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Tech Topics In This Article: Atlanta tech, marketplace startups
A side table you don’t need after moving. That dress that no longer fits. Christmas decorations you don’t want to store anymore.
Extra things around the house can quickly collect dust and add clutter to our lives. But when you are ready to part ways with those things, you traditionally have to take a trip to a local donation center. That experience can feel impersonal or cumbersome — especially when you want to ensure your items find a home where they will find a second life. Or you are left posting on a place like Facebook Marketplace…which isn’t the safest or most reliable.
Freeya looks to change the way people get rid of items while giving and getting free stuff in your neighborhood. The platform, which launched initially in Portland, makes it easier to find popular items that others are ready to part with. And after building up a following in the Pacific Northwest, Freeya has opened up its app and community in Atlanta.
Inside The Freeya App
The Freeya app brings a modern twist to traditional free marketplaces. Users post items they no longer need, while others in the community can claim them with just a few taps. The goal? To create a frictionless, tech-enabled platform that feels both personal and intentional. Freeya emphasizes sustainability and community, helping keep items out of landfills while encouraging meaningful local connections. With features like scheduled pick-ups and detailed item descriptions, Freeya removes the hassle often associated with other platforms.
Andrea Kappa, Freeya’s Chief Creative Officer, told Hypepotamus that furniture, home essentials, clothing, seasonal items, and children’s hand-me-downs are some of the “most searched categories” on the app.
“But we truly have seen everything pop up on Freeya. Sometimes, I’ll see a post and think, ‘There’s no way someone wants that bag of bags,’ and then it’ll go pending. And that’s always a humbling reminder of our diversity,” Kappa added.
Kappa said that Freeya’s appeal is that it is “more than just an exchange—it’s about using technology to connect and create sustainability in our communities. People want their belongings to go to someone who will love and use them, and Freeya strikes a balance between making these transactions seamless while keeping them personal and intentional.”
For users, Freeya provides the “peace of mind” that their items have found a good home, Kappa said. Pickups can be arranged to be contactless, making parting ways with items easier.
“Freeya’s architecture and go-to-market strategy are born out of this cultural moment. We knew that if we wanted to actually help people choose reuse in their day-to-day, we needed to bridge the gap between forward-thinking technology and good, old-fashioned community,” said Kappa.
Get To Know The Team
The concept for the app started when Bryan Kappa, Freeya’s CEO, started mapping out the outlet on an airplane napkin during his family’s first trip post-COVID..
“Our kids had outgrown so much stuff through the pandemic and it was just accumulating in our tiny house. We experienced so much generosity with family and friends sharing things like skis, swings, crafts, and anything to help us get through pandemic times with two little kids,” said Andrea Kappa. “We wanted to pass them on, pay it forward, get them out of our house. And for whatever reason, there was some attachment to these things, such that we wanted to find them a great home, save them from the trash or a goodwill bin. The process of using other platforms didn’t offer the ease and community that I optimistically wanted. So, as any rational person would, we decided to build our own. Lol.”
The Kappas are no stranger to building tech-enabled marketplaces. They previously ChipDrop, a startup that connects gardeners who want free wood chip mulch delivered with arborists.
Freeya’s Atlanta Entrance
Freeya opened up its first East Coast city in Atlanta and has wasted no time getting into the city. Kappa said the Freeya team has been impressed with Atlanta’s “Southern hospitality” and its warm festival culture, which they saw in full display at this May’s PorchFest in Virginia Highland.
“What stands out about small businesses in Atlanta specifically is their willingness to try something new, their pride in their neighborhood and community, and their overall camaraderie that aligns with Freeya’s values,” Kappa added.
As part of integrating further into Atlanta, Freeya launched a new collaboration with Moods Music, a beloved record store and staple in Atlanta’s iconic Little Five Points for its “Post 10” promotion.
Freeya users who use the platform to post 10 items to give away will be offered a $100 gift card to Moods Music. The team said the promotion is about “creating an accessible way for people to declutter responsibly while enjoying this exclusive reward.”
Collaborations, like the one with Moods Music, is about helping local brick-and-mortar businesses get traction back with more foot traffic.
“What we’ve heard repeatedly are struggles around the significant drop in foot traffic, post-COVID. Online shopping is great and all, but there’s a sense of community that gets lost when you aren’t popping into your local shops, running into neighbors and having a conversation about why this or that is so great,” added Kappa.
Photos provided by Freeya