Stuf, a startup business that partners with commercial-property owners to convert unused space to self-storage, has been named to the 2022 list of “Most Innovative Companies” by “Fast Company” magazine. The annual list identifies 528 organizations across 52 categories including architecture, consumer goods, retail and sports. Stuf ranked No. 9 under the urban-development category.

“The companies honored on this year’s list of the most innovative companies in urban development have all found ways to keep their projects going during the pandemic,” the magazine noted. “Some discovered unique uses for derelict space, while others reimagined some of the common spaces of daily life for a pandemic-inflected future.”

In its description of Stuf, the publication wrote: “Instead of building new warehouse-like buildings on the fringes of communities for self-storage facilities, Stuf is identifying underused spaces in cities—vacant offices, empty garages, storefront basements—and slotting self-storage inside them. Working directly with landlords, the company fills in empty spaces with largely automated storage infrastructure and shares the revenue.” The magazine also noted that Stuf reached 90% occupancy at its facilities within five months.

Based in New York, Stuf launched in December 2020, raising $1.8 million in seed funding. It operates in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco/Oakland and Washington, D.C. Las August, it expanded its footprint in Northern California by adding two facilities comprising 179,000 square feet. This year, it’s also expanded in Southern California with space inside two facilities comprising about 6,800 square feet.

Source: Fast Company, The 10 Most Innovative Urban Development Companies in 2022