Living in Madrid can truly be an amazing experience. But before we get there, it’s no secret that looking for a job can be a job in itself, and a tough one too. Being patient and selective as to where we apply, being aware of our competitive edge and the situation in the job market is key to success. We know moving to a new place can be challenging, at Urban Campus we’re here to help, with a few tips to help you start your job hunt in Madrid.
Coworking at Urban Campus Mellado Madrid Coliving
Set a realistic objective and stick to it
Before looking for a job, set yourself an objective, make it realistic and establish a deadline. To do this, it is important to understand the current job market in Madrid. You can do this by staying up to date with new reports and statistics from reliable sources like La Comunidad de Madrid, SEPE or newspapers like El País and ABC.
You should then determine which industry or type of job you would like to strive for while setting a time limit by which you should ideally have found it.
Bear in mind that Madrid is not a cheap city, at least by Spanish standards. Living costs are among some of the highest in Spain, and leasing, especially in the centre, can be expensive.
With traditional leasing, a studio in a good area can cost around 950€ plus expenses which would add up to around 1100€ per month. This, without mentioning agency fees and entry deposits.
Fortunately, there are a few options, like coliving, which include expenses and allow you to feel part of a wonderful community of professionals with whom you can bond from day 1. If you’re looking for a place to soft-land and save money, definitely check Urban Campus Coliving spaces out.
Urban Campus Mellado Madrid Coliving
Start local and be vocal
Spread the word and don’t be ashamed to share your search in your immediate circle! Family and friends can go a long way to help out. Consider that each of them might also have a range of contacts, in Madrid, or might know of someone who does.
From there, broaden your horizons. Contact people you’ve crossed pathswith, who might live in Madrid or who might know someone who lives in the city, like ex-work colleagues, former university classmates or teachers. These people who are already acquainted with you could connect you with a good job opportunity or a talent seeker.
Finding it hard to get back in touch? Try LinkedIn. Your profile is already laid out as a digital CV with all your professional information all you need to do is make the first move and reach out.
Lastly, remember to attend networking events in the specific industry you would like to work in. Madrid is a very attractive city for new startups and expanding companies, which means there are always opportunities to participate in professional activities and events. It’s a great way to meet new people who could be hiring or looking to collaborate. Malt, a platform for freelancers, is also a great place to find professional and networking events. Another option is Meetup, a social network to find events or activities or join groups of people with similar interests, you can also create your own.
At Urban Campus, we’re always looking to create opportunities for professional growth and are constantly organizing activities with partners at our coworking and coliving spaces. Among them are workshops, talks, and interactive panels, allowing you to network and meet top professionals from many sectors. Stay up to date about our upcoming events and don’t miss out!
Networking event at Urban Campus Malasaña Madrid Coliving
Keep an eye on job portals
While going online to search for anything and everything is basically second nature nowadays, we don’t always know where and how we should look for job opportunities online.
The biggest job portal in Spain is InfoJobs, with over 11.000 job offers in Madrid (as of today). Here, you’ll find positions in all sectors and for any experience level. They have filters that allow you to search geographically, by posting date, post category, minimum studies, and experience or minimum salary expected. You can also create job alerts to get emails with new job openings so you can be the first to apply whenever you see a juicy offer.
Another big job portal is Indeed which is a meta-searcher. This means that it searches for job offers in other job portals and groups them on its website. This will allow you to save time and be more efficient with your searches as you get visibility of many job portals on a single website. Similarly to InfoJobs, Indeed also allows you to create job email notifications and can is easily accessible with its mobile app for both Android and iOS. Additionally, it also has its own job openings on the website which are regularly updated.
If you’re a designer or have creative skills, you have to check out Domestika, a portal that manages a community of creatives and allows companies looking for creative profiles to post job openings. In this portal, you can find job offers in creative categories such as animation, architecture, design, photography, advertising and many others. You can filter and do specific searches so you only get job offers that interest you in terms of location, category, skills and types of positions (half/full-time, project, freelance etc). Domestika also offers a wide range of courses for creative professionals looking to learn new skills. They have great video courses on illustration, marketing & business, craft, photography, design, 3D animation, technology, calligraphy and typology.
It lets you check out cool projects from other users and it even allows you to follow them so you can stay updated about any new stuff they might be working on.
For marketers,Empleo Marketing is your place as it focuses exclusively on marketing positions. There are job openings from all over Spain but it also allows you to filter by region, by category, type of contract and working hours. A disadvantage is that it does not allow you to search by skills so you’ll need to go into each individual offer to see the requirements.
Another great job portal is Welcome to the Jungle which, as their tag line says, can help you find the ‘tribe’ you belong to, getting the right job at the right company. They connect people looking for jobs with companies that are frequently hiring due to rapid growth (like start-ups & scale-ups) and share their values with others.
In this portal, you can find detailed information about companies, allowing you to select those that fit your profile better to apply to those. They also have a great blog section and frequently share content about professional tips, trends, pain points, or interview recommendations to make you the perfect candidate.
