Ex-Firefighter Secures $13.4M For His YC-Backed Marketplace For Emergency Trucks And Gear
Garage, an online marketplace selling specialized equipment commonly used in local government, raised $13.5 million in a Series A funding round led by Infinity Venture. Other investors included Benchstrength, Wayfinder Ventures, and FJ Labs, according to TechCrunch.
Being a firefighter since age 15 meant that co-founder Martin Hunt knew the struggles of small communities with tight budgets buying fire equipment. In 2023, he asked a colleague about better options for fighters.
“When I couldn’t find anything, it became clear that there was a need for a streamlined, nationwide marketplace for expensive, hard-to-move equipment like firetrucks,” Hunt told TechCrunch. “A few months later, I left my job with no product or funding to build the solution.”
Building an online marketplace for firefighters
Hunt and his college friend, Alaz Sengul, launched Garage. The Y-Combinator-backed marketplace automates many manual processes, including appraisal, freight quotes, and payment solutions, modernizing how America buys and sells emergency vehicles and surplus equipment.
“Many of our customers are civil servants, firefighters, fleet managers, and public work directors who don’t have the administrative bandwidth to deal with endless paperwork and logistical coordination,” Hunt says.
Sellers use Garage’s AI tool to appraise their equipment, which then lists the product, allowing users to either auction or buy the product. Buyers can message the seller, request instant quotes for items such as warranty and freight. After a price has been agreed, Garage will handle the back end and use AI to help coordinate the delivery.
Garage’s latest investment
Hunt and Sengul met their lead investors after participating in YC’s Winter ’24 cohort. The founders raised a $4.5 million seed round led by Initialized Capital, and then they were introduced to Infinity Ventures. The company has now raised a total of $18 million.
The new funds will be used to expand the team and the marketplace. The product is currently used in all 50 states, with clients including cities such as Burlington, Vermont, and South Charleston, West Virginia.
“We hope that improving access to affordable, mission-critical equipment improves public safety in the areas that need it most, while allowing funds to go further and stay in the hands of those serving our local communities,” Hunt said.
Image: Martin Hunt and Alaz Sengul
