EDITOR'S COMMENT
• It is no coincidence that a number of startups operating in the short- to mid-term rental space are raising funding at the moment. Barcelona-based Ukio is the latest to join that number by securing a €27 million investment, following big raises for the likes of limehome, Bob W and The Urban Butler, while Blueground recently acquired Tabas.
Founded to be “the go-to solution for the living habits and needs of a new generation of flexible workers”, the funding round comes at the end of a successful year for Ukio, in which it has expanded its curated apartment offering to more than 500 units, increased its team to more than 120 people, and achieved seven times year-on-year revenue growth. The startup will now use the investment to boost its team, develop its B2B service and accelerate its expansion across Western Europe in 2023.
As we move closer to 2023, it is clear to see how companies are seeking to attract digital nomads and remote workers, particularly when it comes to building out proprietary software to be conducive to the next generation of travellers who want to live and work flexibly.
Ukio's expansion across Europe over the next 12 months also coincides with more countries and destinations launching their own digital nomad visas or incentives in some form of another, which allow professionals to live and work in another country for an extended period of time. Spain and Portugal are two notable recent examples to introduce these visas and more will follow in 2023 as tourism-reliant destinations fill low-season gaps.
• Join us for the final STRz webinar of 2022 on Tuesday 13 December [4pm GMT] as we reveal the key trends we expect to play out in the short-term rental industry in 2023. I'm excited to be joined by Matt Bendett [Peerspace], Jessica Gillingham [Abode Worldwide] and Sam Symons [Lavanda] for this no-cost Trendsetters session - sign up now at this link.
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