Nine PropTechs focused on delivering innovation in the real estate sector have named in this year’s cohort of the PwC Scale | PropTech programme, which is run in collaboration with GrowthBuilders.
Each of the nine companies have created solutions to tackle challenges in ESG, an increasingly important area for PwC and its clients. Technologies utilised this year are a combination of hardware and software solutions striving to make sustainable change by addressing ESG in the built environment.
Amongst the cohort this year is a UK developed micro domestic greywater use system whose mission is to save water consumption by capturing bath and shower water to flush toilets. There’s also an automated reception solution prioritising local shops and zero carbon deliveries as well as a data services company who are using technology to help quantify their clients carbon footprint, including scope 1 2 and 3 to help them on their net zero journey.
The PropTech programme, now in its third year, brings together established Real Estate industry leaders and fast-growing PropTechs to work more closely and drive innovation in the market.
Once again there is a Global cohort spanning across the UK and Ireland, wider Europe and as far reaching as Australia.
The programme, which is aimed at supporting the nine scale up companies to gain commercial traction, is delivered over 10 weeks and curates partnerships, co-creation and collaboration between scale-ups and large Real Estate organisations keen to tap into new ways of achieving profitability, growth and innovation.
PwC’s Scale offering of three core components is proven to accelerate growth by:
Tapping into PwC’s corporate network that stretches around the globe
Exploring opportunities with PwC leaders who work with the biggest Real Estate organisations.
Upskilling and developing scale-up teams through a world-class business growth curriculum
The business curriculum brings everything together to build long lasting ventures, covering topics such as sales and marketing, operational growth, professional readiness, valuations, leading through growth as well as exposure to trends driving the Real Estate Industry, with a strong focus on ESG this year.
PwC’s Emerging Trends in Real Estate report this year found that 80% of Real Estate Leaders think that energy efficiency, carbon emissions and climate adaptation will increase in importance in their portfolios in 2021. Over a five-year time horizon, that number increases, with many believing that the pandemic has provided renewed impetus to the push for sustainability.
More real estate professionals are harnessing technology to make a real difference and many are now either investing in or partnering with startup PropTech firms.
Angus Johnston, Real Estate Leader, PwC UK, said:“Now into our third year of the Scale | PropTech programme we know first hand that more of our large clients are collaborating with fast-growth tech companies to gain a competitive advantage.
“In light of new challenges, the face of towns and cities are changing, technology, social and environmental factors are speeding up, occupiers are now better informed and more demanding and the real estate model is evolving from financial asset class to service provider.
“It’s therefore no surprise that each of the companies pitching this year has a solution that tackles challenges in ESG, an increasingly important area for us all.”
With the team having already run 50 Scale Programmes in the UK working with over 550 scale-ups, the model brings real-time value to all parties, as the cohort itself is curated around PwC’s large client challenges which brings through highly relevant solutions to drive opportunities for both, as we see from last year’s cohort member, Datscha.
Florin Larca, Head of Sales, Datscha commented:
“We entered the programme with an exciting product and good traction with clients. However, we were keen to better understand the commercial real estate landscape and to be able to frame our proposition clearly.
“Our knowledge and skills grew through the classroom training and the mentors were instrumental in helping us understand and present the achievements, strengths, and opportunities of our business in the most effective way possible.
“The invaluable guidance from our mentors, helped us both with client engagement and sales training. Along the way, we have built a great network with other start-ups and potential clients.”
The PwC Scale PropTech 2022 cohort of businesses are:
Smart Point - Smart Point is an automated reception point, connecting buildings to 200 automated services and products. Prioritising local shops and zero carbon deliveries has awarded Smart Point a place amongst the best 15 technologies against Climate Change voted by the EU, revolutionising thousands of smart buildings across the continent.
Verv - The AI company is on a mission to reduce energy wastage from air conditioning using its Smart AI Isolator. Verv aims to reduce 4.5% of the world’s energy consumption which is currently wasted through inefficient air conditioning, whilst in parallel lowering the repair and maintenance costs of air conditioning and Heat Pumps.
Cascade Water Products - Cascade Water Products is a purpose-driven company with the mission to help the world be a better place by saving water in the home. Domestic greywater reuse is a missing element of zero carbon homes. Aqua Gratis, a short retention, micro domestic greywater reuse technology with SMART meter, is proven to reduce domestic water consumption by up to 45%.
Build-Apps - Empowering commercial real estate portfolios to own, control and govern their own data. Seeing lost opportunities in ESG opportunities or poor global sustainability benchmarking results through data loss in transaction or poor data management inspired Build-Apps to create an asset centric complete IWMS (Integrated Workplace Management System) to tie all the key portfolio data together.
CoolPlanet - CoolPlanet combines real-time data and advanced engineering to reduce energy consumption, optimise systems and lower emissions. CoolPlanet’s decarbonisation software, Clarity, can integrate with existing systems and utilities, enabling you to measure, manage and reduce an organisation’s carbon emissions using a single platform.
Perse - Perse describes itself as being like Visa for the energy and carbon markets, providing data for prediction and reconciliation. It solves data problems related to optimising energy and carbon decision making. What makes the company stand out is its ability to reduce admin and unlock access to data, making a net zero strategy more accessible and cost effective.
MClimate - MClimate has developed innovative smart building technologies (hardware and software) that saves up to 30% of building energy consumption, up to 45% of the overall building management costs whilst increasing tenant comfort, health and safety. Its IoT solutions focus on the decarbonisation of buildings, air quality monitoring and water loss prevention.
PropertyLoop - PropertyLoop is an online marketplace that helps landlords rent, manage and stay compliant with their rental properties, all in one place. Commission-free, without the need of an agent.
Wondrwall - Wondrwall is an award-winning technology company dedicated to changing the way we live and how we use energy. Wondrwall gives the home a ‘brain’ and the intelligence to control itself, saving time, money and the environment. Its aim is to make every home in the world ecologically sustainable, using technology and renewable energy to create ultra-efficient net-zero homes.
Sourced from PwC