Alternatively, Linkedin is a professional social network and a great place to search for job opportunities with their “Jobs” feature. You can easily search by keywords, title, skill, or company. For example, Digital marketing, Google Adsense, remote working in Madrid. Boom! See how hundreds of job offers unfold before your eyes. If you need, you can also filter even more by applying different parameters such as “date posted”, “Experience level”, “Company”, “Job type”, possibility to work “remotely” and much more. This will allow you to easily visualize any good potential opportunities which may fit your profile.
Finally, don’t forget to keep an eye out for companies looking to grow nationally or expand into Spain. The press is quite involved with these new companies growing or arriving in Madrid. Stay up to date with BusinessInsider, ElReferente, Expansión or Forbes.
Leveraging the Urban Campus Community
Even though Madrid is known to be a welcoming city, moving to a new place with no other connections or previous knowledge of how to get around can always be quite challenging. But as the saying goes, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
Having somewhere to ‘soft land’ can make things so much easier. Arriving in a place where there is already an established network of people can open up new doors and opportunities even when you weren’t even looking for them.
At Urban Campus, we have developed a community of engaged professionals which make up an incredibly powerful network. Members can refer you to people they know are hiring, and both our coworking and coliving spaces are home to numerous entrepreneurs, startups and larger companies who share job openings directly within the community.
Even if you’re not looking for a job, you can always find people with similar interests or passions eager to create new projects and form synergies. If you’re curious to learn more about a project created at Urban Campus, don’t hesitate to read more about it here.
Urban Campus Mellado Madrid Coliving – Common area
Keep a good spirit and be patient
In the end, anything that is worthy deserves patience. As Aristotle once said, “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”
We hope these tips come in handy and can help you start your job search off in Madrid on the right foot. Think smart and be patient! Your opportunity is out there.
Curious about our Coworking and Coliving spaces? Do not hesitate to get in touch with us and join our community.
Madrid’s Malasaña neighbourhood is definitely one of a kind. Its privileged and centric location makes it a perfect spot for people from all over the Spanish capital to come together to enjoy the neighbourhood’s diverse cultural and food scenes.
Malasaña’s identity is strongly influenced by the roaring countercultural movement, ‘LaMovida Madrileña’, which took place in the 80s during the post-Franco dictatorship transition. Today, it’s considered to be one of the most alternative and trendy areas in the city, filled with bohemian bars, eclectic restaurants, street markets, galleries, and so much more. Without a doubt, a perfect area to explore over the weekend with friends, as a couple, or alone.
Check out Urban Campus’ TOP 10 best things to do in Malasaña…
If you’re looking for some good entertainment, then Microteatro is a good place to start.
This spot is hosted in what used to be an old brothel, yet now is an amazing bohemian space that presents short-duration plays for small audiences of up to 7-15 people. You can grab a drink and hop around from one play to the next. Whether you are looking to have a good laugh during a comedy short play or at the edge of your seat while witnessing a thrilling drama, this is definitely a great place to enjoy yourself.
Microtreatro is open from Tuesday to Sunday and has both afternoon and night sessions.
Are you familiar with the custom of turning abandoned, industrial or old buildings into modern spaces? Well, Madrid has its own cultural space inside a beautiful 18th Century Baroque military quarter in Malasaña, just 5 minutes away from our Urban Campus Malasaña Madrid Coliving.
Today, this building is an important metropolitan centre that hosts a wide variety of cultural activities.
‘Conde-Duque’ is divided into 3 big patios and has always got something going on. From art or photography exhibitions, music concerts, theatre and dance performances to movies & documentaries in its modern auditorium. During summer they even screen classic films outdoors on one of their patios.
Want to learn more? Head over to their website to see their current cultural program.
There are very few places in Malasaña that represent its essence as well as ‘La Vía Láctea’. This iconic bar, located next to the Plaza Dos de Mayo, was a very important meeting point during the 80s ‘Movida Madrileña’ and was regularly attended by influential figures, artists and people at the time.
Its walls, covered with photographs, posters, stickers & marker scribbles tell thousands of stories, transporting you back to that eclectic era.
Nowadays, Vía Láctea is a great place to go out with friends, enjoy a few drinks with some great classic 70s-80s songs and meet new people. If that doesn’t sound like enough, there’s also a pool table for you to show off your billard.
A night out at Vía Láctea is a guaranteed night to remember.
Looking for a more laidback plan? Then this is your place. A charming shop that mixes two of life’s greatest pleasures – books & wine!
This bookstore specialises in independent authors and editorials and sells a great selection of both books and wines. It’s also recognized for having great customer service with friendly staff who are always ready to lend a hand and recommend a great read.
It’s definitely a great place to get lost in the pages of a book while enjoying a glass of wine (or two?) or a nice cup of coffee. Sounds like a great Sunday afternoon plan if you ask us.
‘Tipos Infames’ also hosts events such as authors’ signings, books’ or magazines’ presentations and interesting talks about various trending topics.
Where is it? Calle de San Joaquín, 3
5. Explore Malasaña’s gastronomic scene
Malasaña is not solely known for its alternative bars or bohemian vibe, it’s also an amazing area to grab a bite. Restaurants around the neighbourhood offer different alternatives for all preferences and palates. Here are three great options to satisfy your appetite.
