LONDON – Sustainable, nature-focused hospitality group Unyoked has secured a new round of capital to extend its immersive off-grid experiences throughout the U.K. and European markets. Unyoked is the market leader in Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K., offering unrivalled yet convenient access to nature. To meet high customer demand, the globally recognized eco-hospitality brand has concluded a financing round of EUR 18 million (AUD 28 million). Lead investors are SURPLUS Equity Partners GmbH (SEP) from Munich Germany and Realside Financial Group from Sydney Australia.

The proceeds from this financing will be used to significantly expand its presence in Europe and add further locations to Unyoked’s impressive offering in the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand. The Unyoked team will prioritize this expansion in the U.K., Scandinavia, Germany, BeneLux, Austria, and Switzerland.

We believe in a world where people see and use nature like they do the gym. Spending time outdoors is an important balance to our lives in an increasingly noisy and hectic environment. Many of us still don't understand just how powerful it can be. The current round of funding is an important step in our journey to help change that and make it easier for people to access the many benefits of nature more often. Chris Grant, Co-founder, Unyoked

Unyoked’s locations are carefully hand-picked to be totally secluded and uniquely immersive to help maximize travellers’ ability to connect with the outdoors and leave the experience feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and “unyoked”. Visitors to Unyoked cabins will find themselves in remote, rolling countryside, ancient woodlands, and vast landscapes with breath-taking views. All locations are within easy reach of heavily populated cities to allow travellers to leave the stresses of everyday life behind while living conveniently in their own private cabin in the forest. This is especially important as global workforce phenomena like “The Great Resignation,” “Quiet Quitting,” and the “Lie Flat” movement persist amid growing employee burnout rates.

Unyoked’s unconventional approach to inspiring more people to access nature habitually has allowed them to explore many creative avenues unavailable to their competitors. They count Matthew McConaughey as a collaborator, have released vinyl with the music company Future Classic, collaborated with Apple showcasing artists inspired by the creative benefits of the wilderness, and have published a Writer’s Anthology, which attracted hundreds of submissions from the public.

For Europe, SEP CEO Lüdke sees a large opportunity for partnerships between Unyoked and companies that want to offer their employees recreational stays in nature in order to boost creativity and productivity.

Sustainable travel in the post-Covid world is an important investment hypothesis for us. We are convinced that travel will become more regional and sustainable. This is exactly what Unyoked offers. The company is very successfully addressing a trend that is becoming increasingly popular, especially among 25-45-year-olds with a heavy workload: spending time in nature has a positive effect on the psyche, the body, and creativity. The occupancy and customer loyalty show that Unyoked has found the right approach to meet the growing demand for outdoor experiences. Sebastian A. Lüdke, CEO of SEP

Unyoked was founded in 2016 and currently operates around 100 off-grid cabins in Australia, New Zealand, and since its successful launch in 2022, also in the UK. So far, the startup has hosted around 35,000 overnight stays in nature, with high occupancy. Unyoked places fully off-grid hideaways in the most beautiful pieces of nature, which are hand-picked by the team, always within a 2-hour distance from major cities. Cabins measure around 3m x 9m, are built with high-quality materials, and are equipped with a compact kitchen and exquisite bathroom. They are individually optimized for each target market and tailored to different climate and weather conditions.

The hideouts use only solar power, making them independent from the electrical grid (“off-grid"), and their own rainwater tank, wood fire, and composting toilets, with minimal environmental footprint. The booking process is based on an in-house developed back-end system, additionally, the housekeeping processes and quality controls are digitally tracked.

Those interested in learning more can visit www.unyoked.co.