobility, printing, and services via a mobile app, powered by a proprietary AI personalization engine called TULU Brain.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What TULU does
TULU is a Usage Economy platform that installs IoT-enabled smart units inside residential buildings to provide residents on-demand access to household products, daily essentials, mobility, printing, and convenience services via a mobile app. Founded in 2020 by architect Yishai Lehavi (CEO) and environmental entrepreneur Yael Shemer (CCO) through MIT's DesignX incubator, the company operates across 60+ cities in 14 countries, serving more than 500,000 residents across 600+ buildings as of early 2026. Major property partners include RXR, Blackstone, Brookfield, Greystar, Bozzuto, BGO, Invesco, and Kushner, with flagship brand partnerships supplying products in exchange for consumer usage data from Philips, Bosch, Kärcher, and IKEA.
The core technology stack combines modular IoT units (20"x20", 6.5 ft tall, plug-and-play 110V) installed in-building with a resident-facing iOS/Android app and a proprietary AI engine called TULU Brain. TULU Brain analyzes real-time usage, transaction, and behavioral data across the building network to personalize product mix per property, forecast demand, automate inventory decisions, and power a generative AI chatbot for residents. A dedicated property-admin app and behavioral insights dashboard serve property operators, while lookalike-user modeling enables cross-property personalization that strengthens with scale.
TULU operates a multi-sided business model with diversified revenue streams. Residents pay a $10-12/month subscription (50/50 shared with property owners), generating roughly 130,000 active subscribers out of 250,000 residents served. Property owners pay setup fees for hardware installation and participate in revenue share. Additional revenue comes from in-unit shop purchases (snacks/toiletries), services revenue (cleaning/laundry/moving), and brand partnership data monetization where global consumer brands supply products at no cost in exchange for cross-cultural usage insights and durability data. Cumulative funding is approximately $42M across multiple Series A rounds (initial April 2022, topped up September 2022 with Leonardo DiCaprio's Regeneration.VC, and extended by $17M in November 2025 co-led by GreenSoil PropTech Ventures with Bosch Ventures and New Era Capital Partners).
TULU firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TULU
- Legal name
- Tulu, Inc.
- Website
- https://tulu.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- TULU is a Usage Economy platform that installs IoT-enabled smart units in residential buildings, giving residents on-demand access to household products, essentials, mobility, printing, and services via a mobile app, powered by a proprietary AI personalization engine called TULU Brain.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TULU industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Smart Building Amenity Platform
- NAICS
- Other Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance (811490), Local Messengers and Local Delivery (49221), Home Centers (444110)
- SIC
- Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Waste Management & Smart Sanitation (Facilities) (HSAPAPAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Association Maintenance, Vendor & Capital Project Management (BPAJAHAM), Mixed-Use Community Association Management (BPAJAHAF)
Keywords
Where TULU is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
TULU business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Resident Subscription: Residents pay a $10–12 monthly subscription to access TULU's shared product library (vacuums, gaming consoles, etc.). Recurring subscription revenue stream.
- Property Revenue Share: Landlords pay setup fees for unit installation and split subscription revenue 50/50 with TULU. Performance-based sharing structure with property operators.
- Brand Partnerships (Data Monetization): Major brands (Philips, Bosch, Kärcher, IKEA) provide products to TULU at no cost in exchange for consumer usage insights, durability data, and behavioral data across cultures. Brands monetize insights on product usage patterns; TULU effectively receives subsidized inventory plus data partnership value.
- On-Demand Shop Purchases: Residents purchase everyday essentials (snacks, toiletries, consumables) from in-unit nano-stores within the building, generating transaction-based retail revenue.
- Services Revenue: In select markets, TULU offers cleaning, dry cleaning, laundry, and moving services accessible through the TULU app, generating fees from third-party service providers or markup on services.
- Hardware Installation Fees: Landlords pay setup fees for TULU unit installation in their buildings. One-time/per-deployment revenue component of the property partnership model.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Resident subscription $10-12/month |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Property owner setup fee + revenue share |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based B2B pricing |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
TULU product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TULU installs IoT-enabled smart units inside residential buildings and, together with a resident-facing mobile app, delivers on-demand access to household products, everyday consumables, mobility (e-scooters/bikes), document printing, and convenience services. Property owners pay setup/installation fees and split resident subscription revenue 50/50 with TULU, while residents pay a $10–12/month subscription for shared access; consumer brands supply products at no cost in exchange for usage and behavioral data.
Product overview
TULU delivers a single integrated platform-plus-modules product combining a physical IoT-enabled smart unit installed inside residential buildings with a resident-facing mobile app and an AI intelligence layer (TULU Brain). The platform exposes five core on-demand service modules to residents — TULU Rent (appliance and lifestyle product rentals), TULU Shop (in-building nano-store for daily consumables), TULU Ride (shared e-scooter/bike mobility), TULU Print (on-demand document printing), and TULU Services (cleaning, laundry, moving) — all accessed through one mobile app and managed through a dedicated property-admin app for each building. TULU Brain, the proprietary AI engine, sits behind these modules and personalizes recommendations, predicts demand, and optimizes the product mix per building; the same usage data is monetized through consumer-insight partnerships with global brands (Philips, Bosch, Kärcher, IKEA). Vertical Futures podcast is a supporting thought-leadership offering, and the platform also surfaces data dashboards for property operators and brand partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TULU Brain: AI-driven product access and usage platform powering TULU's personalization engine and behavioral analytics across properties.
