Startup TigerTag launched this week to help reunite people with their lost valuables by “harnessing the power of goodwill.” Here’s how it works: Owners affix a unique TigerTag to their valuables, then register their items at TigerTag.com. If an item is misplaced, the finder goes to TigerTag.com and enters the unique ID of the item, which will allows the finder to connect with the owner.
The service itself is free but TigerTag charges users $2 for shipping and handling of the tags. When you lose an item that has a TigerTag finder, you go to the site and fill out a lost form. When the finder registers the Tag on the site, the platform will connect an notify the owner. Of course, the site is built completely around the premise that finders would actually be good samaritans and make the effort to try to find the owner via TigerTag’s site.
TigerTag is also being offered as a white label service to large consumer electronics brands, which could distribute the the service as part of their product packaging. TigerTag says that it has already signed an agreement with a device manufacturer and are in the process of negotiating more partnerships.
The startup was co-founded by an former Skype employee, Eric Lagier, who was responsible for launching Skype into mobile. I like the idea of TigerTag in theory, but as I wrote above, the company is taking a big bet on the kindness of others in its venture. Call me a cynic, but I’ve had many valuables stolen vs. returned back to me. Startups in the space include Life360.