Introduction

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, our Into The Box President, Chris, spent four months renovating an old shuttle bus into an off-grid tiny home. While equipping his bus with solar panels, Chris envisioned a commercially-available, self-contained product with off-grid technology. With a background in real estate, Chris quickly saw how an off-grid living unit could be used as a short term rental — to showcase how traveling in an environmentally-sustainable way doesn’t mean giving up modern comforts, and even facilitates a more authentic, individualized travel experience. Expanding upon this vision, Into The Box was born.

As the climate crisis intensifies and our utility grids are slow to transition to 100% renewable energy, ITB sees an opportunity to immediately lessen reliance on our utility grids by creating functional, ready-to-deploy 20’ and 40’ “Boxes” that have multiple use cases, all while eliminating industrial waste from our operations through upcycling shipping containers.

Our planned lines of business using our Box product, in order of rollout, include:

  • Short terms rentals (STRs)
  • Accessory dwelling units (ADUs)
  • Emergency services
  • Speciality student housing

Disclaimer: The images are conceptual renderings of ITB’s ADU line and are proposed for illustrative purposes only. The images aren’t necessarily representative of the scale, height, density or design that would be approved now or in the future.

The global market size for container houses is expected to reach over $64 billion in 2025. 
- Yahoo News
2021

ITB Product

In addition to the global need to transform our power grids, the U.S. is currently experiencing a housing crisis. We are seeing record home prices, spiking rents, increasing homelessness, and inflation (Source: Bloomberg). People across the country are being priced out of their communities as gentrification continues to impact city neighborhoods. And after the harrowing impacts of the pandemic on nursing homes across the country, older adults in the Baby Boomer generation are searching for new alternatives to semi-independent living.

Over 60% of U.S. electricity generation still comes from fossil fuels. 
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
2021

Into The Box’s ADU product line is informed by the U.S. housing crisis and the positive developments in ADU upzoning created by governments at all levels looking to improve housing options.

"The U.S. is more than 3 million homes short of the demand from would-be homebuyers. Twenty percent of remodelers indicate in the last year they've undertaken an ADU project, and the typical one can cost anywhere between $100,000 and $200,000."
- NPR
2022

USE CASES

"The shorter the distance from home you travel, the lower your carbon footprint. Finding local adventures... is among the greenest forms of travel. Consider driving a few hours... Even a small adventure can feel a world away."
- NYT Guide to Sustainable Travel
2020
Please be aware that this company is at the pre-revenue stage. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a high degree of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other important factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company and its management.

Short Term Business Model 

Disclaimer: The images are conceptual renderings and are proposed for illustrative purposes only. The images aren't necessarily representative of the scale, height, density or design that would be approved now or in the future.

Into The Box has chosen short term rentals as our initial revenue stream due to its booming market opportunity. The COVID-19 pandemic has also influenced the public’s traveling preferences and the desire to avoid crowded locations.

There is a proven public desire for alternative vacation experiences. According to AirDNA, “With fewer people traveling in 2020, guests are looking to make up for lost vacations, and unique Airbnb stays are the perfect way to satiate that need for a unique experience millions are craving.” Airbnb guests in 2021 shattered records with their number of Airbnb stays across the globe, and an increasing number of those guests booked the most unique Airbnb vacation rentals available.

These unique stays are often tiny homes, and "Cargotechture," or the use of shipping containers repurposed as homes and travel accommodations, has skyrocketed over recent years. In fact, the global container house market is expected to reach $64.5 billion by 2025.

There is also a growing desire for environmentally-sustainable vacation experiences, especially among younger generations.

The stats:

  • Booking.com's Destination Gen Z project found that over half of those surveyed consider the environmental impact that traveling has on their destinations when deciding where to go. In the report, 56% of young travelers said they'd want to stay in green or eco-friendly accommodations.
  • A recent Skift.com study showed that the majority of Gen Z travelers are willing to pay a premium rate for travel services that demonstrate environmental responsibility.

