Bob W, a Helsinki-based hospitality company, just secured €40 million in Series B funding from a group of investors including Evli Growth Partners, Taavet+Sten (the investment firm of Wise’s founder Taavet Hinrikus and Sten Tamkivi), Flashpoint, and Supercell’s co-founder Mikko Kodisoja. They specialize in offering unique aparthotels across Europe, combining the comforts of home with the quality of luxury hotels using innovative technology. With this fresh investment, Bob W aims to expand its presence across Europe, enhance its technology, hire talented individuals, and reinforce its position as a top hospitality brand, all while maintaining a focus on sustainability.
Introducing an entirely new category of true tech-enabled hospitality, Bob W provides a smarter and more sustainable alternative to hotels and short-term rentals. The company operates design-led, sustainability-focused, full-service aparthotels in 10 countries and 17 cities across Europe today. Each Bob W apartment incorporates its own bespoke local design and technology that give guests the Best of Both Worlds: the consistency and quality of a lifestyle hotel, coupled with the local authenticity and amenities of an actual home.
Niko Karstikko, Co-founder and CEO, emphasizes, “There is a surging demand for locally rooted, seamless travel experiences that technology enables. Yet, the short-term rental sector has had a shortage of standards and professional operators who can offer local authenticity, hotel-grade quality, and tech to elevate the experience. At Bob W, we are leading this category. Our growth and market-leading customer satisfaction prove that we are heading in the right direction. With support from our investors, we’re eager and well-prepared to enter into a new phase of our company’s growth and expand the Bob W travel experience across Europe.”
Bob W’s proprietary tech and apps provide a seamless digital front desk experience that is backed by robust digital customer service and other fail safes, so guests always feel looked after. Super-early check-ins or late check-outs can be instantly and automatically guaranteed based on live availability. The mainly chat-based perfect host ‘Bob W’ has been designed to make guests feel like they’re receiving the best customer service with a human touch, despite minimal staff on site. On top of a smooth online experience, Bob W’s ‘marketplace’ connects guests to local breakfast spots, gyms, facilities, and a host of digital products to ensure a truly local experience.
A hallmark of the Bob W experience is its commitment to local design and sustainability. The company partners with local brands, artists, and manufacturers, sourcing décor from close proximity to each property. This practice aligns the guest experience with the local community and further cements Bob W’s role as a leader in sustainability. As a pioneer in the hospitality industry, Bob W is committed to transparency and honesty, actively advocating for these values while working towards climate net-neutrality. The company also offsets emissions of each stay.
Karstikko adds, “Commitment to sustainability is at the core of our mission. We consider measuring and reducing our carbon footprint is a fundamental aspect of our business, and the principles penetrate our procurement practices, operations, and how we work with property owners. We acknowledge that we aren’t perfect, as no one is, but we believe in transparency with our guests and peers. By openly sharing our data, we help our guests make more informed decisions, particularly with our emissions per guest night (in kg CO2-eq) metric. We are pushing the industry to follow suit. Consumers deserve the facts laid bare.”
Launched in 2019, Bob W has rapidly grown into a market leader in tech-enabled hospitality. In 2023, the company expanded significantly and opened 20 new properties across 11 European cities.
The recent Series B funding round was led by Evli Growth Partners, with participation from Taavet+Sten, and notable European entrepreneurs, including Supercell’s Mikko Kodisoja, as well as existing investors.
Mikael Hed, the force behind the Finnish game company Rovio’s growth story and a Growth Partner at Evli Growth Partners, says, “The hospitality industry needs bold disruptors like Bob W. The team is a pioneer in the new hybrid hospitality category, offering authentic, seamless travel experiences enabled by cutting-edge technology. Bob W’s growth demonstrates the team’s unique understanding of customer needs. We are excited to support the team in their next growth phase.”
“Despite the challenging times in the capital markets, this investment is proof that top-performing companies continue to attract funding. We are thrilled to have these top-tier investors backing us, many of whom are successful entrepreneurs themselves and crucially, our happy customers,” Karstikko says and continues, “We are excited to scale up and solidify our expansion across Europe. This funding enables us to further develop our technology, recruit top talent, and reinforce Bob W as Europe’s most loved hospitality brand.”
Click to read more funding news.
