To address Bristol’s tight housing market, Daniel Virin founded Cribster in 2022. The free, web-based platform uses an innovative machine-learning AI algorithm. It matches students with possible future flatmates based on similar values, interests, and personal preferences. With a mission of creating a safe experience for students looking for roommates while building community, Cribster is poised to help any campus.
Daniel Virin, who was inspired to create Cribster due to his own experiences. He felt the acute urgency of needing to find appropriate housing before the school year started. The urgency of the student housing crisis in Bristol often leaves students vulnerable to scams and harassment on platforms that do not cater specifically to their needs.
Shriya Pillay, another University of Bristol student, created the algorithm behind Cribster. With her assistance, Cribster takes into account criteria like budget, desired location, even lifestyle habits to produce the most compatible matches. This new, nuanced approach goes beyond making the flatmate search just more efficient—it intentionally fosters authentic social connections between users from the start.
Cribster was just a fantastic example of having success in the early days of it. One of the platform’s first users, advocate Jovan Navjee, said he was able to develop “genuine and lasting friendships” with the three prospective flatmates AI had suggested. This result is a testament to how powerful the platform can be in making our university experience rewarding through a connected community of support.
In its latest development, Cribster is transforming into a mobile app. Virin’s twin brother, an engineer, is playing a key role in this cool turnaround. The University of Bristol has just awarded Cribster £4,500! This award, given from Jim and Peggy Wilkinson Awards and from the Development Stage competition, speaks to the great promise of the initiative.
In 2024, CMAP’s Daniel Virin was awarded the Outstanding Plus Award. He received this designation, in part, for his creative approach to addressing a key component of student health. Mark Neild, an associate professor in innovation and entrepreneurship at the university, acknowledged Cribster’s necessity for students facing accommodation issues.
“Your home is supposed to be that safe space where you feel comfortable and can get away from the stress and anxiety of university,” – Daniel Virin
Virin made clear that having a sense of security within a home or neighborhood is essential. Pillay noted the broader implications of living arrangements, stating, “Something like that can have big repercussions in other areas of your life. They’re the people you see every day.”
Beyond cribs, Cribster’s goal is to bring housing out of crisis mode. It claims to be building an environment that prepares students to succeed socially and academically. With a novel and engaging approach, Cribster addresses these vital concerns head on. To change the way that students approach their housing life while in college.
