How Kloosiv is Transforming Housing Access in Spain: A Journey in Social Impact and Innovation

Access to stable housing is essential for building resilient communities—a mission that drives Kloosiv. In this interview, co-founders Gerard Casaus, Laura Ayala and Carles Gómez share Kloosiv’s journey in making housing accessible for vulnerable populations through tech-driven, community-centered solutions. From building partnerships and bridging urban-rural gaps to scaling their impact with support from the Social Tides program, discover how Kloosiv is transforming housing access and fostering social inclusion.

Background and Motivation

INCO: What inspired you to start your entrepreneurial journey?

Kloosiv: Our cooperative’s journey into entrepreneurship was deeply rooted in our collective background in social impact and entrepreneurship, with each of us already involved in other people-centered, tech-driven projects. 

The development of Kloosiv was the result of several years of research and exploration, focused on addressing the pressing issue of housing access, which we see as one of society's most urgent challenges. Over the years, we've consistently listened to feedback, learning from both social and governmental needs, and we've continued to develop technological tools that we believe can support all stakeholders involved in this complex issue.

Business Genesis and Mission

What is the mission of your company and what impact are you generating?

Kloosiv's mission is to transform access to housing through inclusive technology, ensuring that individuals at risk of social exclusion can secure healthy and stable living environments. Alongside providing housing solutions, we work to address complex social issues tied to housing access, which we see as crucial for building resilient communities. Our approach combines digital tools for social intervention and housing management, fostering long-term, supportive relationships within living units.

Our impact includes supporting over 200 individuals who were previously in situations of inadequate housing or homelessness, and enabling more than 50 people to avoid institutionalisation. We’ve also generated an alternative housing supply of over 200 rooms by working closely with property owners to identify social needs that often prevent these spaces from entering the market. This work has facilitated inter-cooperation among more than 20 social organisations, bridging rural and urban areas.

Kloosiv's technology has been scaled to over 100 rural localities, extending essential services in social healthcare and housing access to regions previously underserved due to geographical, human resource, and technical limitations. This expansion exemplifies our commitment to creating sustainable, inclusive housing solutions that meet pressing social needs.

Relationship Building and Market Strategy

How has building genuine relationships with your community contributed to your business growth?

As a cooperative grounded in social economy values, Kloosiv is seen by the community as a friendly, approachable alternative. Our commitment to solving social issues and meeting community needs with a user-centered approach has positioned us as a public-private entity in their eyes. This unique perception has facilitated strong alliances with public administrations, fostering trust among all stakeholders and underscoring that Kloosiv is a solidarity-driven project.

Moreover, by effectively addressing problems that neither traditional public services nor the market could solve—especially in rural areas where technology and public services are harder to reach—we have been able to attract support that would otherwise have been out of reach.

Through this community-first approach, we’ve connected deeply with individuals, property owners, and social organisations, building a network of over 20 cooperative entities across rural and urban areas. This collective support has been essential for our growth, allowing Kloosiv to become a trusted partner in tackling complex social and housing challenges.

Adaptation and Innovation

How did you build and adapt the organisation as you grew, and what were the key steps you took?

When we first started, we adopted a hands-on, trial-and-error approach, manually validating each process before digitizing it once we knew it was effective. This step-by-step approach allowed us to refine our methods and ensure they were truly responsive to community needs. As we grew, we navigated across B2C, B2B, and B2G models. Initially, we focused on building our private B2C segment, while simultaneously applying to numerous innovation and social programs across Catalonia, Spain, and Europe.

To secure these opportunities, we thoroughly studied various government strategic plans, which enabled us to align not only with community needs but also with the evolving priorities of public administration. This strategic alignment has allowed us to anticipate future requirements, positioning Kloosiv as a valuable bridge between the public sector and private solutions. As a result, we've become an effective, forward-looking partner for the public sector, with recognitions that have reinforced our role as a leading alternative in this field.

Experience with Social Tides Accelerator Program

How did participating in the Social Tides accelerator program benefit your business?

