WHat is proptech?

What does Proptech mean? This is a question we are often asked at The Proptech Connection (The PTC). The answer is simple + complex. Put simply, it’s a catch all term that describes technology that impacts space. The complex answer is that its constantly changing- reflective of the changing nature of Real Estate.

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Globally, the demarcation of traditional real estate sectors is being eroded. COVID accelerated this: homes being used as offices, the hotelization of office through offerings in amenity centric assets and the tentative steps into a digital world- are 3 such examples illustrating this.  

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This has meant that the number of technologies applicable to real estate has increased. The Proptech concept thus encompasses tech categorizations like Contech, Fintech, Mobility, Climatetech, SMART buildings, Generative AI and numerous other terms. Thus, Proptech is an ever expanding and evolving term.  

Macro in brief

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The Proptech ecosystem is a complex tapestry of technological capability and geographical dispersion. What is clear is that each region has a different focus or strength. For example, Europe has the highest % of companies focusing on ESG + CRE, much driven by generous funding opportunities from the EU. Israel has a very rich start up ecosystem (3,000+) and much of their Proptech is cyber-focused or Construction focused. And India has a Proptech ecosystem, with excellent software capability, focusing on residential.  

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We at the Proptech Connection have identified about 18,000 companies, up from about 15,000 companies in 2019. This number we forecast will continue to increase, driven by companies seeking tech to leverage their foundational digital projects + the speed at which new technologies are being developed, giving rise to new opportunities.

There has certainly been a walk back in capital markets for VC investment within tech and of course, Proptech.

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Notwithstanding, the Proptech market is still very buoyant with many active venture funds (with dry powder + closing new funds) and the rise of a new wave of CVCs – bolstered by significant funds and wider mandates for the leading global solutions. There are also many PE funds, generalist VC funds + a significant number of Family offices who, although perhaps being more selective, are still very active.  

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We think the pools of capital will remain deep, despite the high-profile challenges faced by companies such as WeWork and Katerra, and unclear economic conditions, due to the stage of adoption we are in within Real estate. Many expensive lessons have been learnt and what is clear, is that many investors have shifted methods to account for examples such as those companies mentioned.

The built environment is at the beginning of its tech adoption journey. Much work has been put into building data frameworks and bringing internal tech systems up to date. We are now seeing many companies leverage this investment, to enable their portfolios or how they develop, to meet the ever-evolving needs of their customers. As such, the number of tech offerings will grow as well as the demand for tech as asset usage continues to evolve.

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There are several drivers for each region’s Proptech ecosystem. As adoption rates continue to increase, the global rollout and offering of technologies will accelerate. Point solutions particularly, will be augmented by systems that can work with multiple hardwares and softwares.

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Rising demand for housing, infrastructural improvements and a more movile demographic is attracting investments seeking new horizons to participate in the development narrative of APAC. Additionally, since the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was signed last year, covering the largest free trade area in the world, APAC is fast becoming the epicentre for Proptech.

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Finally, although economic markers may be unclear, capital markets continue to show their resilience. Good opportunities are still thriving and sought after. The key will be having a partner, such as The PTC who are able to help benchmark or source deals to frame and support an investors thesis.