Yoo
YOO is a privately held London-headquartered design and real estate brand licensing lifestyle-led branded residences, hotels, and capital management to developers globally across 40+ countries, anchored by a roster of celebrity creative directors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersKrung Thep, Thailand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Yoo does
YOO is a privately held London-headquartered design and real estate brand founded in 1999 by John Hitchcox and Philippe Starck. The company operates an asset-light, multi-vertical platform spanning branded residential design, hospitality, capital management, development, retreats, architecture, and renewable energy. YOO licenses its brand and design language to real estate developers globally and has completed 52 projects across more than 40 countries on six continents, making it the world's largest non-hotel residential brand with an estimated 13% share of the global branded residences portfolio.
The core product is the YOO Branded Residences program, delivered through an exclusive roster of six Creative Directors — Philippe Starck, Marcel Wanders, Jade Jagger, Steve Leung, Sussanne Khan, and Mark Davison (heading YOO Studio) — each anchoring a distinct design sub-brand such as "YOO Inspired by Starck" or "Steve Leung & YOO." The technology is fundamentally design-led and human-creative rather than software-driven; YOO also operates YOO Capital Management with £2.0–3.0 billion in real estate assets under management, YOO Hotels & Resorts (YOO2 and YOO Collection sub-brands), YOO Developments and YOO Living focused on Greater London, YOO Retreats (including The Lakes by YOO in the Cotswolds), YOO Energy (renewables), and YOO Architecture.
YOO's revenue model rests on three streams: (1) brand licensing and design fees paid by developer partners for the right to use the YOO brand and creative direction in their projects (typical pricing of £2M–£7M+ per unit, with The Falcon in Gurugram priced at ₹10 crore+ and The Lakes by YOO weekly rentals from £12,000–£40,000); (2) direct development investment via YOO Capital Management, which participates in project returns across Greater London including the £1.3 billion Olympia London redevelopment JV with Deutsche Finance International; and (3) hotel management fees and brand licensing through YOO Hotels & Resorts. Go-to-market is sales-led through developer partnerships across Asia Pacific (Bangkok regional HQ, Hong Kong office), India, the Americas, the Middle East, and Europe. End customers are high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals (often NRI/diaspora buyers), while enterprise customers are large real estate developers such as Sansiri, KSK Land, Cyrela, Gamuda Land, Dalcore, Tribeca, Hung Thinh, and World Corporation.
Yoo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Yoo
- Legal name
- YOO HOLDINGS LIMITED
- Website
- https://yoo.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- YOO is a privately held London-headquartered design and real estate brand licensing lifestyle-led branded residences, hotels, and capital management to developers globally across 40+ countries, anchored by a roster of celebrity creative directors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Yoo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Branded Real Estate Design Services
- NAICS
- Residential Property Managers (531311), Real Estate Property Managers (53131)
- SIC
- Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Patent Owners & Lessors (6794)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Resort & Branded Residence Vacation Rental Management (BPAJAIAE)
Keywords
Where Yoo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Krung Thep
- HQ country
- Thailand
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
Yoo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Brand Licensing & Design Fees: YOO licenses its brand and provides design services to real estate developers globally. Developers pay for the right to use the YOO brand and YOO's design expertise in their projects.
- Direct Development Investment: YOO directly invests in real estate projects through YOO Capital Management and YOO Developments, participating in project returns and profits
- Hotel Management: YOO Hotels & Resorts operates branded hotels globally, generating revenue through management fees and brand licensing
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Falcon ultra-luxury residences in Gurugram |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Lakes by YOO luxury homes in Cotswolds |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Luxury Waterside Cabins at The Lakes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Yoo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
YOO licenses its design brand and provides design, architectural, and placemaking services to real estate developers globally for residential and hospitality projects. It operates complementary divisions including YOO Capital Management for direct real estate investment, YOO Hotels & Resorts for branded hotel management, YOO Developments and YOO Living for development activity, YOO Energy for renewable energy projects, and YOO Retreats for luxury second homes.
