NZ startup Kiki bails out of the Big Apple

Kiki co-founders Jack Montgomerie and Toby Thomas-Smith promoting their business on the New York subway. (Image: supplied)

Greg Hurrell

Thu, 19 Jun 2025

New Zealand accommodation startup Kiki has pulled the plug on its New York operations after 13 months, blaming the city’s short-term rental rules.While Kiki disputes the reasoning, it says it can't take on a potentially expensive legal challenge. The company plans to relocate to another city but hasn’t disclosed its location, nor whether it will be within the United States.Kiki started in NZ as EasyRent and operated for a time in Sydney, Australia. In 2023, the company raised US$6 million (NZ$10m) in a seed raise led by Australa...

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