Key Takeaways
- • H.I.G. Capital, managing $70 billion in capital, has launched Boxengo, a new self-storage platform in Italy, following completion of five initial acquisitions in Milan and Rome, marking its entry into the Italian self-storage market after establishing platforms in the UK and Germany.
- • The seed portfolio comprises five strategically positioned facilities: four in Milan and one in Rome, with two Milan locations scheduled to open by year-end 2025 and the remaining three becoming operational during 2026.
- • William Binella, a 25-year veteran in self-storage operations, has been appointed CEO of Boxengo, bringing extensive sector experience to lead platform development and growth strategy.
- • H.I.G. Realty's European leadership views self-storage as an "operationally intensive and undersupplied sector" in Italy, positioning the platform for value-creation through operational excellence and high-quality asset acquisition rather than pure financial engineering.
- • The platform strategy leverages H.I.G. Realty's track record in value-add and operational real estate to build a "next-generation, operationally innovative" platform positioned as a sector benchmark in Italy's dynamic market.
Summary
H.I.G. Capital announced the establishment of Boxengo, its Italian self-storage platform, on October 14, 2025, following the completion of five acquisitions across the country's two largest metropolitan areas. The move represents H.I.G.'s expansion into continental Europe's self-storage sector, complementing existing platforms in the United Kingdom and Germany. With $70 billion in capital under management, H.I.G. Capital is deploying this infrastructure into what it identifies as an undersupplied, operationally intensive real estate subsector with growth potential.
Boxengo's initial geographic focus targets Milan and Rome, the Italian markets with the strongest demand fundamentals. The seed portfolio of five facilities allocates four assets to Milan and one to Rome, reflecting Milan's concentration as H.I.G.'s primary platform anchor. Phased opening timelines indicate operational maturity: two Milan facilities are scheduled for launch by December 2025, with the remaining three assets entering operation during 2026. This staggered approach allows the platform to establish operational protocols and brand presence progressively across both markets.
Leadership has been anchored with William Binella as CEO, whose 25-year career in self-storage operations provides sector-specific expertise critical for platform scaling and operational differentiation. Riccardo Dallolio, Managing Director and Head of H.I.G. Realty in Europe, and Alessio Lucentini, Managing Director and Head of Asset Management for H.I.G. Realty in Europe, will oversee strategic and operational asset management respectively. Dallolio emphasized the strategic thesis around self-storage as undersupplied in Europe, while Lucentini articulated the platform's ambition to leverage H.I.G. Realty's value-add capabilities to create an operationally innovative platform that differentiates through excellence and growth, rather than financial engineering alone.
The Boxengo launch signals H.I.G.'s broader confidence in European self-storage fundamentals and its capability to operate real estate platforms requiring intensive operational management and local market expertise. The platform's positioning emphasizes high-quality asset acquisition combined with operational innovation—a strategy consistent with H.I.G. Realty's track record in value-add real estate across multiple geographies and asset classes.
Boxengo's initial geographic focus targets Milan and Rome, the Italian markets with the strongest demand fundamentals. The seed portfolio of five facilities allocates four assets to Milan and one to Rome, reflecting Milan's concentration as H.I.G.'s primary platform anchor. Phased opening timelines indicate operational maturity: two Milan facilities are scheduled for launch by December 2025, with the remaining three assets entering operation during 2026. This staggered approach allows the platform to establish operational protocols and brand presence progressively across both markets.
Leadership has been anchored with William Binella as CEO, whose 25-year career in self-storage operations provides sector-specific expertise critical for platform scaling and operational differentiation. Riccardo Dallolio, Managing Director and Head of H.I.G. Realty in Europe, and Alessio Lucentini, Managing Director and Head of Asset Management for H.I.G. Realty in Europe, will oversee strategic and operational asset management respectively. Dallolio emphasized the strategic thesis around self-storage as undersupplied in Europe, while Lucentini articulated the platform's ambition to leverage H.I.G. Realty's value-add capabilities to create an operationally innovative platform that differentiates through excellence and growth, rather than financial engineering alone.
The Boxengo launch signals H.I.G.'s broader confidence in European self-storage fundamentals and its capability to operate real estate platforms requiring intensive operational management and local market expertise. The platform's positioning emphasizes high-quality asset acquisition combined with operational innovation—a strategy consistent with H.I.G. Realty's track record in value-add real estate across multiple geographies and asset classes.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.