Investing in Housing Inclusion: Why We Backed Occupi
At Halcyon Venture Partners, we invest in entrepreneurs building bold solutions to systemic problems—especially when they combine technical depth with mission-driven intent.
Taylor Peake
Co-founder and CEO of Occupi
That’s why we’re thrilled to back Occupi, a proptech company reimagining how renters—particularly those in affordable, workforce, and manufactured housing—access and pay for their homes.
From modernizing payment systems to expanding financial inclusion, Occupi is not just building a better rent experience—it’s building equity into the rental economy.
The Problem: Rent Is Broken for Millions
Despite all the advances in fintech and digital payments, millions of renters in the U.S.—especially immigrants, underbanked families, and those living in affordable housing—still rely on cash, checks, or money orders to pay rent.
These outdated systems come with serious costs:
● Fees and time: Money orders and in-person transactions add financial strain, in addition to the time needed – and opportunity cost – to transact in person.
● Inefficiency: Paper-based rent collection slows landlords down.
● Exclusion: Renters using ITINs (individual taxpayer identification numbers for people without social security numbers (SSNs)) or non-traditional banking are often shut out of the application process altogether.
The result is a two-tiered rental system: digital convenience for some, friction and exclusion for others.
The Solution: A Seamless, Inclusive Platform
Occupi has built a platform that works for both sides of the rental equation—tenants and property managers alike.
For renters, Occupi enables:
● Applications using ITINs in addition to SSNs
● Rent, deposit, and application fee payments via Venmo, PayPal, Chime, Cash App, and others, meeting renters where they are and using the tools they use for other financial transactions
● Elimination of costly money orders and in-person transactions
For landlords and property managers:
● Direct integration with property management systems like Yardi and Rent Manager
● Automated payment posting and tenant screening
● No need for separate tools or added workflows
The result: a single, user-friendly layer that modernizes rent and removes long-standing barriers—without requiring either party to change how they operate.
Why We Invested
1. A Massive, Overlooked Market
Occupi is addressing a critical blind spot in proptech: the roughly 10 million rental units in affordable, mid-tier, and public housing, and the 19+ million underbanked households in the U.S.
This is not a niche market—it’s mainstream America, and it’s been underserved for far too long.
Occupi’s inclusive tools open access for renters who’ve been left behind—and create efficiencies for landlords who’ve had to work around broken systems for years.
2. Strong Early Traction and Momentum
Occupi has demonstrated a remarkable ability to execute, with active customers, integrations with major property management platforms, and a strong pipeline.
This kind of early growth signals clear product-market fit, with scalable infrastructure already in motion.
3. Founder-Market Fit with Unique Insight
In addition to early product-market fit, Occupi also has strong founder-market fit. Founder and CEO Taylor Peake brings something rare: the dual perspective of a technologist and affordable housing property owner.
Her team blends:
● Technical acumen
● Regulatory fluency
● Operational know-how
Together, they are building Occupi with security, trust, and inclusion at the core—a must in this sensitive and high-stakes market.
4. Impact That’s Baked In, Not Bolted On
Occupi doesn’t just modernize a system—it dismantles barriers:
● Gives the underbanked access to digital rent payments
● Enables immigrant families to apply for housing without SSNs
● Reduces financial and logistical friction
That’s not a feature—it’s a mission. And it’s what makes Occupi such a powerful example of impact through infrastructure.
Looking Ahead
Occupi is already reshaping rent for underserved communities. But their vision goes further—toward building the financial infrastructure that supports long-term housing stability.
At Halcyon Venture Partners, we invest in companies that align commercial opportunity with structural impact. Occupi is doing both—bringing modern tools to a critical market while expanding access, efficiency, and dignity for renters and housing providers alike.
We’re proud to support Taylor and the team as they help move affordable housing forward.
