Urban Partners

"In Copenhagen’s futuristic UN17 Village, every structure and design has a reason for looking and feeling a certain way." The global magazine Fortune recently visited our UN17 Village and met with Claus Mathisen, Nicole van der Star and Jesse Shapins to immerse into the world’s first property development to incorporate all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals into a single, groundbreaking project. Completed by our real estate strategy Nrep this winter, it offers a diverse range of homes that foster social inclusion, sustainability, and community engagement, while providing innovative solutions to urban challenges such as climate change and social cohesion. According to Fortune, "each building is also a world of its own with a mix of demographics and a community manager tasked with bringing the community together for a 'longer, healthier, and better' life." Read the full feature: https://lnkd.in/eqjE56qg

On the final day of MIPIM Jesse Shapins, Head of Neighborhood Investments at Urban Partners, co-hosted the panel 'Financing Neighborhood Regeneration in Europe: Cities and Real Estate Path to Tackle the Housing Crisis without Sacrificing Climate Goals" together with Helene Chartier, the Director of Urban Planning and Design at C40 Cities and Alice Charles, Director of Cities, Planning and Design at Arup. From collaborative, participatory approaches to urban development to dialogue and finding a common purpose, the panelists and the audience discussed real solutions to financing city regeneration in the European context. This gathering at MIPIM marks the launch of the “Sustainable Financing for Green & Thriving Neighborhood Regeneration Projects” initiative from C40, Urban Partners, Arup and a growing ecosystem of partners, which will be followed by events at the Biennale di Venezia, London Climate Week, New York Climate Week and the C40 World Mayors Summit. Find out more about our work with neighborhoods here: https://lnkd.in/dWfAHetV

Our real estate investment strategy team Nrep is at the forefront of combining ideas, people and capital to solve complex urban environment problems and respond to demographic shifts.   This month Nrep launched: 🤝 A collaboration with Fredensborg Bolig to develop around 460 homes in Trondheim. The 30 000 sqm plot will be transformed to a livable and vibrant urban area with various building concepts and types focusing on customer centricity and positive social development of the new neighborhood: https://lnkd.in/d4HHJwTJ 🏘️ A new construction project in Helsinki, Finland, which combines build-to-rent housing and care homes within the one scheme. The project responds to the growing need for housing and high-quality care services in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area: https://lnkd.in/d9vhm2QH   🤝 A strategic joint venture focused on the Finnish care home market with Plus Hoivakiinteistöt, a local company which specialises in care home operations. The joint venture will cover the development and operation of the care homes, with €400m million allocated for investment over the next three years. The development of an initial eleven care homes – valued at €70 million – is scheduled to begin this year: https://lnkd.in/dc49pCBm 🏢 Acquisition of  308 new rental apartments in Hallonbergen, Sundbyberg, from a joint venture owned by Reliwe and Derome, through the Nordic region’s largest core-plus fund, Nrep Income+. The deal includes three properties, Sundbyberg Freden Större 15, 21, and 22, with a total lettable area of approximately 13,900 square meters: https://lnkd.in/ddkPpVNz

Last week, we invited investors to get closer to our real estate insight and outlook, especially for the Nordic markets, from where our real estate strategy Nrep has delivered a consistently solid track record for two decades.    The keynotes and panels covered a lot of ground - from discussing top real estate sectors attracting investments to exploring structural trends like demographic tailwinds, e-commerce growth, and decarbonization.   Our speaker line up included industry experts from both within our firm and surrounding network, such as Jussi Niemistö, Patrik Kallenvret, Jani Nokkanen, Elisa Tuomi, Kristoffer Sandberg, Elisabeth Hermann Frederiksen, and Claus Mathisen. Special thank you to Jonathan Brasse Editor-in-Chief, Real Estate, at PEI and thank you all for sharing your perspectives and insights! 💡    #RealEstateOutlook #RealEstateInvestment #Logistics #Residential

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day! 💜 Across our teams, markets and functions, we work to promote equal opportunities, as we see diversity of thought and skillsets as a key to fostering excellence and driving innovation. And as talent is our greatest asset, we see inclusion as a way to ensure that our talent thrives in the workplace, enabling them to perform at their best.   Beyond our organization, we aim to support and engage in networks that drive this agenda by offering especially female professionals equal opportunities to connect, learn and grow their careers and impact. This year, we are highlighting the organizations we are pulling together with 👇 #InternationalWomensDay #DiversityEquityInclusion