One of our top recommendations is the Chinese restaurant ‘Xiongzai’ or popularly known as the ‘Winnie Pooh joint’ because of the jumping Winnie Pooh next to the restaurant’s name.
This legendary Chinese ‘cheap eats’ restaurant has delicious ramen soup options, a variety of dim sum, and great cold Chinese beer.
Where is it? Xiongzai Restaurant (Calle de San Leonardo, 3)
If you’re looking for a vegetarian restaurant that also offers delicious gluten-free dishes, then ‘Vega’ is where it’s at.
This modern restaurant offers a variety of fusion dishes, all made with ecological products. You can order anything from Indian curry to Moroccan couscous, to jackfruit tacos or even Thai ceviche.
One of Malasaña’s most famous restaurants, ‘Ochentagrados’, is definitely worth a visit.
Modernly decorated, this restaurant offers Spanish cuisine with a major twist. They’ve taken all of the classics and kicked it up a notch. Served in small plate ‘tapas’, the menu is full of surprises and mixes in some great fusion flavours.
Our recommendation? A fun take on the typical Spanish rib dish, their ‘costillas melosas’ are served in a toasted sweet rib sandwich that never disappoints.
Got a sweet tooth? Try the ‘Blanco Limón’. Yoghurt ice cream covered with lemon & yoghurt foam cream on a crunchy white chocolate base. Already craving a bite? Don’t wait! Book a table in advance as it usually gets pretty crowded during peak hours.
Where is it? Ochentagrados Malasaña (Calle de Manuela Malasaña, 10)
Something that is also very characteristic of Malasaña is undoubtedly its vintage shops. Seriously, the area is full of them, and each one offers more unique clothing than the next.
If you’re all about that trendy vintage look (that has managed to make its way back to the 21st century) check out the following shops:
This famous store is an essential and it’s not your average vintage clothes shop.
They sell clothes not by the piece, but by weight. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a bargain and want to stock up on some 2nd hand retro digs.
Where is it? Flamingos Vintage Kilo (Calle de San Joaquín, 16)
Malasaña has gained its popularity largely due to its vibrant nightlife and this place doesn’t fall short. ‘Maravillas Club’ is another iconic spot to enjoy performances, monologues, indie concerts or comedy shows. It’s also a great place to go out dancing on a night out as they usually play great top international classics. There’s even a scaffold for you to stand on and show off your moves on the dance floor.
They sell amazing craft beer from ‘Garage Beer Co.’ which comes in fresh from their factory to their beer tap and into your glass.
Where is it? Calle San Vicente Ferrer, 33
8. Crate Digging for vinyl records
Another cool trend that has made its ways back is vinyl records. For those who yearn for the good old times collecting vinyl has even become a major hobby.
Malasaña is, fortunately, a great place to go crate digging and find some true top tracks from all genres. If you love music and are always on the hunt for that precious vinyl, check out the following recommendations.
This great record shop is very close to our Urban Campus Malasaña Madrid Coliving and has a fantastic vinyl record collection from all genres and eras. Miles Davis’ Jazz, Pink Floyd’s rock, or Tame Impala’s indie music, you name it, Marilians will most likely have what you’re looking for. They also stay updated about new releases too, so if what you’re looking for is a new jammer, they’ll probably have it.
Marilians also organizes small intimate gigs from time to time with local musicians.
Where is it? Marilians Records (Calle de Noviciado, 9)
Looking for electronic music vinyl options? ‘Radial Records’ is basically the Eden of cult electronic music in Madrid.
This store, which opened not so long ago, has already gained popularity for its fantastic selection, offering records from unique labels and artists from all over the world.
Put on an album of your choice, the shop has tons of turntables available for you to use. Hernán, the store’s owner, is always ready to lend a hand and help you out to choose the best option.
Where is it? Radial Records (Calle del Conde Duque, 7)
‘RMC’ is a small yet great vinyl-focused shop that sells new and secondhand types of vinyl from all genres and artists, especially electronic. It’s frequented by the most diligent crate diggers as it’s not uncommon to find hidden gems inside this store’s four walls.
Where is it? Recycled Music Center (Calle de la Palma, 39)
Furthermore, they frequently like to organise DJ workshops for those who are looking to learn the mixing mastery of turntables. They also usually invite DJs to do sets that are streamed online.
*Are you a music lover? Make sure you check out Urban Campus on Spotify and follow our latest playlist!
A true place of everything that Malasaña stands for. We wanted to mention this special bookshop located in the heart of this neighbourhood, Plaza Dos de Mayo.
‘Rincón de Lectura’ is a timeless place dedicated to buying and selling secondhand books. Their shelves are full of wonderful and diverse books of all topics and formats at affordable prices. An indispensable place to visit if you’re ever close by.
Our Urban Campus Community bookworms would love this place to get new books and recommend them to the rest of the community during their monthly book exchanges.
Oh, beer… Who could resist a cold craft beer on a hot summer day?
If you are a beer lover, make sure to stop by ‘Fábricas Maravillas’. They claim to have true Malasaña beer, so fresh and hoppy that it’s worthy of holding this title.
This place has its own microbrewery and makes its own craft beer. Customers have the chance to visit the small ‘factory’ and try out new beers that are continuously being elaborated.
