CobaltBox

What CobaltBox does

CobaltBox is a Belgian self-storage operator that rents secure, climate-controlled storage units to private individuals, families, and small and medium-sized businesses across Flanders. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Mortsel, the company (legally COBALT BOX NV) operates 8 branches spread across the Antwerp metropolitan area (Merksem, Deurne, Mortsel, Brasschaat, Antwerpen), Flemish Brabant (Machelen), East Flanders (Aalter), and West Flanders (Ardooie). The core offering is month-to-month rental of storage units accessible 7 days a week from 6:00 to 23:00, with personal code or app-based keyless entry, free on-site moving trolleys, and covered loading zones.

The technology layer is a self-service infrastructure stack: an online booking and secure payment engine, a storage-space calculator that maps room types and furniture to required m²/m³, app and personal-code access control, 24/7 camera surveillance, and the proprietary Box Alarm per-unit intrusion detection feature. CobaltBox differentiates Box Alarm as a first-to-market security add-on in the Belgian self-storage market, and pairs storage with mandatory goods insurance offered in three monthly tiers (€9 / €15 / €25 for €2,500 / €5,000 / €10,000 of coverage). Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer via website, toll-free phone (0800 82 181), and walk-in, supplemented by a Dockx Rental van-rental partnership and a planned bpost parcel-services partnership that would convert branches into neighborhood logistics hubs.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring monthly unit rental, augmented by recurring insurance fees and Box Alarm subscriptions. Pricing is size-based and not publicly listed; customers select location and unit size via the online booking system, and contracts auto-renew monthly after a one-month minimum term with one-month cancellation notice. The company is privately held under an NV corporate structure, with no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, or funding rounds, and a reported headcount of 1–10 employees consistent with a lean, owner-operator model.

Name

CobaltBox

Legal name

COBALT BOX NV

Website

https://cobaltbox.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CobaltBox is a Belgian self-storage operator renting secure, climate-controlled storage units on monthly contracts to individuals, families, and SMBs across 8 branches in Flanders, with online booking, app-based access, and add-on insurance and security services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Self-Storage Services

NAICS

Lessors of Miniwarehouses and Self-Storage Units (531130)

SIC

Public Warehousing & Storage (4220)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate-Controlled Self-Storage (HSAKAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Standard/Non-Climate Self-Storage (HSAKAGAB)

Keywords

• Self-storage units
• Climate-controlled storage
• Storage rental services
• Business inventory storage
• Personal storage solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Brasschaat

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Storage Unit Rental: Cobalt Box earns revenue by renting self-storage units to customers on a monthly basis. Contracts auto-renew monthly after an initial one-month minimum term. Customers can cancel with one month's notice. Units are priced by size, with transparent online pricing through the storage calculator and booking system.
2. Insurance Services: Cobalt Box offers mandatory insurance coverage for stored goods. Three tiers are available: €9/month for up to €2,500 coverage, €15/month for up to €5,000 coverage, and €25/month for up to €10,000 coverage. Customers may alternatively provide proof of their own insurance.
3. Box Alarm (Optional Add-on): An optional extra security feature — the Box Alarm — can be added to a storage unit for enhanced per-unit intrusion monitoring, generating additional recurring revenue.
4. Business / Inventory Storage: Cobalt Box provides inventory storage solutions for businesses, including local hub services for sales representatives and webshop stock storage, adding a B2B revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CobaltBox rents self-storage units in clean, dry, and secure indoor facilities across eight locations in Flanders, Belgium. Customers rent individual climate-controlled units on a month-to-month basis with personal access control, can add an optional per-unit Box Alarm system, and must purchase accompanying goods insurance.

Product overview

CobaltBox offers a self-storage service consisting of core storage unit rentals across 8 locations in Belgium, supplemented by optional add-on modules including the Box Alarm security enhancement, mandatory goods insurance (with three coverage tiers), an online booking and payment system, a storage calculator tool, and a mobile app for keyless access. All locations provide climate-controlled units with 24/7 surveillance, personal access codes, free moving trolleys, and covered loading zones. The service is designed for both individuals and businesses seeking flexible, secure storage solutions with month-to-month cancellation terms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Boxalarm: Optional extra security feature - a unique box alarm service that notifies security when a storage unit is opened without the correct code, first in the Belgian self-storage world

Products and services

• Self-Storage Units
• Box Alarm
• Goods Insurance Coverage
• Business / Inventory Storage
• Packing Materials

Quantifiable outcome

• Storage units are accessible 7 days a week, 6 AM–11 PM (17 hours daily)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Dockx RentalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDockx Rental is a van rental service accessible via an app. Cobalt Box has partnered with Dockx Rental to offer customers a convenient option to rent a van for moving their belongings to or from a storage unit. This partnership addresses a key friction point in the customer journey — the need for transportation — and provides Dockx with placement at Cobalt Box locations.
• bpostminorGTM or Marketing Partnerbpost (Belgian postal service) is listed as a 'Coming soon' partner, indicating a planned partnership to allow customers to collect and send parcels directly at Cobalt Box locations. This would serve both personal storage customers (returns, online shopping) and business customers (inventory shipping).
• BSSA (Belgian Self Storage Association)coreOthersCobalt Box is a member of the BSSA, the Belgian industry association for self-storage. BSSA membership signals adherence to quality and professionalism standards in the Belgian self-storage sector. The BSSA logo is displayed on the Cobalt Box footer as a trust indicator.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Public Storage: Public Storage is the largest self-storage operator in North America, known for its extensive branch network, climate-controlled units, and digital booking platform. While operating in a different geography, its multi-site recurring rental model and digital customer experience are structurally analogous to CobaltBox's operations.
• Extra Space Storage: Extra Space Storage is a leading US-based self-storage REIT with technology-driven operations including online reservations, climate-controlled units, and tenant insurance programs. It represents a global benchmark for the digital-first self-storage model that CobaltBox is implementing at a Flemish scale.
• Shurgard Self Storage: Shurgard is the largest publicly listed self-storage operator in Europe, with a network of facilities across Belgium (including Antwerp and Brussels), the Netherlands, France, Germany, and the UK. It is a direct competitor to CobaltBox in Belgian cities, offering climate-controlled units, online booking, and 24/7 access at much greater scale.
• Safestore: Safestore is one of the largest self-storage operators in the UK and continental Europe, listed on the London Stock Exchange. It competes with CobaltBox in the broader European self-storage market and represents a comparable business model of recurring monthly storage rentals with insurance and access control.

Direct peers

• Big Box Self Storage: Big Box is a Belgian self-storage operator with multiple branches across Belgium, directly competing with CobaltBox for the same Flemish and Belgian customer base. Both operators offer climate-controlled units, online booking, and personal access codes targeting individuals and SMBs in Belgium.
• Cube Self Storage: Cube Self Storage is a Belgian self-storage operator with branches across Flanders and Brussels. It offers climate-controlled units, 24/7 access, and online booking to individuals and businesses, competing directly with CobaltBox for Flemish residential and SMB storage demand.

Regional players

• Lok'n Store: Lok'n Store is a UK-based self-storage operator with a regional branch network across southern England. While geographically separate, it operates the same recurring-rental self-storage model with online booking and access control as CobaltBox, making it a useful comparable for unit economics and pricing.

Emerging players

• Storebox: Storebox operates tech-enabled, app-based self-storage locations across several European markets. Like CobaltBox, Storebox emphasizes digital self-service booking, app-based access, and a streamlined user experience for individuals and small businesses needing flexible storage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/cobaltbox
• Facebookfacebook.com/cobaltbox

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CobaltBox