How do you create a holistic, well-functioning city where the sum of the parts create superior outcomes for users and for investors? Hear more from Urban Partners Co-Founder and Chairperson Mikkel Bülow-Lehnsby in a fireside chat with Ecosperity on the opportunity of value creation in understanding users of real estate as a product and responding to their unmet demands. Watch to full recording here: https://lnkd.in/enJ2ZrJY 

💡 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗘𝗨𝗥 𝟱𝟬 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝘇𝘇𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 🏙️ Urban transformation requires access to capital – but in today's environment, traditional financing alone is often not sufficient to meet sponsors’ needs. Through our credit arm, Velo Capital, we have successfully provided EUR 50 million in mezzanine financing across two transactions in Sweden, enabling the development of both residential and commercial office assets. By providing structured, flexible capital that complements senior financing, we help ensure that sustainable, high-quality projects can move forward, unlocking long-term value for investors and stakeholders🌱 At Urban Partners, we take a holistic approach to real estate investment. Credit plays a critical role in our platform – because successful urban investment is not just about capital, but about having the right capital at the right time. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/di8DQ4Sg

Claus Mathisen, Co-CEO of Urban Partners, joined the PREA Webinar: State of the Market - Europe, in February 2025, to discuss the macroeconomic trends driving demand across the real estate market in Northern Europe, the role of private capital in the energy transition, and the most attractive sectors to invest in given current market conditions. Key takeaways: 🏙️ Cities are under pressure to modernize infrastructure, upgrade housing stock, and integrate sustainable energy solutions. 🪙 Despite short-term economic turbulence, structural demand-supply imbalances in housing and logistics remain the key investment drivers. 📈 Nordic capital regions (e.g., Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki) are growing faster than the rest of Europe and offer strong residential demand. Success in this region requires local expertise, strategic flexibility, and a deep understanding of regulatory frameworks. ♻️ Investors are beginning to see sustainability as a key valuation creation lever and critical business decision. Energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and resilience to climate risk are now quantifiable investment factors that translate to portfolio value drivers.    Watch the event here: https://lnkd.in/epd8JQTC

Jani Nokkanen, Partner and CIO of Urban Partners' real estate strategy Nrep spoke at the PERE Asia Summit this week. Here are Jani’s key takeaways regarding the future of real estate in the next decade.   💡 Our approach is evolving to create alpha in a changing environment by focusing on active management in real estate. Shifting from passive to active investment, we are honing in on long-term trends for maximum returns.    💡 While global trends like credit are crucial, understanding local nuances is key for targeted value opportunities. It's all about balancing the big picture with the fine, hyperlocal details.   💡 When it comes to sectors, our core focus and specialization remains in residential and logistics. Offices require a more measured approach due to capital headwinds - careful selection is paramount for success.   💡 Sustainability and investment rationale go hand in hand. Active risk mitigation and value management, particularly through operational efficiencies, improves real estate and creates resilient portfolios for long-term value creation.

Two weeks to go until the MIPIM 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀! We’re excited to be finalists with two groundbreaking projects this year – and even more thrilled that voting is now open!💫 🌍 The 𝗠𝗜𝗣𝗜𝗠 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 recognize the world’s most forward-thinking and sustainable real estate projects. Being shortlisted is a testament to how we, through our real estate arm Nrep, are at the forefront of innovation, sustainability, and impact-driven investment in the built environment🌿 ➡️ 𝗨𝗡𝟭𝟳 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲 – 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 ’𝘽𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩’  The world’s first property development to incorporate all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals into a single, pioneering project. 95% of homes leased before completion at above-average market rates – showcasing the strong demand for sustainable living. ➡️ 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗕å𝗹𝘀𝘁𝗮 – 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 '𝘽𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙮 & 𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩' By blending state-of-the-art architecture with pioneering material innovations, it achieves an industry-low carbon footprint of 2.7 kgCO₂/m²/year, while enhancing employee wellness and biodiversity. 🗳️ Public voting is now open, and we’d be incredibly grateful for your support 🙏 If you’re attending MIPIM, we’d truly appreciate you taking a moment to vote for us via this link: https://lnkd.in/dfZw_us We would also like to express our sincere 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 for their outstanding teamwork and commitment! Their expertise and dedication have been instrumental in bringing these projects to life💫 #MIPIMAwards #MIPIMSummit #RealEstate