Spotly - the property technology startup challenging the way we utilise space and buildings down to the square meter
Based in Copenhagen is the property technology startup Spotly creating next-level pop-ups with a focus on empowering communities and creativity throughout cities in the Nordics. They are fighting to use every possible square meter throughout the beautiful buildings of the inner cities of Scandinavia and one day possibly the rest of the world.
“Spotly is a platform where you can book short-term showroom space. Spots. Book and share a wall, a window or an entire space for a day or more. Our dream is to empower and inspire communities economically and creatively by allowing brands, creatives, as well as space owners the opportunity to explore the showroom of tomorrow, by utilising space better in buildings everywhere.”
“Essentially, we help create next-level pop-ups. It happens via our platform where you can list or rent spots for showroom purposes. You can rent down to one square meter for one day. It’s only the imagination that sets the boundaries. A spot is an exhibition window and a marketing channel. Even though you don't have extra space to rent out, make room, it´s an opportunity to get new exciting content in your space - while getting paid! A wall in your cafe, a window, floor space in a hotel lobby, almost everything goes. We´re micro retailing the concept of pop-ups with the focus on co-branding, fostering creativity & community. It's basically a channel for micro partnerships.”
What space and light can create
“I started training to become a real estate agent, being extremely fascinated by buildings and what happens inside of them. How the impression of a space can change based on what is in it. But it was a very local and traditional field that I lost connection with. When the financial crisis hit in 2008, I went back to school, which a few years later brought me to a large Dutch conglomerate working within the mobility industry. I worked with bulldozers, diesel generators, construction technology and electrical vehicles, giving me the first dose of male dominated environments & tech. My hands were deep in business strategy development, sales, and marketing, which I learned a great deal from.”
“After a while, I wanted to go back to my passion, which was buildings. Travelling around Europe, living abroad and experiencing different cities, I always kept thinking that these beautiful buildings in amazing locations did not utilise their space properly. This space could benefit so many people if they just had access to it. That was the idea behind Spotly, to use existing buildings and spaces across the inner heart of the city or in the urban space and actually allow more people to be a part of them.”
It was a beautiful way of keeping the city alive even though everything was shut dow
“Interestingly enough, the pandemic has actually accelerated our growth. Even before the pandemic hit there was the highest vacancy recorded in 17 years within retail. This was due to some major structural shifts within the field, but with COVID-19 things are moving even faster and we’re seeing a big upswing.”
“During the full lockdown periods it was for obvious reasons very quiet, but we saw high demand in renting exhibition windows for retailers and artists to showcase their products and art, and in this way still reach the consumers. This was a beautiful way of keeping the city alive even though everything was shut down.”
“On top of that, we’ve also fully adopted the remote working style. I am located in Norway and Aya Fabricius, our CCO, is located in Copenhagen. Usually, I take the ferry back and forth but it hasn’t been an option lately for obvious reasons. In our opinion, the remote work setup is going beyond all expectations. There are so many great platforms and solutions to utilise and despite not being physically together, we’re moving full steam ahead.”
