Startup founder spends 4 days without walls in HB Zurich

Carlo Baldini lives and stays in a living space designed by Pabio. This is how he gives space to his vision: to design beautiful, sustainable and affordable living experiences for all.

Why the founder of Pabio, Carlo Badini, lives, eats and also stays overnight for almost a week in the main station of Zurich? In a living room and bedroom furnished by Pabio in the middle of the large, hectic, noisy station concourse? First, because the Pabio furnishing platform wants to prove that it can turn any space into a home with a feel-good ambience. Secondly: The Swiss start-up is generally innovative. It offers home design for rent instead of for sale. The platform allows users to have entire rooms or their entire homes individually furnished by professional interior designers. For the designer furniture one pays the rent in the monthly subscription. At the end of the subscription period, you can buy or return the furniture. The concept is convenient, sustainable and affordable.

Living and sleeping in the station as a challenge

In the Bahnhofshalle Zurich, Pabio is now showing a 10 x 10 meter showroom of stylish interior design. But the temporary living and sleeping space is much more. It will serve as Carlo Bandini's home day and night for almost a week. Here the 31-year-old will eat, sleep, talk to passers-by, answer questions, invite guests. "I deliberately chose Switzerland's largest train station, with 438,000 daily passers-by, as a challenge," says the young entrepreneur: "Because I want to prove that we can turn any space into a comfortable living space with a well thought-out, coherent design. Even in a place that is considered impersonal, like a train station."

On Forbes' "30 Under 30" list.

Carlo Badini is an exciting personality and an excellent entrepreneur. In his early 20s, he founded the design agency Cleverclip, which creates and produces explainer videos and other formats. The one-man firm has grown into a company with 30 employees. For this, the Bernese was placed on the annual "30 Under 30" list of young entrepreneurs who can change the economy and society by the renowned US business magazine Forbes.

Sustainable alternative to Fast Furniture

The founder of Pabio really wants to change society. He wants to see a change in the way people buy furniture: "With Pabio, you get an environmentally friendly alternative to Fast Furniture. Sustainability is deeply rooted in our business model. For us, it's not about selling as much furniture to as many customers as possible. On the contrary. We want to rent as much high-quality, durable designer furniture to as many customers as possible for as long as possible."

The idea even convinced investors from Switzerland, Europe and Sillicon Valley. As a result, Pabio is one of the first Swiss startups ever to receive 3.5 million in funding from Y Combinator - the world's most prestigious startup accelerator.

From captive use to a million-dollar startup

What prompted Carlo Badini to found a furnishing platform? "Pabio was born from a need of our own. We wanted to move into a new apartment and afford interior design. Because a beautiful home interior is extremely important to me. However, the service of the interior designer and then also the purchase of the furniture would have been too expensive for us." So the idea was born. With Pabio, the furnishing concept is free of charge. High purchase costs for own furniture are omitted. Only a monthly subscription is paid.