St. John’s-based Weevva, a rental tech platform that uses AI to assist landlords and tenants, has launched in Newfoundland and Labrador and aims to be across the country by the end of the year with the goal of going global in 2026.

Weevva’s AI provides independent landlords with tenant verification, fraud protection, lease management tools, and guidance. It offers tenants a free and secure way to find housing, eliminate rental scams, and access expert guidance, Founder and CEO Matt Creese told Entrevestor.

Creese said his own experiences as a renter and landlord made him realize that landlords receive many applications but lack the tools to identify the best tenants. Good rental candidates often lack a way to stand out in the crowds of applicants who can number in the hundreds.

Weevva tackles the issues by assessing potential tenants in areas such as credit score, income to rent ratio,  and criminal behaviour. The system provides landlords with lists of the top ten applicants for their properties. The system can help create a lease, allow payment of rent, enable tenants to request repairs, and more.  Weevva will also help to access government arbitration, if needed.

Creese said the current housing shortage means the vacancy rate is about 1 percent nationally. The shortage of rental accommodation is a problem in many developed countries, he said. And many adverts are fraudulent, posted by people seeking to steal deposits.

“Weevva exists because renting shouldn't be so hard. We're here to make it easier, fairer, and more human, for both landlords and tenants,” said Creese.

“Independent landlords need confidence in choosing the right tenant and in managing the entire lease relationship. At the same time, reliable tenants deserve a fair way to stand out and a rental experience that is transparent and secure."

Creese said his company has assembled a library of research so the product can meet the legal requirements of tenancy agreements in each Canadian jurisdiction.

Having been raised and having worked internationally, Creese has experience in strategy, operations, and growth, including in senior roles at Jaguar Land Rover, Openlane, and Lexus, he said.

He returned to Canada in 2019 and has been working on Weevva full-time since late 2023. He has a team of four developers; two full-time and two part-time. To date, he has bootstrapped the business. Now, having got the product to market, he said he is open to fundraising.

Creese said Weevva has no direct competitors because it is the only company offering a comprehensive, integrated service to both landlords and tenants.

Weevva is a member of TechNL and a Genesis Enterprise company. Weevva is also part of Propel’s current cohort. It is named for the African weaver bird, known for perfecting its nest and living in tight-knit communities.