Altitude 2025: The Evolution of Skidaddle and the Future of PBSA & BTR Networking

Three years ago, the inaugural Skidaddle event in Chamonix brought together over 50 PBSA, BTR, and Coliving leaders in the French Alps. What started as an ambitious idea dreamt up on a ski holiday by the team at ASK4 has now evolved into a key gathering for thought leaders in the residential real estate sector.

A Different Kind of Industry Event

Unlike traditional conferences, Altitude is not just another networking event or a corporate retreat on the slopes. It was conceived as a space for genuine relationship-building, knowledge-sharing, and candid discussions about an industry that is often opaque.

For those unfamiliar, last year’s Skidaddle event sparked a wider discussion about gender diversity in the industry. My LinkedIn post on the subject didn’t go unnoticed, highlighting the overwhelmingly male attendance. However, this year, Altitude demonstrated meaningful progress.

Altitude: Where Content, Networking, and Hospitality Meet

Typical real estate events have their place with panel discussions, exhibitor stands, keynote speeches, and structured coffee breaks. I have attended and spoken at many of these, including Property Week , GSL Live, LD Events Property , The Class Foundation , UKREiiF , StuRents Summits, Bisnow , ICEF , The PIE Live, Unipol Student Homes , OpRE Real Estate Festival , PropTech Connect , and Westminster Forum Projects . They remain invaluable.

Altitude, however, is different.

This event blends high-quality content with immersive networking and premium hospitality for investors, asset owners, and operators in PBSA and BTR. Hosted by ASK4, Global Student Living, and Student.com, it’s a rare opportunity to connect with industry peers on a deeper level without the sales pitches.

OK. So I did manage to pitch VerbaFlo.AI on a ski lift in 2 minutes and of course I was doing my best to gently let the attendees know what RESI Consultancy does without shoehorning those anecdotes in or client-dropping at every opportunity.

A More Accessible, Diverse, and Global Event

Altitude 2025 saw an increase in accessibility and diversity. The team at ASK4 listened to last year’s feedback, rebranded to attract non-skiers (successfully), and expanded internationally. Notably, Anouk Darling , CEO of Scape Australia, travelled from Melbourne to attend. The event also welcomed 11 women, its highest female participation yet.

That said, gender representation remains a challenge as it does within real estate as a whole - Have you been to MIPIM???

Often, invitations are sent to CEOs who do not pass them on to women on their teams, or simply do not have women in senior roles. Progress is happening, but it requires continued effort from the entire sector. Initiatives like #WINPBSA are working to bridge the gap, and I encourage more leaders to engage in these conversations. Just as the team behind Altitude has.

Beyond Networking: A Content-Rich Programme

For those who think Altitude is just about networking, the content programme alone is worth attending. The intimate setting allows for open and insightful discussions where everyone can participate.

Some key sessions included:

• A warm welcome from Andrew Dutton setting the event’s tone.
• The Price of Immortality, discussing housing solutions in an age of extraordinary lifespans.
• Global Student Living Index Q4 Update, revealing that students remain deeply dissatisfied with laundry facilities—watch this space!
• Investment and Development Panel, led by Aaron Bailey , Lucas Aranguena , and Niamh O'Connor , covering ESG, the development environment, the Building Safety Act, and investment challenges in today’s market.
• Live Recording of the HOUSED Podcast, featuring Suraiya Comunello , Anouk Darling, Scott Lewis , and Paul Watson .
• Data-Driven Leadership, with Richard Brenner discussing his relationship with Blue4 International .
• Investor Plenary, led by Matt Walker and Tim D. , exploring the latest data advancements.

Did I Ski? Yes.

My Slopes app tells me I skied for 7 hours over the three days, not bad considering the long networking lunches! But more than the skiing, I made the most of every moment, discussing VerbaFlo.AI and RESI Consultancy at every opportunity.

Altitude is What You Make of It

Altitude isn’t just another industry event; it’s a new way of doing business in PBSA and BTR. It’s about forging real connections, engaging in meaningful discussions, and bringing fresh ideas to the table. If this year’s evolution is anything to go by, Altitude 2026 will be an unmissable fixture in the industry calendar.

See you in Chamonix next year?

Thank you to the ASK4 team and all the attendees who made it such a productive event. Particular thanks to Matt Walker for providing such brilliant entertainment in Human Curling...