Product overview
YOO is a global design and real estate brand offering a multi-product platform centered on design-led branded residences, hotels, and lifestyle experiences. Founded in 1999 by John Hitchcox and Philippe Starck, YOO has evolved into the world's largest non-hotel residential brand with 52 projects completed worldwide and 30+ under development. The core offering comprises YOO Branded Residences (licensing design brand to developers), YOO Hotels & Resorts (YOO2 and YOO Collection sub-brands), and YOO Capital Management (investment arm). Supporting divisions include YOO Developments, YOO Living, YOO Retreats (including The Lakes by YOO), YOO Energy, and YOO Architecture. The design offering is enhanced through Creative Director brands including YOO Inspired by Starck, Jade Jagger for YOO, Wanders & YOO, Steve Leung & YOO, Sussanne Khan for YOO, and the internal YOO Studio collective. YOO's model is primarily a design licensing and branding approach rather than property ownership, partnering with developers across six continents.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- YOO Inspired by Starck: Design brand under Creative Directorship of Philippe Starck, featuring design visions for residential and hospitality projects
- Jade Jagger for YOO
- Wanders & YOO
- Steve Leung & YOO
- Sussanne Khan for YOO
- YOO Studio
- YOO2
- YOO Collection
- The Lakes by YOO
- By YOO Residences
Products and services
- YOO Branded Residences YOO's flagship branded residences program, the world's largest non-hotel residential brand, offering design-led luxury homes that command significant price premiums over non-branded properties. YOO licenses its brand and design expertise to developers globally.
- YOO Hotels & Resorts Design-driven hotel brand offering contemporary, imaginative, and sophisticated hospitality experiences. Includes sub-brands YOO2 and YOO Collection, with properties spanning from Rio de Janeiro to the Cotswolds.
- YOO Capital Management Special situations principal investment firm with £2.0 billion of AUM and 2.7 million square feet across Greater London and the UK. Specializes in creative, complex mixed-use investments.
- YOO Developments Group's development platform focused on opportunistic development and investment in Greater London and select international cities. Specializes in complicated mixed-use solutions with design-led, lifestyle-focused approach.
- YOO Retreats Luxury contemporary designer second homes set in areas of outstanding natural beauty within gated communities in the UK and globally. Includes The Lakes by YOO in the Cotswolds.
- YOO Architecture Architecture services division providing design and placemaking expertise for real estate projects globally.
- YOO Living Small-medium scale residential investment and development arm sourcing and redeveloping property in prime central London, from single units to blocks of flats and small scale developments.
- YOO Energy Renewable energy development platform working alongside landowners and local communities to create sustainable energy projects including wind turbine projects and solar farms.
Quantifiable outcome
- 31% value uplift for branded residences vs non-branded properties
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Yoo
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Yoo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Yoo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- HiLITE GroupmajorHiLITE Group partnered with YOO to launch 'Yoo Hub Trivandrum,' a 5.15 lakh sq ft IT Park at Technopark's Phase-3 campus. This marks YOO's first globally branded IT Park collaboration.
- Dalcore GroupcoreDalcore partnered with YOO to develop The Falcon, North India's first YOO-branded ultra-luxury residences in Gurugram's Sector 53. The ₹500 crore investment project spans 2 acres with 96 residences priced at ₹10 crore and above.
- UHAcoreUHA is the architecture firm partnered with Dalcore and YOO for The Falcon project. UHA designed the sculptural tower structure inspired by stacked mobile phones.
- Graham AssociatesminorGraham Associates published the Branded Residences: An Overview report identifying YOO as the top non-hotel brand in the branded residences sector.
- World CorporationmajorYOO signed agreement with Thai developer World Corporation to bring By YOO Residences and YOO2 Hotel to Phuket, Thailand. The Forest by YOO is set to open in 2026.
- Hung Thinh CorporationmajorHung Thinh Corporation partnered with YOO for Hollywood Hill Vietnam project, YOO's first project in Vietnam at MerryLand Quy Nhon.
- Tribeca DevelopersmajorTribeca partnered with Tricon and YOO (via Sussanne Khan) to develop YOO One Pune, one of Pune's most revered bespoke luxury residences with 6 towers.
- Laing O'RourkecoreLaing O'Rourke appointed for £600m main works construction contract for Olympia London redevelopment.
- Trafalgar EntertainmentcoreTrafalgar Entertainment agreed 70-year lease for the 1,575-seat theatre at Olympia London, the largest new permanent theatre in London since 1976.
- LOWE GuardiansminorPartnership with LOWE Guardians and Gamuda to provide NHS workers exclusive access to 10% of Aldgate residential units at reduced rents during pandemic.
- Gamuda LandmajorYOO partnered with Gamuda Land for acquisition and redevelopment of Aldgate property in London, developing community-focused micro-living with 36 residential units.
- THIRDHOMEcoreTHIRDHOME luxury property exchange partnered with YOO to create The YOO Club, an exclusive membership for YOO property owners enabling global property exchanges.
- SansirimajorSansiri partnered with YOO Inspired by Starck to develop Khun by YOO in Bangkok's Thonglor, setting the highest per square meter prices in the area.