Where is it? Calle de Valverde, 29
Have you done any of these things before or visited any of these places? If not, make sure to check them out and keep exploring the wonderful Malasaña neighbourhood, each street and every shop is filled with a unique story of its own.
An agreement between Urban Campus & OVHcloud has been reached to offer a 10% discount at Urban Campus Madrid coworking spaces to startups enrolled in the OVHcloud Startup Program. A fantastic opportunity for young and ambitious startups to develop their activities in a dynamic coworking environment at Urban Campus in the centre of Madrid.
Additionally, OVHcloud is committed to preferentially study the applications from startups that belong to the Urban Campus community.
They will also provide office hours to answer any question coming from our community members regarding technology, cloud services, the company itself or its Startup Program.
Urban Campus and OVHcloud will also be looking to organize events together soon.
What is OVHcloud?
OVHcloud offers cloud solutions in which its users, programmers, developers, partners, admins and operators are free to manage their data safely and securely. OVHcloud Startup Program provides up to 100 thousand euros in credits, up to 20 hours of free tech consulting services as well as access to an entrepreneurial ecosystem that provides the extra support for startups to build a successful MVP, trial out new products and even scale internationally.
Are you interested in OVHcloud Startup Program?
Join now and start benefiting from its entrepreneurial environment to keep growing your startup.
If you’re looking for a place to work, check out our Urban Campus Jerónimo Coworking in the heart of Madrid and join our community.
After the successful first edition of the Coliving Awards 2021, Coliving Insights & Coliving Awards joined forces to create a special edition. They dedicated a section to Urban Campus in which our project was explained. Other participants and contributors who took part in this innovative event and take an important role within the coliving industry, were also featured.
Urban Campus was nominated for the ‘Best Operator of the Year’ & ‘Best Community & User Experience’ categories for this year’s first edition of the Coliving Awards.
You can download your copy to learn more about our project here.
About Coliving Insights
Coliving Insights is the leading innovative Research Lab and Media Platform for coliving, which provides in-depth knowledge and gives key actors a voice in the ever-growing shared living sector. It strives to push the coliving sector forward and establishing a quality standard for the industry.
Real Estate platform Xm2 News interviewed Ana Martinez, Urban Campus Head of Operations – Iberia during #SIMAPRO2021, a real estate gathering which begins tomorrow Wednesday, May 26th. During these days, they will invite more experts to analyse the pandemic’s effect in the sector. Ana went on to explain how ‘Coliving’ is implemented at Urban Campus, how our community is fostered and blended with the concept and our mission and vision to expand around Europe. Additionally, Ana also went on to explain Urban Campus digital platform, Dunbar, and how it aims to positively support the resident’s experience while optimizing our operational and financial performance in a scalable and flexible manner.
It’s that time of year, time to do your tax returns.
In Spain, this process can be difficult, long and time consuming for a lot of people. Other than that, a lot of people might be doing the process incorrectly, especially young or inexperienced people who have never done their tax returns before. This also creates a real fear and concern of having to pay back money to the tax authorities.
TaxDown is here to help. They not only provide an easy-to-use digital tool & expert support to taxpayers who need to do their tax returns, but they also make sure you get your tax returns done fast and efficiently, and of course, with the most savings.
TaxDown arrived back in November at our Urban Campus Jerónimo Coworking in the centre of Madrid and set up a shop. Since then, their team hasn’t stopped growing and have already become important and active members of our community.
We sat down with them to get to know the full story behind this thriving startup and hear their plans for the future.
Keep reading to discover TaxDown!
What is TaxDown and what do you do?
TaxDown is a start-up that helps people do their tax returns process in a simple and comfortable way, always striving to get the best possible outcome for each individual case.
How was TaxDown created?
Leaving their high-level tech jobs behind in San Francisco, three passionate entrepreneurs, Joaquín Fernández, Álvaro Falcones & Enrique García, came together through their love of technology, and passion for challenging the way we currently do things.
They did not hesitate to leave their past jobs at a consultancy in San Francisco, top-level tech start-ups management in Spain and innovation in giant tech companies. They sacrificed this to create a project that would improve the lives of people and solve a real problem in the short term.
Two and half years later, the TaxDown team has made advice on filing your taxes accessible to people all around Spain. “We have built a digital alternative that allows taxpayers to easily file their tax returns, assuring the highest savings.”
Who is your target audience?
Everyone. Our mission is to solve the tax nuisances with a platform that allows users to manage them in an easy manner, offering them the best possible solution. Our vision is to help people, by empowering them with technology so that they can make the best decisions.
Which are your values and company values?
We are taxers; we like to celebrate achievements intensely, truly living with passion for what we do. we prefer smiles, inside jokes in the office, and ‘buenrollismo’ (good vibes).
Our ambition is to change the world. We believe in ourselves, but most importantly, we believe in people, in finding hidden talents to help them achieve their highest potential and everything that makes each of us go slightly crazy.
Why did you choose Urban Campus Jerónimo Coworking?
We chose Urban Campus because they offered us a flexible and comfortable place to work, but mainly because of its reliability. Furthermore, we chose this coworking because of its magnificent location, in the heart of Madrid.
