The Barcelona startup Enso Co-living, after two years of operation, wants to double its bed offering in Barcelona to 300 places by the end of this year, after closing 2021 by multiplying the number of accommodations by six, with 150 beds available, and with a 100% occupancy rate of its properties. Currently, the company has housing in twelve properties, in the neighborhoods of Raval, Les Corts, Gràcia, Eixample, and Sagrada Familia, which are rented for a price between 550 and 950 euros per month.
Founded in 2019 by Michael Erd, Clara Sterling, Jose Miguel Calle Pobre, and Andrés Sullivan, the company has landed in Madrid, where it already has about twenty rooms available, in several homes in the city's central areas, where it expects to offer 200 places also by the end of this year. The management of Madrid is currently carried out from Enso's offices in Barcelona, but the purchasing team has been strengthened, and a city manager has been hired.
"Co-living is a residential model with great growth potential in Europe and especially in Spain due to the increasing phenomenon of digital nomads and high demand from young people. With our arrival in Madrid, we want to continue responding to society's needs by offering a better experience and greater temporal and economic flexibility," said Enso CEO, Michael Erd.
In parallel, the platform for renting and managing shared accommodation and long stays plans to begin its international expansion in Europe, with at least 25 rooms. London, Milan, or Paris are the candidate cities.
According to Enso Co-living data, the user profile is a young professional between 25 and 35 years old. 60% are women, and in 70% of cases, they are of international origin. Furthermore, most are users who choose this lifestyle because they want to experience being part of an active community.
Since its inception, the project's promoters have raised more than one million euros from private investors, patrimonial funds, and debt tickets. Of the total, about 723,000 euros were raised in a financing round, closed in January 2021, with the participation of Dozen, GVC Gaesco, Ansasol, and Levels Up Ventures. To address the expansion in Spain and Europe, the firm will open a new financing round in the coming months.
The typical user of this type of accommodation is a young professional between 25 and 35 years oldTo foster an active community,the company has developed the optimal formula for connecting people who share interestsor move within related sectors, thus minimizing possible coexistence problems, and encourages users to extend their stay. Through its spaces, services, and community, Enso Co-living is committed to personally, professionally, and socially empowering its guests, according to company sources. Currently, the Enso community is made up of 500 people (includesex coliveresand people from the Enso Club).
For the provision of services, Enso Co-living works with collaborating companies. Among these, Hannun stands out for local and sustainable furniture; Eco Clean, for home cleaning; Wetaca, a food service; Kleta, a sustainable mobility service through bicycle subscription; and Classpass, an online platform with an offer of sports centers and other leisure activities.