urbanest
urbanest is a London-based purpose-built student accommodation operator running nine central London properties with around 140 employees, serving university students via direct booking and institutional partnerships with UCL, LSE, KCL, SOAS, and UAL under annual all-inclusive rental contracts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What urbanest does
urbanest is a London-based purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) operator founded in 2009, operating nine properties across central London in locations including Hoxton, Victoria, the City, Vauxhall, Battersea, Canary Wharf, St Pancras, King's Cross, Westminster Bridge, and Tower Bridge. The company provides fully furnished studios, shared apartments, and twin rooms with all-inclusive rent covering utilities, Wi-Fi, and contents insurance, supported by 24/7 on-site teams, communal study and social spaces, fitness facilities, and roof terraces. urbanest recently expanded its portfolio with two new properties—Battersea and Canary Wharf—with the latter being the largest and operated under an exclusive partnership with University College London (UCL).
The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with online booking and instant confirmation, complemented by a channel-based go-to-market through institutional partnerships with five major London universities: UCL, the London School of Economics (LSE), King's College London, SOAS, and the University of the Arts London. Distribution is further extended through partnerships with Kaplan, NYU London, Alpha Plus, and the University of London Housing Services. Supporting products include Summer Short Lets (flexible short-stay bookings for vacation periods) and the Studio Collection (premium self-contained units). The company employs approximately 140 people and is headquartered at 101 St Martin's Lane, London. The operating entity is identified as Urbanest UK Ltd.
Revenue is generated through annual subscription-style rental contracts with fixed pricing for the tenancy term. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by room type, property, and contract length. The company is private, with no venture capital, private equity, or institutional investment disclosed in available sources. Content marketing via the Student Journal blog and student guides supports top-of-funnel demand generation, while university referral relationships drive mid-funnel conversion.
urbanest firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- urbanest
- Legal name
- urbanest
- Website
- https://uk.urbanest.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- urbanest is a London-based purpose-built student accommodation operator running nine central London properties with around 140 employees, serving university students via direct booking and institutional partnerships with UCL, LSE, KCL, SOAS, and UAL under annual all-inclusive rental contracts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
urbanest industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Student Accommodation (PBSA)
- NAICS
- Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (72131), Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (7213)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) Providers & Operators (EDAIALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Off-Campus Purpose-Built Student Housing (PBSA) Management (BPAJAJAB), Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) – Short-Term Leases (THAMAGAB)
Keywords
Where urbanest is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
urbanest business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Student Accommodation Rent: Rental income from purpose-built student accommodation units. All-inclusive rent model covering utilities, Wi-Fi, and contents insurance with fixed pricing for tenancy terms. Offers flexible summer short-stay accommodation with no long-term contract requirements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | All-inclusive student accommodation with variable pricing by room type and location |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
urbanest product offering
Product offeringCore offering
urbanest rents purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) units across nine central London properties to university students on tenancy contracts. Rooms range from shared apartments and twin rooms to premium self-contained studios, with all-inclusive rent covering Wi-Fi, utilities, and contents insurance, plus 24/7 on-site support, communal study and social spaces, and flexible summer short-stay options.
Product overview
urbanest is a student accommodation provider operating a platform-plus-properties architecture. The core product is central London student accommodation across nine distinct properties (Battersea, Westminster Bridge, Victoria, King's Cross, Tower Bridge, Hoxton, City, Vauxhall, Canary Wharf, and St Pancras). These properties offer various room types including studios, shared apartments, and twin rooms. Supporting products include the Studio Collection (premium self-contained units), Summer Short Lets (flexible short-stay bookings), and a Resident Portal for booking management. All accommodation includes all-inclusive rent covering utilities, Wi-Fi, and contents insurance, with 24/7 on-site support teams.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Student Accommodation (Central London Properties) Purpose-built student accommodation across nine central London locations offering fully furnished studios, shared apartments, and twin rooms with all-inclusive rent covering Wi-Fi, utilities, and contents insurance. Targeted at university students studying at London institutions.