Products and services
- TULU Rent On-demand rental of household and lifestyle products (e.g., vacuum cleaners, gaming consoles, power tools, Dyson hair dryers, air mattresses, VR headsets, sewing machines, projectors) from smart units installed inside residential buildings, accessed by residents through the TULU mobile app. For property owners seeking amenity differentiation and for residents who prefer access over ownership.
- TULU Shop TULU's nano-store offering 24/7 in-building access to everyday essentials and consumables — snacks, toiletries, local products — purchased by residents directly from the in-unit TULU smart unit without leaving the building. Generates per-transaction retail revenue.
- TULU Ride Mobility offering providing residents access to electric scooters and bicycles via dedicated docking stations, with unlimited free rides intended to promote sustainable, car-free urban living. Targeted at multifamily and student housing residents who lack car ownership.
- TULU Print On-demand document printing service delivered from the TULU mobile app directly to the in-building smart unit, enabling residents to print and pick up documents in seconds without leaving the building. Targets multifamily, student housing, and office building residents.
- TULU Services Convenience services offered in select markets through the TULU app, including cleaning, dry cleaning, laundry, and moving services, accessible to residents from inside their building. Generates managed-services revenue via third-party service providers or markup on services.
- TULU Brain Proprietary AI-driven platform that powers TULU's personalization engine and behavioral analytics layer, analyzing real-time usage and behavioral data to optimize the product mix per building and surface consumer insights to property owners and brand partners. Sits behind the five resident-facing modules (Rent, Shop, Ride, Print, Services).
Companies that use TULU
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
TULU technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
AI capability8 records
Feature5 records
TULU partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, medium, major and core.
- RXRflagshipFlagship property partner. RXR expanded its TULU partnership across 10 multifamily communities in NY/NJ in June 2026, offering TULU as a standard amenity at no additional cost to residents. RXR portfolio: 22 billion+ valuation, 10,000+ residential units. Metrics: 74% resident app download rate, ~40% using TULU 3-5x/month, 100K+ total uses, TULU ranked #1 most-used amenity at multiple RXR buildings. Strategic quotes from David Gise (SVP Hospitality, Amenities and AI), Robert Acevedo (GM The Willoughby), and Jared Whitaker (SVP Residential Operations).
- Inc. Magazine (Female Founders 500)mediumYael Shemer (TULU co-founder and CCO) named to Inc.'s Female Founders 500. Recognition used to amplify TULU's thought leadership and category-definer positioning in the access economy / circular living space. Gideon Argov of New Era Capital Partners quoted in recognition.
- PhilipsflagshipMajor consumer brand partner. Philips provides products to TULU units at no cost in exchange for consumer usage insights, durability data, and behavioral intelligence across cultures and buildings. Philips products are placed in 500+ buildings across 60 cities in 14 countries.
- BoschflagshipMajor consumer brand partner. Bosch provides products to TULU units in exchange for consumer usage data and durability insights. Also a strategic investor via Bosch Ventures. Dual-role partner as both brand product supplier and capital backer.
- KärchermajorMajor consumer brand partner. Kärcher provides cleaning products (vacuums, hard floor cleaners) to TULU units in exchange for consumer usage data, durability testing, and cleaning habit insights across different cultures. Featured prominently in resident testimonials.
- IKEAmajorMajor consumer brand partner. IKEA provides products to TULU units in exchange for consumer usage insights across cultures. Aligns with IKEA's sustainability and circular economy initiatives.
- GreystarflagshipLong-standing property partner since at least Feb 2024 (Greystar blog feature). Greystar provides customised product rentals with TULU across their portfolio including Greystar France (Guillaume Deri quote: '30% occupancy of users'). Largest student housing and multifamily operator globally.
- BlackstonemajorProperty partner featured across TULU's enterprise property owner portfolio. Blackstone deploys TULU in multifamily properties as amenity offering.
- BozzutomajorProperty partner featured in TULU's customer blog content. Recognized for delivering resident experience improvements through TULU deployments.
- BrookfieldmajorProperty partner with TULU deployed across multifamily portfolio. Featured in TULU's enterprise customer logos.
- BGOmajorProperty partner added to TULU's portfolio (Nov 2025). BGO is a global real estate investment manager.
- InvescomajorProperty partner with TULU deployed across their multifamily portfolio. Featured in TULU's enterprise customer logos.
- KushnermajorProperty partner featured in TULU's portfolio of building owners.
- The Brodsky OrganizationmediumProperty partner that expanded its partnership with TULU in February 2024. Alexander Brodsky (Principal) publicly endorsed TULU's value proposition for residents.
