Danish startup Landfolk is on a mission to get city dwellers out of town, connect them with nature, and create a new approach to holiday home ownership. The startup has just raised €3.8 million to expand.
Since the days of the pandemic, the demand for holiday homes that are immersed in nature has skyrocketed. More and more Europeans are looking for a sanctuary outside of their usual day-to-day life, an escape from daily stress and city busyness. It’s a trend that has continued to grow over the past couple of years – and the so-called staycation looks to be here to stay.
Aiming to provide this, by providing an accessible way to enjoy a nature retreat, whenever it may be called for, is Danish startup Landfolk. The young company has developed a platform and community for holiday home enthusiasts.
Founded in 2021, the startup has just raised €3.8 million in a seed round. The round was led by SEED Capital. HEARTLAND previously invested.
Built by ex-Airbnb employees, Landfolk puts a decisively Nrodic spin on the holiday rental market – connecting innovation with nature. The platform offers handpicked holiday homes and cabinets for those who want a memorable experience immersed in nature. Each listing has to meet certain criteria, including personality, scenic surroundings, great hosts and consistent quality.
CEO Christian Schwarz Lausten: “We handpick our holiday homes based on carefully selected criteria that attract both new holiday home guests and holiday homeowners. These include owners who would never think of renting through a traditional platform or letting agency. And a new generation of second homeowners who have put a huge amount of energy and resources into decorating and making their holiday home personal and attractive.”
Currently, the platform has more than 1000 holiday homes listed across Denmark, Norway and Germany. While owning holiday homes and opting for this style of travel is increasingly popular, it’s a market in need of development. It’s reported that only one-fifth of Danish holiday homes are rented out. Landfolk aims to tap into this market, giving them a simple solution.
Ulla Brockenhuus-Schack, Managing Partner at SEED Capital: “It’s really exciting to see Landfolk shake up an industry that has been stagnant for far too long. They have managed to create a company in just two years with an impressive turnover by, among other things, expanding the market with a segment that has never previously rented out their holiday home, and a team that manages to execute like few others.”
With this investment, the plan is to double the number of listings over the next year as well as to develop the product further.
Christian Schwarz Lausten: “Over the past three months, we have launched Landfolk in Germany and Norway, where apparently we have hit a gap in the market; it is pouring in with homeowners for whom it is extremely important to have great flexibility and control over the rental of their secondary home. It will be a big and exciting task to support them in which we will invest a lot of resources.”