- AEG PresentscoreAEG Presents operating the 4,400-capacity live music venue at Olympia London as part of the redevelopment.
- Hyatt / citizenMcoreTwo globally renowned hotels - Hyatt Regency and citizenM - confirmed as anchor tenants at Olympia London.
- ONYX Hospitality GroupcoreYOO and ONYX Hospitality Group partnered to launch YOO Collection and Yoo2 hotel brands. ONYX provides hotel operations expertise with the partnership based in Bangkok.
- Sussanne KhancoreSussanne Khan joined YOO as Creative Director, launching her design collections for YOO properties including YOO One Pune.
- JMJ DevelopmentmajorJMJ Development and YOO formed partnership to work on multiple projects in North and South America.
- CyrelamajorYOO confirmed exclusive partnership with Cyrela for Brazilian projects including One Sixty Cyrela in Sao Paulo.
- KSK LandmajorYOO partnered with KSK Land for 8 Conlay project in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Yoo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bulgari Hotels & Resorts: Luxury maison brand operating hotels and branded residences (e.g., Bulgari Residences Dubai, Bulgari Hotel Roma). Same brand-led luxury lifestyle model as YOO, combining hotel operations with branded residence development partnerships.
- Fendi Casa: Fendi's luxury furniture and residential design division, with branded residences projects globally. Comparable luxury maison brand extending into residential design and branded real estate with developer partners.
- Palazzo Versace: Versace-branded luxury hotels and residences (e.g., Palazzo Versace Dubai, Gold Coast). Same brand-licensing-plus-design model as YOO, partnering with developers to deliver design-led hospitality and residential products carrying a maison designer name.
- Armani/Casa: Giorgio Armani's interior design and real estate arm, operating branded residences (Armani/Casa Residences) worldwide with developer partners. Directly comparable design-led luxury residential licensing business with a single celebrity creative director anchor.
- Aston Martin Real Estate: Luxury automotive brand extending into branded residences (e.g., Aston Martin Residences in Miami). Direct comparable to YOO's model of licensing an iconic brand plus design vision to real estate developers for ultra-luxury residential projects globally.
- MissoniHome: Missoni's home and residential design brand, including Missoni-branded residences (e.g., Missoni Baia in Miami). Comparable Italian maison brand extending design language into residential real estate licensing.
Others
- Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA): Global hospitality interior design firm providing design services to luxury hotels and residences. Adjacent service provider in the same design-for-luxury-hospitality category rather than a direct brand-licensing peer; comparable in design talent but operates a fee-for-service model rather than brand-led licensing.
Broad incumbents
- Four Seasons Private Residences: Hotel-led branded residence program operating in 40+ global cities. Larger, more established competitor in the same branded residences category, but anchored in hospitality operating brand rather than design-led lifestyle vision like YOO.
- Aman Residences: Ultra-luxury hotel and branded residence operator (Aman New York, Aman Venice, etc.) competing for the same UHNWI buyer. Premium positioning is highly comparable but Aman is hotel-rooted and larger, whereas YOO is design-rooted.
- Rosewood Residences: Rosewood Hotels & Resorts' branded residences program (e.g., The Residences at Rosewood Hong Kong, Rosewood Residences Beverly Hills). Larger hospitality group extending into branded residences with developer partners.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Yoo social profiles
Digital presenceYoo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Yoo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Yoo subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Yoo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Yoo M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Yoo
What does Yoo do?
YOO licenses its design brand and provides design, architectural, and placemaking services to real estate developers globally for residential and hospitality projects. It operates complementary divisions including YOO Capital Management for direct real estate investment, YOO Hotels & Resorts for branded hotel management, YOO Developments and YOO Living for development activity, YOO Energy for renewable energy projects, and YOO Retreats for luxury second homes.
Is Yoo a public or private company?
Yoo is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Yoo founded?
Yoo was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Yoo based?
Yoo is headquartered in Krung Thep, Thailand, in the Asia region.
How does Yoo make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Brand Licensing & Design Fees are the primary driver. The others are direct Development Investment and hotel Management.
Who are Yoo's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, Fendi Casa, Palazzo Versace, Armani/Casa, Aston Martin Real Estate and MissoniHome. Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Four Seasons Private Residences, Aman Residences and Rosewood Residences.
Does Yoo have an API?
No public API is recorded for Yoo.
What industry is Yoo in?
Yoo's product category is Branded Real Estate Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJAIAE, Resort & Branded Residence Vacation Rental Management. Its NAICS code is 531311 and its SIC code is 6531.