Twostay is a platform for finding inspiring workspaces for the new generation of digital nomads and other freelancers. Cecilia Chiolerio and Dorothea Haider founded the marketplace. Our 7 questions for the founding team.
1. Who are you and what do you do? Please introduce yourselves briefly!
Hello, we are Cecilia and Dorothea and we are the founders of Twostay.
Cecilia Chiolerio (25) has already worked for various startups.
Cecilia: I'm Italian and moved to Germany three years ago after working at various startups in Italy, Spain, London, and Brazil. I've long been interested in remote work and how companies can benefit from it. I love the flexibility of working wherever I want and the opportunity to grow my business in different communities and locations with just my laptop.
Dorothea: I spent three years building a company in Chile. And for the last five years, I've been working as a startup consultant in Munich. My passion is making better use of our cities and the space they offer. At the same time, I prefer working hands-on rather than "just" advising other people on their projects. I enjoy researching client needs—and I even enjoy cold calling!
We both believe that the way we work has fundamentally changed. We don't need offices, daily commutes, and 9-to-5 jobs. Instead, our generation needs to discover inspiring places in the city that we can choose according to our needs.
“There is incredible potential here”
That's why we founded Twostay together. This allows people to get work done and hold meetings in hotel lobbies, restaurants, beach bars, or art galleries. This allows the locations to utilize their previously underutilized space—there's incredible potential here! Whether early in the morning or midnight, in Munich or another city—we're already active in Berlin, Frankfurt, Ulm, Memmingen, and Mallorca. Most locations are free, and users receive discounts on food and beverages. Those who need exclusive spaces like a meeting room pay by the hour.
2. But that's been around for a long time!
Dorothea: That's right! People who don't want to work alone overcome this problem in very different ways. Some sign up for a monthly membership at an expensive coworking space, others visit Starbucks. But Twostay is different! With us, users subscribe for free once and then have access to a variety of different locations. Our process is as fast as getting a seat at a cafe, but simply more convenient and work-friendly.
3. What are the three main ingredients for your recipe for success?
Cecilia: Three ingredients won't make a cake! But... First, we talk to our users. From day one, we've conducted numerous interviews. So we understand what our users need. We still grill them when we meet them at work in one of the locations on our platform. — So, yes, we test our own product extensively and work in the locations offered by Twostay. Second, we're not afraid to ask a lot of questions. This has already helped us a lot, especially if you understand the hotel and restaurant industry, which is truly a world of its own.
Dorothea: Third: As a team, we're extremely strong. At the same time, we work flexibly. Together, we plan our next steps and then execute them. We operate in a setting that allows us to work productively and with inspiration. But to celebrate successes or when things get stuck, we meet up!
First financing round launched
4. Let’s get down to business: How is business going?
Dorothea: Things are going well! Our platform is a marketplace. Therefore, we base our KPIs on location and user numbers. We've expanded the former by seven locations in the last two weeks, and we have 20 more in the pipeline. On the user side, we target freelancers, founders, and now also large enterprises. We're currently building out our service for teams and B2B customers. We also recently raised our first round of funding. Exciting times lie ahead!
Success with the Bavarian dialect
5. What does Munich mean to you?
Cecilia: I don't think I could have founded Twostay anywhere other than Munich. I love this city! And the startup network here is so high-tech-oriented and simply super inspiring!
Dorothea: I grew up in Munich. And even though I was away for ten years, I know the city inside and out and know where to look for inspiring spaces. It's easier to start from home. Also funny: The Bavarian dialect opens the hearts of local hotel owners.
6. Will your startup become the next unicorn? Or will we see you soon at Epic Fail Night?
Dorothea: Definitely a unicorn! The world of work is undergoing major change, and few are more aware of this fact than Twostay. We can become the largest provider of workspace worldwide without owning a single square meter of it ourselves. This eliminates the need for facility management altogether. We have the potential and the will to scale. We are in the right place at the right time.
However, we go wherever our users are. So why not have an Epic Fail Night? There have been so many hilarious failures we could talk about. But we would never stop for that reason alone. As long as the business is good, we'll keep going. And there's no sign of the business slowing down.
7. Beer garden or hiking?
Cecilia: Hiking! With an overnight stay in a hut at the summit. Clear your head, think big, create new ideas. And then: get down from the mountain and put it all into action. That's how we first met—in the middle of the Bavarian Alps!