What opportunities do you think a Coworking space can offer that a traditional office can’t?
Having a positive environment to exchange ideas and, above all, the fact that the main goal of these spaces is COLLABORATION. You get to collaborate with people who are not only part of your company but also anyone who is focused on another sector and may bring a fresh eye and expertise to any problem one might have.
Where do you see TaxDown in 5 years time?
We see TaxDown helping people with their tax returns which truly is a big problem for many. We would also like to broaden our services and take the leap into international borders, establishing a TaxDown presence all over the world.. We’re sure that through our hard work and dedication we’ll be able to achieve this.
Want to know more about TaxDown?
Don’t wait for another second to find out more about how they can help you with those dreaded tax returns. ( www.taxdown.es/ )
If you are looking for a place to work and want to meet a fantastic community of professionals and top-notch companies, come visit our Urban Campus Jerónimo Coworking and discover our private offices, Open Space and flexible conditions.
With a long track record in other countries, the residential model in which leisure spaces are shared and ‘networking’ is encouraged between residents, the “Coliving”, attracts foreign companies that want to expand in Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia.
The interest for C0living, grows among young people in their 30s, many of them entrepreneurs or linked to creative professions. Coliving is a new style of living that attracts a tenant profile who seeks the privacy of a room with a bathroom but, at the same time, shares spaces with other residents of the building.
In the gym, living rooms, and dining room you can enjoy moments of leisure and can forge friendly relationships.
In the workspaces collaborations, contacts, and new business projects are favored.
Projects in other countries such as England and the United States are popular, and now, coliving is gaining momentum in Spain, where this residential formula, in which you pay a monthly rent with the right to use your private space and access to common services, is becoming well-known. Coliving can be something similar to a university dorm, but with more facilities and addressed to professionals who are looking for a different lifestyle.
Madrid and Barcelona are the main cities, in which coliving companies, which have important expansion plans in Spain, land. One of them is Urban Campus, founded in Paris by Jonh Van Oost in 2016, an entrepreneur with years of experience in the real estate sector and investing in start-ups. A few weeks ago the company closed a financing round for seven million euros, a capital that will reinforce its growth in Europe. Madrid was the first European city where Urban Campus began its operations. Urban Camps already manages two complete buildings (120 units), located in the Argüelles and Malasaña neighborhoods. The spaces stand out for their colorful, functional, and optimized design, with monthly prices ranging between 700 and 1,600 euros. These rates include a room with its own bathroom, studio or apartments, WiFi, Netflix, cleaning service, and access to common spaces such as kitchen, dining room, terrace, and gym… In a few minutes, the new tenant can formalize the renting process through their in-house developed platform, and move into their new residence for the desired period.
Professional diversity
The head of operations of the company in Spain, Ana Martínez, explains that “the tenant profile is between 27 and 40 years old and they are self-employed, employed by large corporations or professionals with experience who are studying an executive master’s degree ”. This professional diversity is sought after. “We not only want to offer them a different experience on a personal level, but we also care about their personal development. We encourage networking among our clients which, on occasions, leads to new entrepreneurial projects ”, explains the manager. As a result of these professional relationships during the confinement, five projects arose. One of them, Martínez explains, is Copper Dating, a quick video dating app, launched by two residents of the Urban Campus. The company is already looking for new locations in other cities, such as Barcelona and Valencia, to reach 2,500 beds in two years.
Detachment from property
New lifestyles, the rise of remote work by so-called digital nomads, and especially detachment from property among young people are the main reasons that Damien Harburguer sees in the growing demand for this residential model. This entrepreneur, of Argentine origin, launched Flipco last year, together with his partner Gabriel Honoré. “We are heading towards a new housing paradigm, especially among the younger generations. They feel very comfortable prioritizing use over property, ”argues the entrepreneur. If the coliving sector matures in the coming years, Harburguer sees a future in which changing homes or cities will be easier and more flexible, “without investment in furniture, or high guarantees, deposits or complex contracts” , defends. The firm already has several apartments available in the Madrid neighborhood of Tetuán, with rents ranging between 400 and 830 euros, which give the right to services such as cleaning, gym, WiFi, and a workspace. Some buildings have roof terraces to relax at the end of the day. The company will gradually add new locations in the capital thanks to the agreement reached with the Israeli fund Argis. “Our partner has invested 50 million euros in acquiring, renovating, and equipping new properties that we will take care of managing,” explains Harburguer. The new offer will be located in Madrid, Seville, Malaga, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands.
Urban Campus Malasaña Coliving Lounge
Buy to grow
For Habyt, a firm born in Berlin in 2017, the Spanish market is also strategic. The injection of two million euros received in February helped it to acquire the Madrid-based coliving operator Erasmo’s Room, an operation with which it now has 500 beds, carried out months after its first purchase in the capital last year. The flats are located in different buildings, all of them located in central areas of the city such as Gran Vía, La Latina, Chueca, or Malasaña. Habyt has more than 1,000 units in Europe. “Southern Europe is a huge opportunity for us and this is where we want to continue studying new purchases to compete in this sector ”, highlights Edoard Archetti, the company’s marketing director.
