Emuoghenekohwo Ogilo: Transforming the Rental Process Despite High Volume

Ladderworks is a publishing platform of diverse picture books and an online curriculum with the mission to empower over a million kids to become social entrepreneurs. Our current series features interviews by our interplanetary journalist Spiffy with inspiring Social Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Builders, and Changemakers who are advancing the UN SDGs. 

Spiffy here with the scoop on the entrepreneurial leaders of Planet Earth. As the only interplanetary journalist stationed on this blue planet, I’m thrilled to present this galactic exclusive with Kohwo, the founder and CEO of Houseform. Let’s learn about what’s happening there and how Kohwo is making a positive impact in the world.

Spiffy: Hi Kohwo, thanks a million for talking to me today. Tell me, what challenge are you addressing through Houseform?

Kohwo: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! In major cities, the fierce competition for limited housing supply makes renting tedious, with days of back-and-forth communication. HouseForm's conversation automation tech streamlines this process, enabling agents to use AI to offer personalized experiences and reduce the scheduling time for tours from two days to just ten minutes, making renting faster and more efficient.

Spiffy: What motivates you to do it?

Kohwo: Motivated by a love for problem solving and my own difficult experiences with renting—marked by endless back-and-forth communications—I aimed to simplify the rental journey. This solution ensures every lead gets swift, consistent attention, transforming the rental process despite high volumes.

Spiffy: What is the impact of your work?

Kohwo: My company began by offering tech consulting to improve rental agencies' efficiency. Along the way, I discovered that some agents received over 200 leads daily and could barely cope with the volume during the peaks of the rental season. This realization showed me that something had to change in order to ensure that each lead was given a fair opportunity to find housing as quickly as possible.

Spiffy: Tell me about a recent organization milestone or initiative. What impact does it make on your community?

Kohwo: Since launching on Feb 1, 2024, our AI processed more than 200 renter inquiries in February alone, with March promising higher numbers. We've reduced lead qualification from eight hours to ten minutes, without sacrificing personalization.

Spiffy: Thanks for speaking with me today, Kohwo—it’s been an honor!

Kohwo Ogilo is the founder and CEO of HouseForm, a startup based in Boston that has raised $150,000 in venture funding to build Conversational AI products for rental agents. His journey into entrepreneurship was preceded by his role as an Investment Banking Summer Analyst at Bank of America. Kohwo holds a finance degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has earned national awards in Physics and Economics. (Nominated by Manan Mehta and Nitin Pachisia from Unshackled Ventures. First published on the Ladderworks website on March 28, 2024.)

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of Ladderworks LLC.