We are the co-founders behind VICO. We arrived together in 2016 in Medellín, Colombia, for a student exchange. What had to happen, happened: We fell in love with the Paisa culture, its people, and its unique energy. Medellín became our home away from home.
During our time, we learned how complicated it can be to arrive in a new city. First, the search for accommodation; then, the integration into a new city. We created VICO just for that: To help you find your perfect home and assist you in feeling at home in your new city!
It was in 2016. We arrived for our student exchange from Münster, Germany, to Medellín, Colombia. Although we spoke Spanish quite well and were familiar with Latin culture (both of us had already lived in LATAM), upon arrival, we faced several challenges regarding accommodation.
At first, it was extremely difficult to find accommodation: There were very few options available, and the few that existed were hidden because there was no good platform to explore alternatives and connect with hosts.
"We weren't tourists, we were looking for a place to live for half a year or more"Tourist platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com existed, but we weren't looking for a hotel or something similar for a weekend. We were looking for something to live in for half a year or more, as we weren't tourists.
To find something long-term, everything was super informal like posters on the streets or Facebook groups, or platforms with very little information (bad photos, inaccurate addresses, no clear house rules, and not knowing who else lived in the house, etc.).
When, somehow miraculously, you managed to find an option you liked, there were often scams and deceptions. Contracts were rarely used, and there were no guarantees for anything; twice, our deposit was not returned, but stolen.
Additionally, we experienced several intercultural differences in the living together comparing Europe and Colombia. With these experiences, we decided to help all future students have a better experience by connecting them with good homes verified by us near our university.
Together with the international office of the UPB, we began writing our thesis on the student housing market in Medellín and created a first prototype as part of our university internship.
We started as Friends of Medellín, but we quickly realized that this problem existed worldwide. So, instead of returning to Germany, we decided to stay and create a company so that everyone could have a better experience. Friends of Medellín became VICO.
"We quickly realized that this problem existed worldwide"We went through the city's entrepreneurship ecosystem with Capital Semilla, Parque E, and accessed a first investment through 500 Startups LATAM. We made many mistakes and learned a lot every day, but we didn't get discouraged and continued on our path.
Today, VICO is not just a solution for foreign students and shared housing in Medellín, but also offers studios and complete apartments throughout Colombia for all people arriving to a new city, like professionals or digital nomads. We have helped thousands of people find their homes, and VICO has become an important ally for our hosts, providing them with security and visibility with simple processes.
"Today VICO offers furnished rooms and apartments for young professionals and students throughout Colombia"We work with some of the most recognized institutions in the country and their communities to bring transparency and simplicity to the furnished housing market for months in Colombia. And we're going for more. As we said, this problem exists worldwide and needs to be solved.
Our experience in Medellín changed our lives. We want to connect people from different cultures and realities, not only in their VICO but also outside of it and with their city. Housing is the foundation of integration. Without good housing, no one will have a good experience. But more is needed: access to relevant information at the right time and integration spaces to meet other people and make new friends.
"If we had all shared housing for a while with people from other cultures, our world would be better"We are convinced that if everyone in the world had shared housing with people from other cultures and created unforgettable experiences, we would all be more tolerant and have a better world with more empathy and fewer conflicts.
Don't hesitate to contact us for any questions or if you just want to share your first impressions. We are here to make your stay an incredible and unforgettable adventure.
Today we work on the great challenge of creating a brand that conveys our concept of integration, community, and connection of realities, without losing sight of the fact that housing is the foundation of everything. If you identify with that and want to contribute,see how you can join our team.