Sportihome has the wind in its sails. This Airbnb for athletes, created in 2017, successfully raised 2 million euros in funds from the Accurafy 4 investment fund, the Banque des Territoires, the BPI France (public investment bank) and … Nathalie Simon. The Montpellier start-up caught the eye of the windsurfing champion and unforgettable host of “Intervilles”.
Thanks to this platform, athletes can book accommodation for their holidays rented out by other sports enthusiasts. The owners can give some advice on kitesurfing, hiking, canoeing or mountain biking spots to discover in the area. And even lend them equipment. “We are on this trend which is to provide sporting pleasure during the holidays. Active holidays, explains Sylvain Morel, kitesurf enthusiast, who founded the company with Fred Diaw. Post-Covid is something that is working hard. People need to be outside, to get some fresh air. “Sportihome, which today offers more than 10,000 accommodation in 40 countries for 60 different sports, recorded this year” an unprecedented boom in reservations “, three times more than in 2019, the company says.
Stand out “by relying on the affinity trust” of athletes
Its credo: to stand out from traditional rental platforms “by relying on the affinity trust of its sports community”. “When you’re athletic, you often look for the right spot, and who better than those who practice it to share their tips, or even practice it with you,” explains Nathalie Simon. You are sure not to make a mistake in your choice of vacation spot. And vacations, we don’t have enough to be wrong! The windsurfing champion also rented her Bastide du Fort, in the Var, a small paradise for hikers, on the Montpellier platform, before investing in the company.
High-level athletes are also welcome on the platform. “If someone who does trail running, and does a series of competitions, arrives in the accommodation at 4 o’clock in the morning, at Sportihome, the rental companies understand it”, explains Sylvain Morel, who hopes to soon forge partnerships with athletes, in particular for the next Olympic Games. “Sometimes it’s paid for by the federations, but sometimes it’s for their apple, adds the entrepreneur. As they optimize their budget, athletes sometimes find themselves in somewhat cheap hotels. And if you are not in a nice environment, it is more difficult to succeed in your competition. “