By Riley Kaminer
When Oscar Rubio Martín boarded his flight from Spain to Leeds in 2013, he was ready to begin a new chapter in his life. As he landed in the UK, excitement quickly gave way to frustration. Navigating housing, social security, and the general chaos of settling in a foreign country proved overwhelming.
“It was a nightmare,” he told Refresh Miami. But that trip to Leeds sparked more than frustration – it planted the seed for what would later become Lodgerin, a company born out of a simple idea: “If one company could help people for a bit of money, I’m sure many would pay to avoid all this trouble,” Rubio Martín, Logerin’s founder and CEO, reflected.
Lodgerin aims to simplify and streamline the relocation process for international students and expats. In its early form, it was a manual relocation service, but it soon became clear to Rubio Martín that scaling such a business would be nearly impossible without technology. As he put it, “The experience was super slow, and the process was super bad.” So, in 2022, Lodgerin went digital, launching an entire ecosystem where students, companies, universities, and housing owners can seamlessly manage the complex process of international mobility.
Now, Lodgerin operates in multiple countries, including Europe and the Middle East, and has recently made a big splash in the U.S. market, establishing its American subsidiary in Miami. But why Miami? “We were discussing Miami versus North Carolina,” Rubio Martín said with a smile. “Miami won. It’s not just the lifestyle – it’s a strategic bridge between Europe and Latin America.”
Lodgerin’s Miami expansion is part of a grander vision to dominate the U.S. market. As Rubio Martín explained, the company already works with more than 160 universities and 25 multinational companies, many of which are located in the U.S.
Starting this month, Rubio Martín will be hitting the road, taking a seven-week whistle stop tour across 27 states to visit these clients. His next goal is to solidify partnerships with these institutions and others by demonstrating Lodgerin’s new technology.
“There’s a big issue with rent – it’s super high, there’s limited availability, and moving is stressful,” Rubio Martín said, highlighting one of the main pain points Lodgerin is solving for universities and expats.
In terms of team growth, Lodgerin has expanded rapidly, now employing 22 people, with half of the team focused on IT and technology. The company’s rapid growth and the successful $400,000 pre-seed fundraise last December from international investors reflect the excitement surrounding Lodgerin’s potential.
The future for Lodgerin isn’t just about expanding geographically. The company is also releasing new products that will further improve the experience for its users. Rubio Martín is particularly excited about a property management system set to launch soon. “This idea has been in my head for six or seven years,” he said. “I never had the resources or team to make it happen until now.”
Photo at top of post: L to R, Óscar Rubio Martin – CEO & Founder; Rafael Alcalde – CTO; Enrique Elías – COO; Tamara Gugel – CMO.
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