SmartUP
The German drive-up self-storage platform
Founded in 2019, SmartUP is a drive up, technology driven self storage company, providing flexible storage solutions, accessible 24/7 catering for both business and private customers.
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Flexible unit sizes
Unit sizes tailored for customer needs ranging from Economy to Premium and XL unit options.
Secure Offering
DIN-certified locking system, 24/7 surveillance providing clients with the highest self-storage security levels.
Sustainable Units
Environmentally friendly construction materials and LEED Platinum certifications targeted.
Private Client and Business Customer Offering
Flexible offering tailored to both private and business customers.
What We Target
Target Sites:
- Development plots and standing self-storage assets.
- Complex property profiles (demolished buildings, unfavourable layouts).
Target Location & Properties:
- Small Towns: 10-30k population, 3-10k sqm property sizes.
- Medium-sized Cities: 30-100k population, 5-15k sqm property sizes.
- Large Cities: 100k+ population, 5-30k sqm property sizes.
Micro Locations:
- Strong connections to main roads & highways in direct proximity (<30 min drive) to affluent areas across Germany.
What we do
Modular drive-up self-storage parks
We design, develop, and operate modular drive-up self-storage parks that combine durable construction with smart functionality, secure access systems, and a seamless digital user experience.
Locations
Our locations across Germany are strategically located in well-connected areas and include a variety of unit types — from compact private storage to large workshop and business units — offering flexible layouts for both private and business users.
A digital and frictionless customer journey
Easy online reservations, transparent pricing, and responsive support. Every site is engineered for convenience, safety, and scalability, giving our customers the freedom to use their space for vehicle storage, hobbies, trades, logistics, or small-business operations.
Our leadership team
smartUP is led by a highly experienced team of founders and professionals with deep expertise in self-storage, modular construction, development, operations, and finance. Our leadership brings decades of hands-on experience from Germany’s most established real estate and self-storage platforms, enabling us to deliver high-quality facilities, rapid development timelines, and a consistently reliable customer experience.
Frank Papendorf
With 35+ years of project, construction, and facility management experience, Frank has held leadership roles at major companies including Storage24, Walmart, and Bauhaus. He began his career in construction and progressed through roles as construction foreman, project manager, department manager and division manager before co-founding smartUP. At smartUP, he leads expansion, site acquisition, development, construction, and facility management.
Dominik Machau
Dominik began his career in banking, later earning Bachelor and Master degrees in Finance, and went on to become a corporate customer advisor and commercial manager for a Europe-wide company. Before founding smartUP, he served as a commercial branch manager at Storage24, Germany’s largest drive-up self-storage operators. At smartUP, he oversees operations, leasing, customer management, and platform strategy.