BONARD, a market leader in research and data for investors active in the fast-growing student housing segment, has announced a partnership with private equity fund Spire Capital Partners (SCP) to accelerate its growth. This strategic move will see BONARD expand into new geographies and living asset classes, while enhancing its product offering, technology and organisation.
As real estate investment in living sectors continues to increase, BONARD is now empowered by a financial investor to better serve this growing demand. Under the agreement, SCP is taking a minority position, with BONARD’s founder and team remaining in management control.
Student housing and broader living sectors are increasingly attractive asset classes for institutional investors, with long-term growth potential underpinned by strong fundamentals and structural trends. Notably, the number of students across Europe significantly exceeds the supply of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation. In addition, leading industry rankings place PBSA and other living investment classes – including co-living, build-to-rent, multifamily and senior living – among the most attractive in terms of investment potential and growth.
BONARD has served the sector for many years, providing high-quality professional data and sector expertise to hundreds of investors worldwide. The newly secured capital will enable the company to further enhance its offering and better serve clients across the living sectors.
“Qualified professional data is increasingly important in the investment world, particularly given the growing interest in living sectors,” said Samuel Vetrak, CEO & Founder of BONARD. “We believe this is the right moment to become empowered. We were seeking a minority financial partner with strategic capital to help us scale and enhance our platform.”
Vetrak added, “We received several offers and chose SCP and their team. We are pleased to be joined by such a strong investment group with a proven track record of building value.”
BONARD represents SCP’s first international investment, aligning with its strategy to build a diversified portfolio of leading, scalable businesses.
“BONARD has an exceptional team and a leadership position in a growing global sector,” commented Arkadiusz Podziewski, Partner at Spire Capital Partners. “The living sector, and PBSA in particular, is poised for accelerated growth. BONARD has a strong product and deep expertise to serve the expanding universe of investors, developers, operators and lenders. This investment fits perfectly with our scale-up strategy of supporting strong teams with outstanding products in attractive markets.”
“Sector specialists such as BONARD are in sustained demand, as their capabilities, proven execution and depth of sector penetration are increasingly sought by strategic stakeholders looking to strengthen their market positioning,” added Łukasz Wierdak, Partner at Spire Capital Partners. “We are very happy to welcome the company to our portfolio.”
BONARD will continue to serve its clients with the same care and diligence, while expanding its coverage across additional geographies, metrics and data points. The company also plans to further augment its product by including additional rented residential asset classes, enabling an enhanced customer experience across its platform, reports and advisory services.
BONARD was advised by KPMG and Highgate. Spire Capital Partners was advised by Hillbridges (legal) and Mazars (financial and tax).
