Urbanitae will once again be present at SIMA 2026, the Madrid Real Estate Exhibition, taking place from May 20 to 23 at IFEMA Madrid. This will mark our fifth consecutive participation as event partners, at a gathering that has established itself as one of the key meeting points for the real estate sector in Spain and across Europe.
Once again, SIMA will bring together developers, investors, public administrations, operators, consultancies, financial institutions, and technology companies to discuss the major challenges facing the market: the lack of residential supply, access to housing, new living models, financing, investment, and the digital transformation of the sector.
For Urbanitae, SIMA is a unique opportunity to continue bringing our real estate investment model closer to both retail and professional investors, connect with developers, and share our perspective on the current market environment.
A key role at SIMA INVEST
Our participation will be especially significant at SIMA INVEST, the section of the fair aimed at retail investors. As part of this program, Urbanitae gives its name to the Urbanitae Auditorium, where the 2026 Private Investor Forum will take place.
The forum will feature open-access talks with industry experts discussing trends and practical issues related to investing in housing and other real estate assets. Topics will include market conditions, financing and mortgages, taxation, legal certainty, profitability, rental management, and the main opportunities and risks investors should consider before making investment decisions.
At a time when more and more retail investors are looking for ways to diversify their wealth through real estate, SIMA INVEST has become a key space for understanding how the investor profile is evolving and what alternatives are available.
Direct Investments also joins the program
Urbanitae will participate in two sessions of the Private Investor Forum focused on direct residential investment. Carlos de Garnica, Urbanitae’s Direct Investments Director, will speak at the session “Investing in housing with criteria: opportunity selection and expert advisory”, which will take place on Thursday, May 21 at 11:45 a.m. and again on Friday, May 22 at 4:30 p.m.
The presence of Direct Investments at SIMA 2026 reflects the growth of this Urbanitae business line, designed for investors seeking access to direct real estate investment opportunities with curated asset selection, economic and financial analysis, and professional guidance throughout the process.
Unlike real estate co-investment through debt or equity projects, Direct Investments allows investors to directly acquire a property as an investment asset. At SIMA, we will explain which factors should be considered when analyzing an opportunity: location, purchase price, expected return, appreciation potential, associated costs, financing, rental management, and exit strategy.
Diego Bestard on AI and real estate innovation
Urbanitae’s participation will also extend to SIMA’s professional program. Diego Bestard, CEO of Urbanitae, will take part on Wednesday, May 20, from 10:20 to 11:00 a.m., in the roundtable discussion “AI and innovation in real estate: how are the major players applying it?”, within the Technology & Innovation track.
Artificial intelligence is transforming every stage of the real estate business: opportunity analysis, risk assessment, land sourcing, commercialization, asset management, customer service, and internal processes.
In this context, Urbanitae will contribute its experience as a technology platform applied to real estate investment – a model in which digitalization has made opportunities accessible that were traditionally reserved for high-net-worth individuals or institutional investors.
Juan Mínguez and financing for new living models
Another major focus of SIMA 2026 will be financing. Juan Mínguez, Head of Debt at Urbanitae, will participate on Thursday, May 21, from 1:10 to 1:50 p.m., in the roundtable “Living financing: debt and equity structures. Access to capital and financing conditions in the current cycle”, within the Living Investors Day program.
The session will address key issues for the sector: the evolution of financing conditions, differences between segments such as build-to-rent, build-to-sell, and other living models, the role of banks versus alternative debt providers, leverage levels, and equity requirements in the current cycle.
For Urbanitae, this conversation is particularly relevant. Alternative financing has established itself as a complementary tool to bank financing, helping drive real estate projects at different stages, providing flexibility to developers, and channeling private capital into real estate transactions with strong fundamentals.
In a market shaped by limited supply, rising costs, and the need to develop new residential formats, having the right financing structures in place is one of the decisive factors in getting projects off the ground.
SIMA 2026: housing, investment, and transformation
The professional program at SIMA 2026 will revolve around five major themes: affordable housing and private investment, Living Investors Day, asset-class analysis, global living markets, and technology and innovation. All of them connect with some of the key challenges shaping the sector’s immediate future.
Housing remains one of Spain’s main economic and social challenges. Demand continues to be strong, but supply is not growing at the necessary pace. At the same time, new housing models, new financing structures, and new technological tools are changing the way real estate assets are developed, invested in, and managed.
In this environment, Urbanitae arrives at SIMA 2026 with an increasingly broad proposition: real estate co-investment in debt and equity projects, financing solutions for developers, direct residential investment opportunities, and educational content to help investors make more informed decisions.
Urbanitae agenda at SIMA 2026
| Date | Talk / Session | Location | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, May 20, 10:20–11:00 a.m. | AI and innovation in real estate: how are the major players applying it? | CMAtech.AI Auditorium | Technology, innovation, and artificial intelligence applied to real estate | Diego Bestard, CEO of Urbanitae |
| Thursday, May 21, 11:45 a.m.–12:20 p.m. | Investing in housing with criteria: opportunity selection and expert advisory | Urbanitae Auditorium | Direct residential investment, opportunity analysis, and professional guidance | Carlos de Garnica, Direct Investments Director at Urbanitae |
| Thursday, May 21, 1:10–1:50 p.m. | Living financing: debt and equity structures. Access to capital and financing conditions in the current cycle | Room 1 | Debt, equity, alternative financing, leverage, and capital structures in living projects | Juan Mínguez, Head of Debt at Urbanitae |
| Friday, May 22, 4:30–5:05 p.m. | Investing in housing with criteria: opportunity selection and expert advisory | Urbanitae Auditorium | Direct residential investment, opportunity analysis, and professional guidance | Carlos de Garnica, Direct Investments Director at Urbanitae |
See you at SIMA
Throughout the four-day event, the Urbanitae team will be available to meet investors, developers, and industry professionals at our stand B1-06. It will be an opportunity to answer questions, present our latest developments, and discuss the opportunities currently offered by the real estate sector.
SIMA 2026 will once again be the industry’s leading showcase. For Urbanitae, it will also be an opportunity to continue championing an idea that has guided us from the beginning: opening real estate investment to more investors through transparency, technology, and rigorous opportunity selection.
We look forward to seeing you from May 20 to 23 at IFEMA Madrid, stand B1-06.