ITB’s off-grid shipping container STRs will allow us to drop Boxes in locations without disturbing nature or the local ecosystem. Our Box locations are planned strategically, to be dropped within 200 miles of 10 million people or more for easy accessibility. ITB wants to encourage more sustainable travel habits that allow STR vacationers to bypass plane travel and stimulate small town economies in and around the U.S. State and National Parks.

Since the pandemic, remote/rural locations have increased in popularity. In fact, 61% of families are more likely to visit a rural or “outdoorsy” destination than an urban one (Source: VRBO). And according to Airbnb, interest in remote locations has continued to grow. 

The rise in bookings in remote areas since the pandemic has increased economic success for hosts. In rural areas of the U.S., hosts earned over $200 million in June 2020, an increase of more than 25 percent over what hosts in these areas earned in June 2019.

Disclaimer: The images are conceptual renderings and are proposed for illustrative purposes only. The images aren't necessarily representative of the scale, height, density or design that would be approved now or in the future.

Overall Business Model

  • Our 2 step Box process will allow us to outsource the building of the basic Box unit, while retaining artistic control over the theme and finishings.
  • ITB is seeking partnerships with well-known interior designers to design our ADU and STR Box lines, to tap into designer followings and provide a more unique experience over our ADU and STR competitors.
  • ITB’s ADU and STR Boxes plan to feature exclusive designs and include renewable energy and apartment-style amenities. We anticipate these factors will increase demand, and our off-grid technology will allow us to charge less than our ADU and STR competition.
  • For instance, ITB projects our ADU Boxes will be sold for $75,000, over 50% cheaper than the average ADU on the market today due to our proprietary fully off-grid design & modularity of buildout process. We believe this competitive pricing will give ITB an edge over current ADU competitors.
  • ITB’s ADU systems will be adaptable to comply with local government regulations regarding septic.
  • ITB plans to roll out our ADU line in late 2023.
  • Once these first two income streams are stabilized, ITB plans to foray into humanitarian aid. The ITB team has an extensive network in the international development space, and plans to work through relevant NGOs to gain access to emergency aid contracts.
"The smartest money appears to be warming to the emerging asset class of professionally managed short-terms rentals and vacation rentals." 
- Skift
2022

Competition

"Being able to bridge off-grid energy technology and secure, easily transportable and adaptable housing is the link a lot of relief organizations are missing."
- Pradisha Tiwari
American India Foundation

Market Opportunity

Success to Date

  • Negotiated used shipping container supply agreement with MobileMod.
  • Currently building the first STR Box in Joshua Tree, CA. 
  • Successfully created self-contained, prototype off-grid system utilizing solar power and alternative waste management. 
  • Interviewed by the New York Times regarding sustainable lodging.
  • Article published by PBS' digital publication, Next Avenue, regarding our vision for ADUs and transitional housing for older adults.
  • Selected as quarterfinalists for Pepperdine's 2022 Most Fundable Companies
  • Featured on BiggerPockets, a leading real estate investment platform, and their Money and Real Estate Podcasts.
  • Established partnership with popular off-grid Instagram influencer, Whitney Wildflower.
"ITB has an innovative vision for the U.S. short term rental industry. I think ITB guests will be pleasantly surprised by the off-grid experience and the luxury you can have while living off-grid. I'm excited to partner with the ITB team and share my personal experience building an off-grid homestead in Joshua Tree National Park."
- Whitney Wildflower
Off-Grid Influencer

Team 

Chris Wartko
Co-Founder & President
With a J.D. from Emory Law and a B.A. from UCLA, Chris is well-versed in the real estate development process, from initial entitlements to final delivery. Having found himself in sales, legal, development, and marketing roles in both residential and commercial real estate, he’s worked across five major U.S. markets, and directly worked on real estate development projects spanning 38 states.

