HousingAnywhere
Corporate brand
UnclaimedHousingAnywhere is a Rotterdam-based mid-term rental marketplace connecting international students and professionals with accommodation providers.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
HousingAnywhere is a Dutch digital housing marketplace focused on mid-term rentals for international students, mobile professionals, and property providers. The company was founded in 2009 by Niels Van Deuren after he encountered difficulty finding accommodation during an exchange semester at the National University of Singapore while studying International Business Administration at Rotterdam School of Management. Its original concept was a student-to-student online forum where students could advertise rooms they were leaving behind and other students could contact them about subletting. This approach addressed a recurring problem in international mobility: exchange students often needed accommodation before arriving in a new country, while departing students had rooms that would otherwise remain unused. In its early years, HousingAnywhere expanded beyond the initial Dutch student-exchange use case into additional European markets, including Spain, France, Germany, and Denmark. Its first business model relied largely on memberships sold to universities. Partner institutions promoted the service through their own communications channels, allowing outgoing students to advertise accommodation and incoming students to search for rooms connected with their exchange destinations. This university-oriented distribution model gave the platform access to a concentrated international student audience while helping institutions address accommodation difficulties for students abroad. A major turning point came in 2014, when HousingAnywhere introduced an integrated booking system. The change moved the service beyond a messaging forum toward a transaction-oriented rental platform. Users could arrange bookings through the website, and the platform subsequently developed online payment and other fee-collection functions. The booking model also made the company more relevant to professional tenants and to property providers seeking a structured way to market furnished or temporary accommodation to people moving internationally. The company obtained outside investment during a period of expansion. It raised seed financing in 2015 and later received a €5 million Series A round involving henQ and Real Web in 2017. HousingAnywhere was recognized by the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in 2017 as the fourth-most innovative company in the Netherlands and the leading innovative company in Rotterdam. In 2018, it raised €6 million in Series B financing led by Vostok New Ventures, with participation from existing investors Real Web and henQ. HousingAnywhere broadened its position in the European rental market through its 2021 Series C financing and acquisition of Kamernet. The transaction supported expansion in the Netherlands and other European markets and added a complementary housing brand to the group. The wider group later included Studapart, in which HousingAnywhere held a majority stake, alongside the fully acquired Kamernet brand. In 2023, the company expanded into selected major cities in the United Kingdom and the United States and secured €8 million in debt financing from BNP Paribas. The platform now supports activities such as property discovery, online viewings, booking, and rent or fee payments. HousingAnywhere states that it operates in 125 cities across Europe and the United States and works with more than 300 partner universities. Together with Kamernet and Studapart, its brands are reported to reach more than 30 million users annually. The group appointed Jim Bijwaard as chief operating officer and Erik Gruwel as chief financial officer in 2023. In response to the humanitarian effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, HousingAnywhere launched a dedicated housing platform in March 2022 for people displaced by the conflict. Its business remains centered on digitally mediated, cross-border rental transactions rather than traditional long-term residential brokerage.
History
HousingAnywhere originated in 2009 from the international student accommodation problem experienced by founder Niels Van Deuren. While studying International Business Administration at Rotterdam School of Management, Van Deuren prepared for an exchange semester at the National University of Singapore and found it difficult to secure a room remotely. He responded by creating HousingAnywhere.com as a student-to-student messaging forum. Students moving abroad could list rooms they were leaving, while incoming students could contact them before arriving in the destination country. The initial service was built around international education networks. HousingAnywhere expanded from the Netherlands into other European countries, including Spain, France, Germany, and Denmark. During this stage, its principal commercial model involved selling memberships to universities. Institutions promoted the service through their own communication channels, giving exchange students a trusted route to advertise or search for accommodation. The model connected two sides of the mobility cycle: students departing for an exchange often had rooms to sublet, while students arriving from abroad needed temporary housing. In 2014, HousingAnywhere introduced an integrated booking system. This was a significant change in the nature of the business, transforming it from a communications forum into a rental platform with a booking-led transaction flow. The company subsequently supported online property viewings, bookings, rent payments, and other fee collection through its digital platform. These features reduced the need for users to complete the entire rental process through disconnected communication channels and made the service suitable for a wider group of international tenants and property providers. Funding supported the platform's subsequent growth. HousingAnywhere raised seed financing in 2015 and followed it with a €5 million Series A round involving venture capital firm henQ and Real Web, the operator of immobiliare.it, in 2017. The Dutch Chamber of Commerce recognized the company that year as the fourth-most innovative company in the Netherlands and the most innovative company in Rotterdam. In 2018, Vostok New Ventures led a €6 million Series B round with existing investors Real Web and henQ also participating. The company continued to consolidate and broaden its marketplace position. In 2021, HousingAnywhere raised €24 million in Series C financing and acquired Kamernet, expanding its Dutch presence and supporting access to additional European rental markets. Kamernet became a fully owned sister brand. HousingAnywhere also developed a relationship with Studapart, in which it held a majority stake, creating a group structure that served different parts of the student and international housing market. In March 2022, the company launched a dedicated housing platform for individuals displaced by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This initiative extended the platform's use beyond ordinary student and professional mobility into emergency accommodation support. In June 2023, HousingAnywhere entered key cities in the United Kingdom and United States. It also obtained €8 million in debt financing from BNP Paribas. During 2023, Jim Bijwaard was appointed chief operating officer and Erik Gruwel became chief financial officer. HousingAnywhere describes its current activity as a mid-term rental marketplace. Its platform serves international students and professionals and combines property discovery with online viewings, booking, and payment functions. The company reports operations in 125 cities across Europe and the United States and partnerships with more than 300 universities. Alongside Kamernet and Studapart, its brands are reported to have more than 30 million users annually. External recognition has included positions in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Netherlands ranking and recognition from DISQ in multiple years. HousingAnywhere remains a private, digitally operated housing business headquartered in Rotterdam.
