Caarbon

Caarbon is a startup building an on-demand valet parking service delivered through a mobile application, described as an attempt to apply the Uber model to valet parking. Instead of a driver circling a block searching for a space, a user opens the app and arranges for a valet to meet them at a location of their choosing; when the car is wanted again, a valet returns it to the user.

The company was based in San Francisco at the time of a 2014 profile of Los Angeles angel investor Paige Craig, who travelled to San Francisco to meet the founders and became an early backer. Craig cited the strength of the founding team as a principal reason for his interest, noting that the chief executive grew up in Detroit and sold books door-to-door before attending Harvard. Niko Cunningham is identified as Caarbon's CEO. Coverage also noted an unresolved operational question about the model: how the service would handle simultaneous peak demand, such as when bars close and many customers request their cars at once.

Founding story

Angel investor Paige Craig met the Caarbon founders in San Francisco and was drawn to both the concept and the team; he highlighted the chief executive's background growing up in Detroit and selling books door-to-door before attending Harvard.

Business model

Caarbon offers on-demand valet parking arranged through a mobile app: a customer requests a valet who meets them at a chosen location to take the car, and returns it when the customer asks for it back.