During the pandemic, Chris spent four months renovating an old shuttle bus into an off-grid tiny home. This experience led him to envision a commercially-available off-grid living unit that could transform the short term rental space, among other industries.
Maya Bovshow
Co-Founder & Vice President 
Maya is a California Real Estate Broker, RE tech enthusiast and UCLA graduate with a B.S. in Communications. Her business development experience spans short term rentals, high tech startups, marketing teams, and commercial and residential real estate brokerages. She's currently a Sales Operations Manager for Trust Properties USA, the leading probate and trust real estate brokerage in California. As Vice President, Maya builds partnerships with interior designers and landowners, and is excited to bring beautifully curated experiences to travelers and ADU consumers.
Claire Pfitzinger
Marketing & Sustainability Director
Before joining the Into The Box team as Marketing and Sustainability Director, Claire worked in the U.S. environmental nonprofit sector. She focused on U.S. decarbonization and grid electrification, most recently at Sierra Club, a leading U.S. environmental organization. Claire is building our Into The Box sustainability strategy and will head our forthcoming global emergency services business line. Claire is a fellow UCLA Bruin and graduated with a B.A. in International Development Studies.

Testing The Waters Materials

Use of Proceeds


If the offering's maximum amount of $749,999 is raised:

UseValue% of Proceeds
Compensation for managers$125,00016.7%
Payroll (non-managers)$135,00018.0%
Container Buildout$248,00033.1%
Container Transport$24,0003.2%
Ground Lease Agreements$24,5003.3%
Warehouse Facility Lease$50,0006.7%
Marketing$30,0004.0%
Admin/Office$19,0322.5%
Travel$15,0002.0%
Legal/Professional Fees$22,5003.0%
Facility Improvements$20,2172.7%
Intermediary fees$36,7504.9%

Terms

This is an offering of Netcapital Class B, under registration exemption 4(a)(6), in Into The Box Inc.. This offering must raise at least $10,000 by July 15, 2022 at 10:59pm ET. If this offering doesn’t reach its target, then your money will be refunded. Into The Box may issue additional securities to raise up to $749,999, the offering’s maximum.

If the offering is successful at raising the maximum amount, then the company’s implied valuation after the offering (sometimes called its post-money valuation) will be:

5,350,122 shares
×
$1.63 per share
$8,720,699implied valuation

Financials

These financial statements have been reviewed by an independent Certified Public Accountant.

SEC Filings

The Offering Statement is a formal description of the company and this transaction. It’s filed with the SEC to comply with the requirements of exemption 4(a)(6) of the Securities Act of 1933.

We’re also required to share links to each of the SEC filings related to this offering with investors.

Understand the Risks

Be sure to understand the risks of this type of investment. No regulatory body (not the SEC, not any state regulator) has passed upon the merits of or given its approval to the securities, the terms of the offering, or the accuracy or completeness of any offering materials or information posted herein. That’s typical for Regulation CF offerings like this one.

Neither Netcapital nor any of its directors, officers, employees, representatives, affiliates, or agents shall have any liability whatsoever arising from any error or incompleteness of fact or opinion in, or lack of care in the preparation or publication of, the materials and communication herein or the terms or valuation of any securities offering.

The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which are, in some cases, beyond the company’s control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects the current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties, and assumptions relating to operations, results of operations, growth strategy, and liquidity. No obligation exists to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

More Info

Updates

  • Aug 4, 2022
  • Jul 16, 2022
    Primary offering finalized, selling 26,316 shares
    Sold 26,316 shares at $1.63 for a total of $42,895.08
  • Jul 15, 2022
    This is it! With only 4 hours left in our...

    This is it! With only 4 hours left in our Netcapital equity campaign, this is your last chance to invest in Into The Box. Join us on the next step of our journey to bring off-grid, utility-independent living to the mainstream. From short term rentals to ADUs, the demand for our off-grid living units is both exciting and inspiring. Make the decision to be a part of the ITB story.