- 2023
Expansion into the United Kingdom and United States
[1]The marketplace enters key cities in the UK and US and secures €8 million in debt financing from BNP Paribas.
- 2022
Displacement-support housing platform launched
[1]HousingAnywhere creates a dedicated platform for people displaced by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- 2021
Series C financing and Kamernet acquisition
[1]HousingAnywhere raises €24 million and acquires Kamernet to expand its presence in the Netherlands and wider European market.
- 2018
Series B financing
[1]Vostok New Ventures leads a €6 million Series B round with participation from Real Web and henQ.
- 2017
Series A financing and innovation recognition
[1]The company raises a €5 million Series A round involving henQ and Real Web and is recognized by the Dutch Chamber of Commerce as a leading innovative company.
- 2015
Seed financing raised
[1]HousingAnywhere secures initial seed funding to support the development and expansion of its platform.
- 2014
Integrated booking system introduced
[1]The platform adds its own booking system, shifting from a messaging forum toward a transaction-based rental marketplace.
- 2009
HousingAnywhere is founded
[1]Niels Van Deuren establishes HousingAnywhere.com as a student-to-student forum for arranging room sublets during international exchanges.
Products and positioning
A cross-border, digital-first mid-term rental marketplace designed for international students, professionals, and property providers. HousingAnywhere differentiates itself through university partnerships, pre-arrival accommodation search, online booking, and integrated payment functionality.
Mid-term rental marketplace · 2009
HousingAnywhere marketplace
The core HousingAnywhere service is an online marketplace for mid-term accommodation. It is aimed particularly at international students and professionals who need to arrange housing before moving to a new city. Listings can be discovered remotely, with the platform supporting communication, online viewings, booking, and payment-related steps.
Digital rental transaction services · 2014
Integrated booking and payment services
Introduced as part of the platform's transition from a student messaging forum to a rental marketplace, the integrated transaction layer allows tenants and property providers to complete bookings online. HousingAnywhere also supports rent and other fee collection through its payment system.
Emergency housing platform · 2022
Housing support platform for displaced people
Launched in March 2022, this dedicated housing initiative was intended to help individuals displaced by Russia's invasion of Ukraine find accommodation through a specialized digital platform.
Housing marketplace brand
Kamernet
Kamernet is a sister brand fully acquired by HousingAnywhere in connection with the company's 2021 Series C financing. Its inclusion broadened the group's presence in the Netherlands and contributed to the wider European housing-market strategy.
Student housing marketplace brand
Studapart
Studapart is a sister brand in which HousingAnywhere holds a majority stake. Together with HousingAnywhere and Kamernet, it forms part of a broader group serving student and international housing demand.
Brand decisions
2023
Geographic expansion into the UK and USStrategyBackground
After building a significant European marketplace, HousingAnywhere pursued expansion into additional international rental markets.
Action taken
The company entered key cities in the United Kingdom and United States in June 2023.
Aftermath
The move increased the geographic scope of the platform beyond continental Europe.
2022
Creation of a Ukraine displacement housing platformStrategyBackground
Russia's invasion of Ukraine displaced people and created an urgent need for housing assistance.
Action taken
HousingAnywhere launched a dedicated platform in March 2022 to support people displaced by the conflict.
Aftermath
The initiative extended the company's digital housing infrastructure into humanitarian accommodation support.
2021
Acquisition of KamernetM&ABackground
HousingAnywhere sought to expand its presence in the Netherlands and other European rental markets.
Action taken
The company raised €24 million in Series C financing and acquired Kamernet.
Aftermath
Kamernet became a fully owned sister brand within the broader HousingAnywhere group.
Series C financing. €24 million raised (2021)
2014
Move from messaging forum to integrated booking marketplaceProduct launchBackground
The original service enabled students to communicate about room sublets, but did not initially function as a complete rental transaction platform.
Action taken
HousingAnywhere developed and introduced an integrated booking system, later complemented by online viewing and payment functions.
Aftermath
The change broadened the platform's role and supported its development as a mid-term rental marketplace for students and professionals.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Reported
HousingAnywhere acquires Rentmate[3]
HousingAnywhere bought Icelandic rental platform Rentmate. The acquisition was described as a step toward HousingAnywhere’s goal of becoming Europe’s largest end-to-end online rental platform by 2022.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
HousingAnywhere acquires Studenten-WG[4]
Accommodation platform HousingAnywhere acquired German classifieds website Studenten-WG. Studenten-WG users would be directed to the HousingAnywhere platform.
Sources4 sources
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