On the other side of the Atlantic
Starcity is another of the foreign players making their way in Spain. Created in San Francisco, the cradle of global entrepreneurship, the company has raised more than 70 million dollars in financing (58 million euros). He landed in Barcelona in early 2020 at the hands of Esteve Almirall. After spending a few years in the US and seeing the possibilities of this residential model, he assembled the Starcity team for the expansion of the company in Spain, which currently has 150 beds in three buildings in Barcelona. “In May we will open the first building in Madrid in the Tetuán neighborhood, an area that we see with great possibilities because it offers quality housing at reasonable prices, within the M30”, says Almirall, director of Starcity for Spain. The company offers prices between 500 and 900 euros per month with services included. “One of our values is that we buy and manage the buildings. This is how we control the entire process of work, with a very careful design and furniture ”, he explains.
What about the future?
Almirall sees a future residential panorama where these shared homes will have more and more weight, “being a business where large real estate companies will enter”. A scenario shared by Juan Manuel Pardo, director of the residential sector of the consulting firm JLL, who once again recalls the impossibility of the majority of young people to access a home that they own and as this shared option “adapts very well to their demands ”. Labor mobility is, according to Pardo, another factor that will favor the rise of coliving. “The INE assures that 12% of Spanish workers have changed municipalities in recent years, another indicator that reflects the opportunities of this formula as an option for a temporary residence until the place is achieved. suitable for the definitive one ”. And, like most emerging businesses, regulation takes longer to arrive. The JLL manager believes that a law that regulates coliving is essential, “since it would speed up the implementation of the model and its better adaptation to the needs that society demands today,” he argues.
What makes Urban Campus special is definitely our community of professional and restless minds looking to grow and collaborate with one another, working together to create new projects and launch new initiatives.
Today, we want to talk about “Mizuku”, a project that has been evolving since the COVID quarantine in our second Coliving space, Malasaña Madrid Coliving.
Yukari Isawa, and Max Wolter, came together to develop this project with the aim of growing plants through aeroponic & hydroponic techniques, which enable the plants to grow faster and stronger. Yukari & Max have been developing this project in our Malasaña Madrid Coliving space’s common areas. Their ultimate business goal is to launch a subscription service to rent aeroponic devices and a mobile app to control these so users – who won’t need to have previous botanic knowledge or skills- can grow plants in their own living rooms. We wanted to know more about this admirable and visionary project, to show how easy it is to plant and grow vegetables for your own consumption using a sustainable & smart method. Keep reading to discover how you can avoid buying products that don’t specify traceability or growing practices!
What is your project about?
Mizuku is about the creation of a device and a mobile App that gives anyone the power to grow their own organic, healthy & fresh food at home, right in their kitchen. Many people are not aware that even food that is labelled ‘bio’ in the EU can be contaminated by dozens of chemical products. Our vision is a future where plants can be grown naturally by anyone, without prior knowledge thanks to our high tech integrations.
What does ‘Mizuku’ mean?
It comes from the Japanese words Mizu(水) which means ‘water’ & Ku (Kuu)(空) which stands for ‘Air/Sky’ or ‘emptiness’ in the Zen concept.
Can you explain what ‘Hydroponics & ’‘Aeroponics’ mean?
Aeroponics derives from aquaponics, where the word for ‘water’ (aqua) is replaced with the word ‘air’ (aero). Aquaponics is a method where plants grow their roots directly in the water, thus, eliminating the need to grow them in soil. It’s quite a simple & reliable way to grow plants, and provides similar results to normal cultures. As the name implies, for aeroponics, the roots will be hanging directly in the air. Plants are able to absorb nutrients through a fine mist that is sprayed into the air regularly to keep the environment moist.
Due to the sophisticated nature of the technology, a lot can go wrong. Nevertheless, once you get it right, you are rewarded with plants that grow twice as fast and almost twice as big, the food will be twice as nutrient-rich as well.
How was this project created?
One of our fellow colivers put up a water-mist device on the balcony during some of the hottest days of last summer. This reminded me (Max) of the research I put into the topic a few years ago. As I was between projects and wanted to relax for a few months before jumping into the next venture, I thought it would be a nice hobby project to spend my time on. It also struck me as an interesting time to start the project; in cities, it’s difficult to know where your food comes from and whether it is really healthy. With the increased focus on local communities due to the pandemic, it seemed like a good way to provide people with a healthy alternative to supermarkets.
How has Urban Campus helped you develop this project?
First of all, we wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for Urban Campus and also the coliving concept makes it easier to collaborate and start a project together. We also had the chance to grow our plants in the common spaces, which was really helpful for us, we could immediately start the project.
Furthermore, this is not only about space. The corner of the office gave us a showroom to exhibit our project, a few colivers have supported our project by adding their own ideas from various professional perspectives and experiences, such as working as an electronic engineer and growing plants as a hobby. If we had just grown these plants in our own place, we would not have been able to count on the kind of support we needed to keep developing the project in the right direction.
What else can Urban Campus do to help this project?
Urban Campus not only has space, but also a great community consisting of people from different professions, cultures & backgrounds. It would be great to expose our project to the whole community to get more advice from different perspectives.
Where do you see Mizuku in 1 year?