    Invest now
  • Jun 27, 2022
    In case you missed it earlier this month, check...

    In case you missed it earlier this month, check out Netcapital’s Q&A with Into The Box’s Co-Founders. Chris and Maya answered investor questions regarding our product specs, business model, the importance of energy security, and much more!

    If a question you have about Into The Box wasn’t answered in our Q&A, feel free to post it under the Discussion section of our Offering Page.

    Watch now
  • May 31, 2022
    We are happy to announce pricing for our 1...

    We are happy to announce pricing for our 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom ADU models. Using recycled shipping containers for our Box product, our business goal has always been to provide an elevated yet affordable experience for our future short term rental and accessory dwelling unit customers. After extensive market research of current ADU competitors and running our own financial models, we are proud to announce our 1 bedroom unit (20’ container) will start at $99,500 and our 2 bedroom unit (40’ container) will start at $129,500. Our listed base prices include our Box structure, all appliances (including fridge), water heater, AC/heating, and off-grid hardware (including 1000w of solar), making us an affordable option in the ADU space. We are excited to bring renewable energy and the benefits of off-grid living to a larger national audience through our affordable ADU pricing!

    And remember to tune in to our live Q&A with Netcapital tomorrow, June 1 at 3 PM ET/12 PM PT! Register below.

    Register now
  • May 27, 2022
    Join Co-Founders Chris and Maya on Wednesday,...

    Join Co-Founders Chris and Maya on Wednesday, June 1 at 3 PM ET/12 PM PT for a live Q&A with Netcapital! They will be answering your questions about Into The Box and our product. Register for the Zoom webinar below.

    Register now
  • May 16, 2022
    Exciting news! The PBS story featuring Into The...

    Exciting news! The PBS story featuring Into The Box’s ADU business line was picked up by Forbes, MarketWatch, and Yahoo News today. If you haven’t checked the article out yet, learn about the growing demand for ADUs amidst an aging population and the need for more affordable housing options.

    Read more
  • May 13, 2022
    Upon conducting additional market research and...

    Upon conducting additional market research and studying the growing affordable housing crisis, the Into The Box team identified the opportunity to be one of the first companies to offer apartment-style off-grid accessory dwelling units (ADUs). We’ve now officially expanded our short term rental business line to include ADUs!

    Our ADU units, priced well below the competition, were recently featured by PBS’ digital publication Next Avenue in a story regarding the growing national demand for affordable ADUs.

    For more information about our ADU line, conceptual renderings, and to check out new information about our growing company, visit our offering page.

    PBS Article
  • May 13, 2022
  • Apr 12, 2022
  • Mar 9, 2022
    Are you subscribed to ITB's newsletter? We send...

    Are you subscribed to ITB’s newsletter? We send weekly(ish) company updates and content related to sustainable living. To be added to our newsletter, simply email newsletter@intothebox.net!

    In this week’s newsletter, ITB’s influencer partner Whitney Wildflower broke down how she lives off-grid in Joshua Tree while maintaining her online presence. Like ITB, Whitney loves solar energy and uses it to power her off-grid yurt.

    Using renewable energy, ITB is looking forward to our guests enjoying beautiful locations in nature while still staying connected!

    Watch now
  • Mar 1, 2022
    In our first week live, Into The Box made...

    In our first week live, Into The Box made Crowdability’s list of top vetted deals.

    Crowdability has been a leading investor platform on the forefront of equity crowdfunding education since 2015. The website independently curates the best equity crowdfunding campaigns from top platforms that they believe present high investment return opportunities for investors.

    Crowdability “aims to protect individual investors by providing them with education, software, and independent research. Essentially, what Morningstar has done for mutual funds, [they] aim to do for private equity.”

    Read more
  • Feb 14, 2022
    Primary offering of 460,122 shares at $1.63
  • Feb 14, 2022

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