Offering Hong Kong’s millennials five-star accommodation with a premium feel, Dash Serviced Suites has found the solution to the city’s strained housing situation – at a price that won’t break the bank.
Founded by Forbes 30 under 30 serial entrepreneur Aaron Lee in 2014, property-tech startup DASH Serviced Suites offers a simple, yet innovative solution to Hong Kong’s biggest problem: housing. The company provides stunning – yet affordable – serviced suites across prime districts in the city such as Central, Causeway Bay, and Tsim Sha Tsui.
Equipped with free wifi, a queen bed, Apple TV, a fully equipped kitchen and access to nearby gyms and co-working spaces, the company’s digs tap into an apparently saturated market, tackling an old problem from a new angle. “We’re offering discerning millennial travellers a more affordable accommodation option in the world’s busiest cities while keeping the consistency of a hotel and building a community,” Aaron explains.
The secret? DASH operates in units inside old buildings scattered around hot points around the city, allowing them to keep prices competitive. Unlike expensive property developments on the outskirts of the city, the asset-light venture taps into Hong Kong’s existing resources, opening up units in the heart of the city.
Aaron first came up with the concept when he noticed a new trend in his social circle: “A lot of the friends I grew up are working and living in places they weren’t born or raised in. Millennials in general are becoming more and more nomadic because the world’s more technology-enabled, and we’ve become more globalised.” Over the last 15 years, he has poured his heart and soul into technology-driven solutions across seven startups in industries ranging from education to fashion to philanthropy. Now, he’s helping Hong Kong tap into a global labour market by resolving the city’s unaffordable rents.
DASH now operates alongside BlackDoors, a Hong Kong home-sharing platform and Aaron’s seventh venture. Currently at 100% occupancy, DASH will be focusing on growth in Hong Kong, branching out into different products such as hotels and home-sharing and expanding their community. The company plans to expand into a different market in early 2020.
