iLost

iLost, lost and found search engine and management software

iLost presents itself as a lost and found search engine whose purpose is to reunite owners with their lost belongings. The platform allows users to search for lost items, report found items, print insurance claims and tag belongings through the iSave service. According to the company's own data, one in three found items is returned to its owner through iLost, anywhere in the world.

Services for individuals

For individual users, iLost offers lost item search, found item reporting, printing of insurance claims and tagging belongings with iSave, so that the search can begin from the moment something is lost. The company states that it handles the shipping of found items to their rightful owners anywhere in the world.

Solutions for organizations

iLost markets lost and found management software for organizations. Among the sectors and types of clients the company mentions are municipalities, events, public transport companies, hotels, amusement parks and other businesses. The company claims that 80% of lost items are found by organizations and that its software digitizes and connects traditional lost and found management systems.

Reach and results

The company states it has returned more than 150,000 items to owners in 63 countries. It also notes that it has created 713,365 "happy losers" and that its goal is to reach one million owners reunited with their items per year by 2025. The company says it helps hundreds of people per week recover their belongings and that it has shipped to more than 50 countries.

History

iLost was founded by Hanneke Stegweg in 2012, after she lost her camera and never recovered either the device or the photos. In 2013 the company won The Next Women Award and took part in the Startupbootcamp accelerator programme, with seed funding to develop lost and found software for businesses. In 2014 it launched iLost for Business in the Netherlands and welcomed the first organizations to its network. In 2015 it further developed the platform, added sector-specific features and prepared it for international expansion; it also successfully completed a crowdfunding campaign, won the Loey Starters Award and made its TV debut on RTL Z. In 2016 it expanded the lost and found network in the Netherlands and took its first steps outside the country, reaching its 10,000th "happy loser" in July. In 2017 the company stated it was helping hundreds of people per week, had shipped items to more than 50 countries and was on track to reach its goal of one million "happy losers" in 2020. In 2018 it focused on consolidating its base in the Netherlands and obtained the ISO 27001 certificate for its information security policy. In 2019 it prepared its solutions for organizations beyond national borders and its first clients in Belgium and Luxembourg began using iLost.

Team and awards

The iLost team is made up of diverse profiles. Hanneke Stegweg is founder and CEO; Elmer de Looff, back-end developer; Florus van Beek, head of product and marketing; Frederieke Vroom, head of sales and business development; Ferry Weel, sales executive; Nour Bayard, front-end developer; Suzanne, logistics support, and Lotte Kramer, also logistics support. The company has received the LOEY Starters Award, the RTL Z Pitch of the Year 2015 and The Next Women Award.

Location and contact

Zekeringstraat 17A, 1014 BM Amsterdam, Netherlands