PropTech start-up Nomad Homes raises $20m in expansion push

Present in Dubai and Paris, the company will use new funds to expand across the Emea region

Dan Piehler, left, Helen Chen and Damien Drap, co-founders of PropTech start-up Nomad Homes. Photo: Nomad

Nomad Homes, a PropTech start-up that caters to clients in the UAE and France, has raised $20 million to fuel its expansion into new markets and strengthen its technological prowess.

The investment round, known as Series A funding, is co-led by 01 Advisors, an investment fund co-founded by Twitter’s former executives Dick Costolo and Adam Bain, and the New York-based investment firm The Spruce House Partnership.

Nomad will use the new funds to accelerate its expansion across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, specifically in southern Europe, the company said.

“The company will continue to invest heavily in its technology and offer additional products and services to offer a one-stop shop for everything related to the home,” it added.

Launched last year, Nomad pairs technology with local customer service experts who assist clients in buying or renting homes. It offers a customised home buying process from the initial search to financing and to the signing of the final agreement.

“We are particularly excited to continue investing in new FinTech products and pricing tools to further streamline the buying journey for our customers,” said Dan Piehler, co-founder and chief product officer of Nomad.

The company was founded by three friends – Mr Piehler, Helen Chen and Damien Drap – who bonded over their frustrations of finding a home in a new city.

“We set out on a mission to simplify the most important personal and financial decision in your life,” Ms Chen, chief executive and co-founder of Nomad, said.

“We believe that the combination of technology and personalised customer experience empowers our customers to buy their home with confidence,” she added.

The company is building a multiple listing service dedicated to the Emea region to offer home buyers the data to make the decision.

Despite the real estate market representing more than $20 trillion across the region, the market is still riddled with fake and duplicate listings and no pricing data to understand the true value of a home, Nomad said.

“The process of buying a home remains offline and with no buy-side agents, leaving potential home buyers without representation or support in what will likely be a consumer’s largest financial asset,” it added.

A mix of new and existing investors also participated in the round, including Goodwater Capital, HighSage Ventures, Abstract Ventures, Partech, Class 5 Global, Precursor Ventures, Alta Park Capital and an undisclosed multi-billion dollar crossover fund, among others.

“Nomad Homes has built an incredible platform that is shaping the future of real estate across Emea,” said Mr Costolo, managing partner of 01 Advisors.

“What the team is building is increasing market liquidity and simplifying the consumer experience … [we] are excited to partner with these founders and the entire team as they expand,” he added.