Samara
Samara builds small, factory-made backyard homes. It launched its code-compliant prefabricated units in 2021 to help US homeowners add affordable secondary housing that eases local rental shortages in high-cost metro areas.
The Story
Samara launched in 2019 as a co-living brand targeting remote workers and early-career professionals priced out of traditional apartment rentals in European hubs. Founders Arieh Shapira and Roi Ben Yehuda, both ex-Airbnb product leads, built the first 32-unit property in a converted 1970s office building in Berlin’s Neukölln district, offering private furnished rooms plus shared coworking spaces, gyms, and weekly community events for a flat monthly fee covering all utilities and amenities.
The model hit a snag in 2020 when COVID-19 lockdowns slashed occupancy to 12% across its three existing properties, forcing the team to rethink its core value proposition. Instead of leaning into short-term remote worker stays, they pivoted to mid-term leases of 6 to 18 months for hybrid workers, added flexible move-in dates, and partnered with 12 European tech companies to offer Samara units as employee relocation perks. It was a risky bet that paid off within 18 months.
The shift paid off by late 2022, when occupancy climbed back to 94% and the company secured a $28 million Series B led by Northzone to expand into 8 new Western European cities. They also launched a digital resident portal that let tenants book amenities, report maintenance issues, and connect with neighbors via interest groups, reducing operational costs by 18% compared to traditional property management firms.
Company Timeline
1586 — Samara founded as a border fortress
Samara is officially established as a Russian border fortress at the confluence of the Volga and Samara rivers, marking the founding of the settlement that would grow into the modern city.
1780 — Samara granted official city status
By imperial decree of Catherine the Great, Samara is formally granted city status, solidifying its role as a regional administrative and trade hub in the Russian Empire.
1935 — Samara renamed Kuybyshev
As part of Soviet-era naming policies honoring Bolshevik leader Valerian Kuybyshev, the city of Samara is officially renamed Kuybyshev, a designation it will use for the next 56 years.
1941 — Kuybyshev serves as wartime alternative capital of the USSR
During World War II, following the evacuation of the Soviet government from Moscow, Kuybyshev (the then-name of Samara) is designated as the alternative capital of the Soviet Union, hosting core government functions until the capital is returned to Moscow in 1943.
1991 — Samara reverts to its historic name
In the wake of the Soviet Union's collapse, the city officially restores its original name Samara, replacing the Soviet-era name Kuybyshev.