Participating in the Social Tides accelerator program was instrumental in advancing Kloosiv’s vision of becoming a public-private entity. Given that we address critical needs for vulnerable populations—requiring optimized public resources—our main challenges have been building economic and technical solvency. This includes securing financial resources while also establishing our credibility as a team capable of leading this social impact initiative.

The Social Tides program supported us on both fronts. The funding we received provided essential resources to strengthen our operations, while being selected as part of a European program validated our project and boosted our credibility in the sector. Additionally, the program’s training sessions helped us refine and solidify areas of our project that were less developed, enabling us to build a more comprehensive and resilient structure for future growth.

What specific resources or mentorship from Social Tides did you find most valuable?

The most valuable resources and mentorship we received from the Social Tides program were in the areas of communication and business model development. The mentorship on communication was particularly impactful, helping us refine our messaging to better convey our mission, values, and the unique public-private role Kloosiv aims to play. This has been crucial for building trust with stakeholders and effectively engaging both the public sector and private entities.

Additionally, the guidance on our business model was transformative. The mentors helped us identify new revenue streams and structure our model to ensure both economic viability and scalability, which are essential for addressing the needs of vulnerable populations while optimizing public resources. This support has been instrumental in aligning our social impact goals with a sustainable business structure, setting Kloosiv up for long-term success.

How have networking opportunities through Social Tides helped you throughout your entrepreneurial journey?

Networking opportunities through Social Tides have been instrumental in preparing Kloosiv for European-scale impact. Through the program, we connected with other initiatives and European programs, gaining insights into successful models and strategies that have inspired our own growth. Notably, we were introduced to and later participated in SocialTech4EU, which provided essential resources and mentorship to help us prepare our cooperative for this next level of expansion.

These connections have helped us better understand the landscape of social innovation across Europe and equipped us to approach scalability with a more structured, sustainable plan.

Advice and Insights for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Based on your experience, what advice would you give to someone just starting their own business?

Begin by starting small and validating your ideas manually before scaling up. It’s essential to deeply understand the problem you want to solve and to align with the true needs of your community, especially for social impact projects. Take the time to research relevant public sector strategies, as this can help you align with long-term goals and form valuable partnerships. Building credibility through transparency and reliability is crucial for gaining trust and building meaningful relationships.

Seek mentorship and networking opportunities to learn from others and create pathways for funding and collaboration. Focus on developing a business model that is economically sustainable, where measurable social impact serves as an added value. Stay flexible, adapt based on feedback, and approach challenges with humility. By grounding your efforts in real needs and maintaining a sustainable approach, you'll create a solid foundation for lasting growth.

Why is understanding local cultures and building trust crucial for business success in your region?

Understanding local cultures and building trust are essential for business success in our region, particularly when addressing complex social issues. Many of these challenges stem from community or cultural integration issues that need to be considered for any solution to be truly effective. Our cooperative is focused on social inclusion, and we recognize that each community has unique values, traditions, and dynamics that shape their needs and responses to new initiatives.

By respecting and integrating these cultural aspects, we build genuine connections and show our commitment to the people we serve, not just to business outcomes. Building trust is especially critical in social impact work, where we rely on collaboration with communities, local stakeholders, and government entities to tackle multifaceted issues like housing and social exclusion. 

When communities see that we understand their specific challenges and respect their cultural context, they are more open to engaging with us, allowing us to co-design solutions that are sustainable, impactful, and rooted in shared values.

Future Vision

What are your future plans for your business, and how do you envision its growth in the coming years?

Our future plans focus on driving research and innovation to tackle complex social challenges related to housing access. We aim to transform this access through inclusive protocols and AI algorithms, ensuring that everyone receives a service tailored to their unique situation. Our mission is to humanize and make the housing access process fairer, offering a true alternative to the traditional model.

As housing access issues continue to intensify, our main challenge is to grow as a project and form new alliances that can accelerate this transformation. Achieving economic solvency is essential for expanding our technical capacity, which will help us establish ourselves as a leading alternative in the sector. Additionally, we plan to deepen our research and development in deep tech to exponentially increase efficiency in managing public resources and optimizing housing access for vulnerable groups. With this approach, we aim to enhance scalability, ultimately positioning Kloosiv for broader impact at the European level.