Swiss ICMIF member La Mobilière has announced that it has purchased the French start-up Buildigo and thus completed its range of services for the housing sector. In collaboration with the founders of Buildigo, La Mobilière intends to develop this online platform which allows users to find craftsmen throughout Switzerland.
La Mobilière says it is keen to offer its customers a comprehensive range of products which complement each other and to do this they rely on business ecosystems. This approach is based on digital networking and platforms which bring together the various activities which have a particular customer or sector in mind. Buildigo is one of these digital platforms: it creates added value for property owners and tenants by offering the ability to find skilled craftsmen who are operating in their region to meet specific needs quickly and easily.
Added value for individuals and SMEs
Anyone looking for a carpenter, painter or electrician will find it on the Buildigo craftsmen platform. Priority is given to the quality of the partner craftsmen and to the digitalisation of the processes as far as possible. This results in real added value for individuals. But the platform also helps the SMEs who are offering the services to the property owners or tenants as Buildigo transmits orders directly to them and thus reduces their administrative burden.
Development of a “housing” ecosystem
Since November 2019, La Mobilière has been actively developing its own prototype craftsmen platform and assessing the needs of its customers and the market.
To reach as many users as quickly as possible throughout Switzerland, La Mobilière decided to buy the Buildigo platform, a start-up which has been active on the market since 2017. This decision appeared to be obvious choice for the Swiss insurer due to the fact that Buildigo had already acquired a high level of experience in French-speaking Switzerland and the founders of the platform were as motivated as they are specialized.
“The start-up is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of La Mobilière and completes our ‘Rental, purchase, housing’ ecosystem”, said Thomas Trachsler, COO of La Mobilière and President-Elect of the Board of Directors of Buildigo. “After the creation of the aroov tenant portal, Buildigo constitutes a new important step which allows us to offer individuals and SMEs new services before and after the need for insurance itself,” he concluded.
Raphael Breitschmid, co-founder of Buildigo said: “We are pleased to have found in La Mobilière a strategic partner who will help us lead our platform to success, far beyond French-speaking Switzerland.”
The aroov tenant platform was established in 2019 by La Mobilière and Garaio REM, a leader in real estate management software, when they joined forces to launch a new portal for tenants and property managers.
One household out of three in Switzerland is insured by La Mobilière. The aroov platform was another step in La Mobilière’s plan to offer more comprehensive support to its customers and to strengthen its position in the housing segment.
The aroov digital platform gives tenants direct access to their property management. “On the new portal, tenants will be able to submit their application, sign the rental contract, announce any damage and obtain additional services, for example booking a moving company, taking out a rental guarantee or asking for legal advice”, explained Thomas Trachsler, in September 2019.
