Our Story
We started Renta because renting outdoor gear shouldn't be this hard.
Two outdoor enthusiasts tired of phone-tag booking, paper waivers, and gear you couldn't find online.
So we built the fix.
Founding Story#
It started on a trip. We went for a weekend trail ride in southern Utah. Tawson had been running a rental business for years and knew the pain firsthand — what should take five minutes to book turned into hours of Googling, phone calls, and hoping the software wouldn't lose another customer.
So we built a rental platform together, focused on making the lives of both customers and operators simple, flexible, and modern.
The vision was simple but ambitious: make renting outdoor gear a 5-star experience by default.
That's Renta. The platform that connects outdoor enthusiasts with local rental businesses — making it easy to discover, compare, and book everything from dirt bikes and UTVs to kayaks and camping gear.
No more phone tag. No more paper waivers. No more guessing.
What We Believe#
Access Over Ownership
Not everyone needs to own a kayak or a UTV. By making gear easy to rent, we help more people experience the outdoors — without the garage full of equipment.
Community Over Platform
We're not here to replace local rental businesses. We're here to give them the tools to thrive online. Every booking supports a real local business.
Simplicity Over Complexity
Phone calls and paper waivers worked for decades, but they don't scale. We build simple, powerful tools that feel natural for shops and adventurers alike.
The Team#
Mike Albanese
Co-founder & CTO
Mike leads engineering and product development at Renta Labs. With a background in full-stack development and a passion for building scalable platforms, he architects the technology behind getrenta.io. When he's not writing code, you'll find him on the trails — which is exactly why he started Renta Labs. He wanted to make it easier for everyone to get outside and experience the gear they've always wanted to try.
Tawson Abplanalp
Co-founder & CPO
Tawson leads product strategy and business development at Renta Labs. A lifelong outdoor enthusiast with deep roots in the recreation industry, he brings a unique understanding of both the renter and operator experience. His vision: every local rental shop should have the tools to compete online, and every adventurer should be able to find great gear without picking up the phone.
Built with#
Vercel
Next.js
Supabase
StripeOur Journey#
Founded Renta Labs
Launched getrenta.io alpha
What's next...