The pioneers of NFC for self-storage.
We introduced NFC-powered smart locks to self-storage, eliminating batteries, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and unnecessary infrastructure. Today, hundreds of facilities rely on KISS to deliver simple, reliable access.
Founded by Operators. Built for Operators.
Rob Kapp and the American Storage South team — operators who built KISS from the field up.
For more than 25 years, our founder Rob Kapp built, acquired, and operated self-storage facilities throughout the Southeast under the American Storage South brand. By the time the portfolio grew to more than 25 locations, American Storage South had become one of the Top 100 self-storage operators in the United States.
Like every operator, Rob dealt with the same daily frustrations: cutting locks, managing keys, manually overlocking delinquent units, coordinating auctions, handling tenant lockouts, and countless trips to the property for simple access issues.
The technology available to solve those problems simply wasn't good enough.
So instead of waiting for someone else to build it, he decided to build it himself.
Built Out of Necessity
KISS wasn't founded by software developers or hardware engineers looking to enter the self-storage market.
It was founded by operators who believed there had to be a simpler way.
Over the course of a year, our team evaluated virtually every access solution available—from battery-powered locks and Bluetooth systems to wired infrastructure. Each solved one problem while creating another.
Then we looked outside the self-storage industry.
That's where we discovered Near Field Communication (NFC)—the same proven technology behind Apple Pay, hotel room keys, transit passes, and mobile ticketing.
No batteries
No Bluetooth
No Wi-Fi
No on-site network
Just your phone
That became the foundation of KISS.
Battle-Tested Before It Was Ever Sold
The first KISS prototypes were built in 2021.
Before selling a single product, Rob installed them throughout his own portfolio, refining every aspect of the hardware, software, and user experience over several years of real-world operation.
Every iteration—from the earliest latch prototypes to the miniaturization of the electronics inside the disc lock—was driven by one question:
American Self Storage — one of the facilities where KISS was tested before it was ever sold.
How do we make this simpler for the operator?
The question behind every iteration
Today, that same philosophy powers every solution we build.
Committed to Creating Simple Solutions to Stupid Problems
Instead, operators manage access across their entire facility from a single mobile app—whether it's a storage unit, gate, elevator, man door, or office.
We Still Think Like Operators
Unlike many technology companies, we don't measure success by the number of features we build.
We measure it by the number of headaches we eliminate.
Today, KISS solutions are deployed on tens of thousands of units around the world, helping operators modernize their facilities, reduce operating costs, improve the tenant experience, and unlock new ways to run their businesses.
Because at the end of the day, we still believe the same thing that inspired the company from the beginning:
Self-storage is complicated enough. Access shouldn't be.
KISS is a proud member of self storage associations worldwide
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