A growing community in Madrid has mostly gone unnoticed outside the Latin American diaspora. Suma is more than just a WhatsApp chat; it’s a full-fledged support network for newcomers from Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, or Argentina who want to avoid spending months searching for housing, a reliable lawyer, or even just a good spot for breakfast. Political debates and memes are off-limits here—only practical advice: where to rent office space, how to sort out your paperwork, or which accountant can help you steer clear of tax pitfalls. Answers come almost instantly, making this chat a real lifeline for many newcomers.
Isabel Ramírez, a 30-year-old Colombian, arrived in Madrid two years ago. She works as an analyst for a major food company and admits that without the support of Suma, her adaptation would have dragged on for months. “I was afraid of making mistakes with the paperwork, didn’t know who to turn to, and felt completely alone,” she recalls. The chat’s recommendations helped her avoid common pitfalls and save both time and money. Stories like hers are common—there are thousands in Suma.
A club for insiders
Suma is not open to everyone. This is a closed network for those who have already achieved something in their home country: financiers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, experienced professionals with resources. Here, there are no promises of free help or solutions to all migrant issues—it’s more of a club for like-minded people, where professionalism is valued and only verified information is shared. The organizers are upfront: Suma is neither a charity nor a government program, but a platform for those ready to invest in their future.
The project is still gaining momentum and is seeking investors. The founders plan to raise 400,000 euros to expand the network in Madrid, Barcelona, London, Lisbon, Milan, Rome, and Berlin. In the future, Suma aims to cover even more European cities and build a team of professionals who will support new members at every stage of relocation.
Premium club membership costs about 10 euros a month. For this fee, participants get access to exclusive offers from companies like Bolt, Huspy, Fever, Healthy Poke, and Home Burger. Most importantly, there’s the chance to quickly find the right contacts without spending weeks searching on their own.
A shortcut system
In practice, Suma works as a filter: only those willing to pay for speed and quality get in. They won’t help you obtain residency or citizenship, but they’ll tell you which lawyer to contact, where to rent an apartment safely, and how to avoid overpaying for services. For many, it’s a way to avoid common mistakes and steer clear of the scammers who are prevalent in the migration sector.
The core of the community is made up of WhatsApp chats divided by countries and cities. There’s a spirit of mutual support—people share personal experiences, recommend trusted professionals, and advise on how to avoid common pitfalls. Over time, the organizers plan to hold offline meetups and small networking events, so newcomers in Madrid can not only solve everyday issues but also make friends.
Suma emphasizes that their goal is not to solve basic problems, but to speed up the process. They help expand your network, find jobs, and avoid unnecessary expenses due to a lack of local knowledge. Everyone uses the network in their own way, but the main principle is the same—share knowledge so you don’t have to learn from your own mistakes.
Personal experience
The idea for Suma was born with Martín Rodríguez, a 33-year-old Colombian who arrived in Madrid at the height of the pandemic. The university supported his studies but not his daily life: finding accommodation was a challenge, and understanding local laws was even harder. After graduation, Martín faced a new wave of bureaucracy: visas, permits, endless lines, and unreliable intermediaries. He quickly realized that without support, it was easy to lose both money and time.
As he traveled to different countries, Martín noticed he kept running into the same issues everywhere: where to live, how to get insurance, whom to trust. That inspired him to create group chats to exchange contacts and advice. The experiment was a success—and soon grew into a full-fledged platform.
At first, only Colombians joined Suma, but over time Venezuelans, Mexicans, Peruvians, and Argentinians also came on board. Each brought their own experience and networks, which made the community even stronger.
Finding your own people
Diego Silva arrived in Madrid from Mexico City in 2023. Behind him—a successful career, ahead—uncertainty. He admits: the hardest part wasn’t finding a job but building a network of trusted people. Without connections, even simple questions turned into problems. “You feel like you know everything, but don’t know where to start,” he says. Integration is not just about documents but also about feeling like you belong.
Uriel Morales from Guadalajara has been living in Madrid for almost two years and works in the energy sector. He sorted out all the paperwork in advance, but for a long time couldn’t quite feel at home. “You can live in a city for years and still feel like a stranger,” he admits. For him, the most valuable thing is finding people with whom he can discuss anything—from choosing a notary to chasing down the best tacos in town.
For many Suma members, moving is not just about changing countries, but a long journey toward feeling at home. The network doesn’t solve every problem, but it makes the process shorter and less painful. In a world where every second migrant faces loneliness and distrust, communities like this truly become a lifeline.