- Grand PeaksmediumMid-market property partner. TULU deployed at Skyline at Highlands (Denver) luxury apartment community, opened June 2024 in partnership with Access Industries. Aimee Duplessie (Senior Regional Manager) endorses TULU as competitive differentiator.
- CA VenturesmediumProperty partner featured in TULU's customer logos. Multifamily and student housing operator.
- RPM LivingmediumProperty partner using TULU across 10,000 units in Southeast US. Amanda Kitts (VP of Operations) featured on Vertical Futures podcast. TULU deployed as amenity offering.
- The Preiss CompanymediumStudent housing and multifamily partner. Whitney Kidd (SVP Innovation & Technology) featured on Vertical Futures podcast discussing AI, robotics, and self-service trends. The Preiss Company also operates Iris, an innovation arm that has introduced humanoid robot 'Donna'.
- StripecorePayment processing vendor integrated into TULU's app for subscription and per-rental transactions. Listed in privacy policy as data processor for payment information.
- TwiliocoreCommunication tool service for messaging and notifications. Integrated into TULU app for resident communications.
- FirebasecoreAuthentication tool service for TULU app user login and account management. Integrated as identity layer.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreCloud infrastructure provider. AWS RDS, Amazon S3 used for data storage and Personal Data hosting. Amazon CloudCam used for CCTV storage in TULU premises.
- BigQuerycoreAnalytics tool used to process behavioral and usage data at scale across the TULU network.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
TULU competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Luxer One: Smart package locker and amenity-locker provider for multifamily and student housing properties. Most directly comparable to TULU in deploying connected locker hardware inside residential buildings, though narrower in product scope (no rental/shop/suite of modules).
- Parcel Pending: Multifamily package management and smart locker solutions. Operates in the same building-amenity locker category as TULU, serving overlapping property owner customers (REITs, multifamily operators), with comparable hardware-plus-software business model.
Broad incumbents
- Amazon Hub: Amazon's package locker and in-building delivery program for apartments and residences. Operates at unmatched scale within multifamily buildings via Amazon's logistics network and competes for the same 'in-building convenience' wallet share that TULU's Shop and Print modules target.
- SmartRent: Public multifamily smart-home and IoT platform (NYSE: SMRT) serving many of the same property owners as TULU (multifamily REITs and operators). Overlaps in IoT hardware-in-building and resident-experience software, though SmartRent focuses on access/thermostat/leak rather than amenity rentals.
- Latch: Smart building access and resident experience platform serving multifamily and commercial real estate. Comparable enterprise GTM motion to top multifamily owners and similar hardware-plus-software product surface, though Latch's wedge is access rather than amenities.
Emerging players
- BILT: Resident rewards and payments platform for multifamily, enabling rent payments via credit card and a nationwide rewards network. Adjacent to TULU in serving resident-experience needs for the same property owners, with overlapping B2B enterprise sales motion.
- Grover: Consumer electronics and gadget rental subscription (B2C). Comparable 'access over ownership' business model to TULU Rent, but Grover sells directly to consumers rather than partnering with property owners for in-building distribution; headquartered in Berlin with overlapping European footprint.
- Hygglo: Peer-to-peer item rental marketplace headquartered in Scandinavia. Comparable sharing-economy positioning to TULU's usage-economy thesis, though Hygglo's marketplace model lacks TULU's IoT-enabled in-building infrastructure and brand partnerships.
- Jetty: Resident-focused platform offering renter's insurance, deposits, and credit-building products to multifamily tenants. Comparable end-customer (multifamily resident) and overlapping enterprise GTM into the same property owners, but distinct product category.
- ButterflyMX: Smart intercom and property access hardware installed in multifamily and commercial buildings. Comparable hardware-installation-in-residential-buildings model and shared enterprise sales motion into REITs and multifamily operators.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
TULU social profiles
Digital presenceTULU compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
TULU financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TULU leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
TULU funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors21 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TULU M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about TULU
What does TULU do?
TULU installs IoT-enabled smart units inside residential buildings and, together with a resident-facing mobile app, delivers on-demand access to household products, everyday consumables, mobility (e-scooters/bikes), document printing, and convenience services. Property owners pay setup/installation fees and split resident subscription revenue 50/50 with TULU, while residents pay a $10–12/month subscription for shared access; consumer brands supply products at no cost in exchange for usage and behavioral data.
Is TULU a public or private company?
TULU is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was TULU founded?
TULU was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is TULU based?
TULU is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does TULU make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Resident Subscription is the primary driver. The others are property Revenue Share, brand Partnerships (Data Monetization), on-Demand Shop Purchases, services Revenue and hardware Installation Fees.
Who are TULU's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Luxer One and Parcel Pending. Broad incumbents are Amazon Hub, SmartRent and Latch. Emerging players are BILT, Grover, Hygglo, Jetty and ButterflyMX.
Does TULU have an API?
No public API is recorded for TULU.
What industry is TULU in?
TULU's product category is Smart Building Amenity Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAPAPAM, Waste Management & Smart Sanitation (Facilities), with a secondary code of BPAJAHAM, Association Maintenance, Vendor & Capital Project Management. Its NAICS code is 811490 and its SIC code is 7340.