I imagine we will at least have a big hydroponic/aeroponic garden somewhere, that provides plenty for us and our friends. We would also like to offer our garden to the Urban Campus coworking & coliving community.Ideally, we will also have sufficient knowledge to have a prototype that is on the right track for commercialization.
If you are interested in nature, sustainability and looking to be part of a fantastic international community of professionals, don’t wait another minute, apply to our coliving & coworking spaces in Madrid.
“A good restaurant is like a vacation; it transports you, and it becomes a lot more than just about the food.” – Philip Rosenthal
If you’ve ever walked the streets of Madrid, you know they’re known for their unmistakable, vibrant energy.
A city in constant motion. There’s a bar or restaurant for anyone’s taste. Plazas and parks full of wandering visitors (don’t forget about the opportunistic pigeons!). Vintage shops with throwback sweatshirts and eye-catching prices. Trendy cafés with eclectic decorations. Beautiful buildings with charming balconies. Museums with some of the best art in the world. Street artists, book shops, jaw-dropping historical monuments, each with its own story to tell. All of this, under a deep blue sky in a sun-drenched capital city.
Madrid definitively has a magnetic force, pulling you in with its welcoming arms and cradling truly wonderful memories. Read on to hear what the Urban Campus Community has to say about their favourite bars and restaurants in the city that has us all mesmerized.
To kick off our list, we must mention one of our favourite spots in Madrid: Pez Tortilla.
Located in the heart of the trendy Malasaña neighbourhood and 5 minutes away from our Urban Campus Malasaña Madrid Coliving, Pez Tortilla is one of our community’s favourite tortilla bars. It guarantees a great variety of Spanish potato tortillas & fresh craft beer.
Our Community’s top tortilla recommendations are Parmesan with dry tomato and Arugula tortilla or the Classic with Onions.
We recommend you get there early as this well-known spot tends to fill up quickly!
Pez Tortilla is also located in Sol and La Latina neighbourhoods.
If you are ever looking for some typical Argentinean empanadas, then Graciana is definitely the place you are looking for.
As a recommendation from a few of our Jerónimo Madrid Coworking members, this empanadas place is a few meters away from our Malasaña Colivingand offers a wide range of both vegetarian and meat options.
Our community’s pick? The Spinach & Ricotta empanada.
As our community states: “What’s not to love? Really tasty tacos and quesadillas, good service and fantastic value for money.”
Tiki Taco is a delicious Mexican restaurant located right next to our Urban Campus Mellado Coliving and going for lunch there has become a weekly tradition for our community. You can count on finding members from our coliving space there every Tuesday chowing down on spicy tacos and cheesy quesadillas.
Their top picks: tacos suadero, carnitas & chilorio, and a quesadillas al pastor.
If what you’re looking for is a more local food alternative, dinner at Alcaravea will undoubtedly satisfy your whim for some authentic Spanish cuisine.
Located just around the corner from our Urban Campus Mellado Coliving, they offer amazing food for moderate prices and great service.
The menu includes a wide variety of dishes from different areas of Spain. From the classic “Huevos Rotos” to delicious“Grilled Octopus with Mashed Potatoes”.
Alcaravea is a franchise with 3 other restaurants in Chamberí, Salamanca & Alcalá de Henares.
6. Cafetería HD(Calle de Guzmán el Bueno, 67, 28015 Madrid)
Any burger lovers out there? This is for you!
Cafetería HD is a popular spot that pays tribute to Madrid’s history by preserving its original design while adding a bit of some cosmopolitan flair.
According to a few community members, you will find the BEST burgers in Madrid. What they can do between two black beer bread buns and 180 grams of beef is truly magical. Our community’s pick: The Grandburger.
They also offer great breakfast and brunch options for early birds and veggie options too!
Cafetería HD is part of Grupo LaMusawho also run a few other great restaurants around town like Ojaláor La Musawhich just happen to be two of our favourites too!
If what you are looking for is more than just the usual restaurant experience, then Zielou is quite probably what you’re looking for!
In the North of Madrid, at the top of the Chamartin metro station, this restaurant offers a ‘sense-challenging’ experience to customers with flashy, gourmet-like dishes that will blow your mind… and your taste buds.
Zielou also offers magic shows and dancing performances over dinner to add some spice to the whole experience.
One of our Coliving residents even mentioned that he asked for table decorations when he booked.
Who doesn’t love pizza? But wait, what about Belgian Pizza?
Massart is rated by some of our community members as ‘The Best Pizza in Town’ and at a very affordable price.
One of them describes it as: “perfect ratio of crust-cheese-tomato sauce, a rich and flavourful tomato sauce, and some incredible toppings combinations make this restaurant a ‘must’ for Italian pizza lovers.”
Massart, with its modern brick wall design, is located in the Moncloa district.
Our Community’s pick? The Spianata Special Pizza with spicy sausage and Grana Padano cheese. Even Italians (or Belgians?) would be jealous of a slice of this pizza!
We all know New York is known worldwide for its Bagel mastery and tradition, but we just happen to know of a place that is putting Madrid on the Bagel lovers’ radar.
