Finnish tech-enabled hospitality operator Bob W raises €40M from Taavet+Sten, Supercell’s co-founder, others

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Helsinki-based Bob W (Best Of the Both Worlds), a tech-enabled hospitality operator, announced on Tuesday that it has secured €40M in a Series B round of funding led by Evli Growth Partners.

A group of growth capital investors and prominent European entrepreneurs, including Taavet+Sten (the investment firm of Wise’s founder Taavet Hinrikus and Sten Tamkivi), Flashpoint, and Supercell’s co-founder Mikko Kodisoja, along with existing investors, have participated in the funding round. 

The company has secured over €70M in funding to date.

The Finnish company will use the funds to scale up and solidify its expansion across Europe. Bob W aims to offer every guest a local, five-star hospitality experience on a large scale.

Smarter alternative to mainstream hotels 

Founded in 2019 by Niko Karstikko and Sebastian Emberger, Bob W (Best Of the Both Worlds) offers a smarter alternative to mainstream hotels and traditional short-term rentals. 

The company claims to operate design-led, sustainability-focused, full-service aparthotels in 10 countries and 17 cities across Europe today. 

Bob W says its apartments are designed to provide guests with an authentic local experience. 

Niko Karstikko, Co-founder and CEO, says, “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.”

The company’s proprietary digital front desk enables guests to avail early check-ins or late check-outs based on live availability. Additionally, the company has developed a chatbot – ‘Bob  W’ to provide guests with a personalised customer service experience.

Moreover, Bob W’s marketplace enables guests to connect with local breakfast spots, gyms, facilities, and a range of digital products.

The company partners with local brands, artists, and manufacturers, sourcing décor from proximity to each property.

It also claims to source decor from local brands, artists, and manufacturers close to each property, as a part of its sustainability initiative. 

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.”

At present, the company operates 36 aparthotels across 17 cities in Europe today, with further rapid expansion underway in existing and new markets. 

The company’s total portfolio boasts over 3,000 apartments.

The investor

Evli Growth Partners (EGP) is a venture capital firm that specialises in partnering with European growth-phase technology companies. 

With a funding program of over €300M, EGP focuses on Series B+ investments, committed to integrating ESG principles into the development of transformative businesses. 

Mikael Hed, 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.”

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Vigneshwar Ravichandran

Vigneshwar has been a News Reporter at Silicon Canals since 2018. A seasoned technology journalist with almost a decade of experience, he covers the European startup ecosystem, from AI and Web3 to clean energy and health tech. Previously, he was a content producer and consumer product reviewer for leading Indian digital media, including NDTV, GizBot, and FoneArena. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Electronics and Instrumentation in Chennai and a Diploma in Broadcasting Journalism in New Delhi.

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