- Summer Short Lets
Companies that use urbanest
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
urbanest technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
urbanest partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UCL (University College London)coreUniversity partnership providing student accommodation recommendations and referral services for UCL students. urbanest Canary Wharf is exclusively for UCL students.
- LSE (London School of Economics)coreUniversity partnership providing student accommodation services and recommendations for LSE students.
- King's College LondoncoreUniversity partnership providing student accommodation recommendations and services for KCL students.
- SOAS University of LondoncoreUniversity partnership providing student accommodation recommendations and services for SOAS students.
- University of the Arts LondoncoreUniversity partnership providing student accommodation recommendations and services for UAL students.
- Student MindscoreMental health charity partnership providing student wellness support. Listed as a strategic partner for student mental health initiatives.
- KaplanminorEducation provider partnership offering student accommodation services.
- New York University LondonminorUniversity partnership offering accommodation services for NYU London students.
- Alpha PlusminorEducation group partnership offering accommodation services.
- University of London Housing ServicesminorPartnership with University of London housing services for student accommodation referrals.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
urbanest competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Yugo: UK and Ireland PBSA operator rebranded from GSA / Nexo, with London properties and university partnerships. Comparable purpose-built offering, target customer, and digital booking model.
- CRM Students: UK-based PBSA operator with properties across multiple university cities including London. Competes on similar amenity levels, university partnerships, and direct-to-consumer booking — a direct US-style competitor in the UK PBSA market.
- Hello Student: Purpose-built student accommodation provider with UK-wide presence and London properties. Comparable room types, tenancy terms, and amenity offerings.
- Scape: Premium student accommodation operator with London properties including Scape Wembley and others. Competes on amenity, location, and university partnership-led demand — directly comparable to urbanest's premium positioning.
- The Student Housing Company: International PBSA operator (owned by Global Student Accommodation) with London properties. Offers studio and shared apartments with similar amenity and all-inclusive positioning to urbanest.
- Homes for Students: Large UK PBSA portfolio with London properties and university partnerships. Offers similar room types, all-inclusive billing, and annual tenancy structures — directly comparable operating model.
- iQ Student Accommodation: Major PBSA operator (owned by Blackstone) with significant London presence and university partnerships. Offers studio and shared-amenity student accommodation on similar annual tenancy terms — a direct competitor in the same London submarkets.
- Host Students: UK PBSA operator with London properties and university partnerships. Operates similar purpose-built accommodation with comparable amenity and tenant experience.
- Unite Students: UK's largest listed PBSA operator with c.70+ properties across university cities including London. Operates purpose-built student accommodation with university partnerships and all-inclusive rent models — directly comparable to urbanest's business model and target customer base.
- Chapter Living: PBSA operator (backed by Greystar) with multiple London properties and other UK university cities. Comparable asset type, target customer, and amenity-led positioning — a direct London competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
urbanest social profiles
Digital presenceurbanest financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
urbanest leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
urbanest funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
urbanest 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 urbanest
What does urbanest do?
urbanest rents purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) units across nine central London properties to university students on tenancy contracts. Rooms range from shared apartments and twin rooms to premium self-contained studios, with all-inclusive rent covering Wi-Fi, utilities, and contents insurance, plus 24/7 on-site support, communal study and social spaces, and flexible summer short-stay options.
Is urbanest a public or private company?
urbanest is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was urbanest founded?
urbanest was founded in 2009. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is urbanest based?
urbanest is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does urbanest make money?
One revenue line is on record: student Accommodation Rent.
Who are urbanest's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Yugo, CRM Students, Hello Student, Scape, The Student Housing Company, Homes for Students, iQ Student Accommodation, Host Students, Unite Students and Chapter Living.
Does urbanest have an API?
No public API is recorded for urbanest.
What industry is urbanest in?
urbanest's product category is Student Accommodation (PBSA). Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIALAA, Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) Providers & Operators, with a secondary code of BPAJAJAB, Off-Campus Purpose-Built Student Housing (PBSA) Management. Its NAICS code is 72131 and its SIC code is 7000.