Mazál Bagels offers delicious New York-style bagels. These are not your average bagels, Mazál boils and bakes them after a 12h fermentation period to give them their unique softness and unmistakable flavour.
They offer the usual bagel flavours like plain or Onion, and also added in some special flavours like Cinnamon Brown Sugar, Garlic Herb or Four Cheese.
Feeling like a bagel sandwich? You can also order a Salmon bagel, Avocado Bagel, or go for our community’s favourite: The NY Style Pastrami Bagel.
This Bagel joint is just 20 minutes away from our Urban Campus Mellado Coliving and our residents love to go there on the weekend for Sunday brunch.
They serve high-quality barrel craft beer for all palates and preferences.
Their beer catalogue rotates to offer beers from top local brands. And, it doesn’t stop there, they’re also constantly changing their menu to include beer from the rest of the world too, like Belgium, Germany, Great Britain or the USA, to mention a few.
Located in the alternative and multicultural centric neighbourhood of Lavapiés, Chinaski is hosted in a building from 1890’s and is decorated with wall & ceiling paintings by artist Mariano Durante.
Definitely, a great after-work place to meet up with friends and enjoy some fresh and cold beer.
In Madrid, there is a famous saying: “De Madrid al Cielo” (From Madrid to heaven). Well, we could say this rooftop flips the phrase to “Del Cielo a Madrid” (From heaven to Madrid) with its incredible 360 panoramic views in the centre of Madrid. Make the climb to the top and admire the entire city from one of the tallest buildings in Madrid, 100m to be precise!
This RIU Hotel rooftop also has a bar that offers some amazing cocktails to enjoy while taking in the breathtaking views.
For the daredevils out there, this rooftop also has a unique glass bridge in which you can see straight down… to the bottom Definitely not for those afraid of heights!
So, which of these restaurants and bars have you visited already?
Join our community and discover what other hidden gems Madrid has in store for you.
Press Release: Urban Campus raises €7M From Nexity and Batipart to accelerate its development
Urban Campus designs and manages coliving and multifamily residences in Europe on behalf of institutional investors.
The company announces that it completed a €7M funding round with Nexity and Batipart to expand into new markets.
Paris 8 April 2021,
Urban Campus, which designs and manages coliving and multifamily residences in Europe on behalf of institutional investors, announces that it completed a €7M funding round with Nexity and Batipart to accelerate its development.
Urban Campus manages 2 residences in Madrid and has a robust pipeline of more than 30 projects in key European cities. The company developed its proprietary technology platform, Dunbar, which is at the core of its operations. Dunbar has a resident-centric interface, optimizes all key residential processes, and enables community management applications.
John van Oost, Urban Campus’ CEO said «We wish to warmly thank Nexity and Batipart for their confidence and support. Both organizations understand the attractiveness of the booming build-to-rent (BTR) sector and the uniqueness of our technology platform. They share our ambition and objective to deliver an enriched residential experience to tenants whilst optimizing the financial returns for institutional investors.»
«Nexity continues to support Urban Campus with whom we collaborate on a number of large coliving and BTR projects in France, Italy, and Germany,» said Fabrice Aubert, Nexity’s Secretary-General. «We strongly believe in the development of the residential rental market and its value proposition, both for the residents and for investors, with access to common spaces and high-quality services as well as, positive social interactions.»
«Batipart is delighted to participate in Urban Campus’ funding round. We were impressed by the experience that Urban Campus gained in Madrid for the last 3 years and its unique technology platform. We want to support Urban Campus as it accelerates its growth», said Louis Bayon, Batipart’s Managing Director.
Urban Campus was advised by Laurent Camilli at Clearwater International and Pierre-Alexandre Kahn at Weil Gotshal & Menges.
About Nexity
With more than 11,000 employees and €4.9 billion in revenue in 2020, Nexity is France’s leading integrated real estate group, with a nationwide presence and business operations in all areas of real estate development and services for individuals, companies, and local authorities.
Our services platform is designed to serve all our clients as their real estate needs evolve. Firmly committed to focusing on people and how they are connected with each other, their cities, and the environment, Nexity was named the number-one low-carbon project owner in France among real estate developers ranked by BBCA in 2020, is a member of the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI) and obtained Great Place to Work certification in 2020.
Nexity is listed on the SRD, Euronext’s Compartment A, and the SBF 120.
About Batipart
Family group founded by Charles Ruggieri in 1988, Batipart invests in and develops projects in the real estate, hotel, and tourism sectors in Europe, Africa, and North America.
In Europe, the Batipart group is active in 7 countries – Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, and Luxembourg – through its offices based in Luxembourg, Paris, Toulouse, Madrid, and Milan. Its European assets represent €4 billion under management.
In Africa, Batipart is a hotel operator and investor, with more than 20 hotels owned and managed, representing over 700 employees in more than 15 countries.
In North America, Batipart is a real estate investor and operator in Canada and the United States, in partnership and through Cogir Immobilier. With nearly €5 billion in assets under management, COGIR owns 700,000m² of commercial, industrial, and office properties, as well as retirement homes, and employs 3,500 people in Canada and the United States.
Urban Campus Mellado Madrid Coliving
Finally, don’t forget to keep an eye out for companies looking to 
