Marco Polo Portal

A housemate-matching platform empowering people with disability to choose who they live with — and who supports them.

Team Size:
4
Location:
Australia
Founders:
Aaron Cotton, Amy Connelly
Program(s):

The Problem

Lots of NDIS participants don’t get a say in who they live with especially those with SIL or ILO funding under the NDIS. They get placed with random people based on funding or vacancies, and it can go badly: clashing personalities, totally different lifestyles, or just zero vibe. It’s not about choice, it’s about filling spots. That wouldn’t fly for anyone else, so why is it normal for people with a disability? We’re solving that with a platform that lets people actually choose who they live with. It’s simple; better matches, better living situations, less drama.

The Solution

Marco Polo Portal is a housemate-matching platform for NDIS participants. Think of it like a dating app but for shared living. Think flatmates.com plus eHarmony (or tinder) but designed for the NDIS. Participants (or their coordinators) create profiles that cover not just support needs, but also personality, lifestyle, preferences, and deal-breakers. They can match with potential housemates before being locked into a property or provider. Providers can also list themselves, but they don’t control the match, participants do. It’s flipping the process so the focus is on people first, not just filling vacancies. Because the right match makes everything else work better.