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Universal PropTech Inc. $UPI.ca Announces Agreement with LuminUltra Technologies to Provide SARS-CoV-2 #COVID19 Surface Testing #AI #IoT $SNE $MSFT $HON

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:51 AM on Tuesday, February 9th, 2021
  • Entered into an agreement on February 5, 2021 with LuminUltra Technologies Ltd. to deploy their GeneCount Rapid SARS-CoV-2 surface testing solution for UPI’s current and past customers which total over 2,000 facilities including certain aviation assets in Canada today.
  • The Agreement provides UPI the ability to provide testing services employing LuminUltra’s GeneCount® qPCR tests as a service.

Toronto, Ontario–(February 9, 2021) – Universal PropTech Inc. (TSXV: UPI) (“UPI” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce that is has entered into an agreement on February 5, 2021 with LuminUltra Technologies Ltd. (“LuminUltra“) to deploy their GeneCount Rapid SARS-CoV-2 surface testing solution for UPI’s current and past customers which total over 2,000 facilities including certain aviation assets in Canada today. The Agreement provides UPI the ability to provide testing services employing LuminUltra’s GeneCount® qPCR tests as a service.

Chris Hazelton, President and CEO of UPI commented: “We are very excited to bring LuminUltra’s highly reputable SARS-CoV-2 surface testing solution to our customer base in Canada to ensure workplaces are sanitary and safe,” Mr. Hazelton continued: “We had committed strategically to expanding our product mix and investing in key technology to enhance our Trusted Advisor status with our customers. Coupled with our recent announcements, the addition of LuminUltra’s surface testing technology to our suite of services, we are well on our way to meeting that commitment to customers and shareholders.”

UPI’s wholly owned operating subsidiary, VCI Controls, will utilize the LimunUltra GeneCount® qPCR test in order to provide audit support for the efficacy of the various indoor air quality equipment it is installing in customer facilities. In this way, VCI Controls will be able to provide clients with data demonstrating the real world effectiveness of the air sanitization equipment it installs, along with peace of mind for owners and staff alike that Covid-19 is not present in their facilities.

LuminUltra provides testing solutions for clinical diagnostics, surface, and wastewater testing. LuminUltra, through its rapid, accurate and portable qPCR tests help safeguard and protect environments by providing verification of disinfection protocols to confirm the absence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This helps identify early warning signs which enables the execution of swift response including contact tracing and human testing.

Fully Portable Manual Testing Using GeneCount® Q-16

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Read More: https://agoracom.com/ir/UniversalPropTech/forums/discussion/topics/754978-universal-proptech-inc-announces-agreement-with-luminultra-technologies-to-provide-sars-cov-2-covid-19-surface-testing/messages/2302823#message

Universal PropTech Inc. $UPI.ca Announces Channel Partnership with SensorSuite Inc. to Deliver AI Building Automation for MURBs and Non-BAS Customers #AI #IoT $SNE $MSFT $HON

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:29 AM on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021
  • Entered into a channel partnership agreement with SensorSuite Inc. to deliver SensorSuite’s Artificial Intelligence Energy Cloud Ecosystem Platform to multi-unit residential building and non-BAS customers across Canada
  • SensorSuite’s E.C.E platform seamlessly monitors, controls and optimizes Electricity, Gas and Water assets.
  • Using AI algorithms, the Energy Cloud Ecosystem aggregates and co-ordinates Distributed Energy Resources to eliminate wastage and increase operational efficiency.

Toronto, Ontario–(February 3, 2021) – Universal PropTech Inc. (TSXV: UPI) (“UPI” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a channel partnership agreement (“Agreement“) with SensorSuite Inc. (“SensorSuite“) to deliver SensorSuite’s Artificial Intelligence (“AI“) Energy Cloud Ecosystem (“E.C.E“) Platform to multi-unit residential building (“MURB”) and non-BAS customers across Canada.

“Universal PropTech is pleased to bring SensorSuite’s AI platform to our MURB customers and prospects,” stated Chris Hazelton, President and CEO of UPI. “The inclusion of Artificial Intelligence is another tool in our expanding Building Performance offering to improve our evidence-based approach, ongoing services revenues and sustain our Trusted Advisor status.”

SensorSuite’s E.C.E platform seamlessly monitors, controls and optimizes Electricity, Gas and Water assets. Using AI algorithms, the Energy Cloud Ecosystem aggregates and co-ordinates Distributed Energy Resources to eliminate wastage and increase operational efficiency.

SensorSuite has deployed their AI solution in over 157 MURBs in Canada generating 12 billion data points per year. The Energy Cloud Ecosystem can generate between 20% to 30% in energy efficiency for MURB owners and managers, in an ongoing service model.

VCI Controls, a UPI wholly owned subsidiary, has provided services to over 2000 buildings in over 40 years, and will assess opportunities to generate Building Performance revenues with past, current customers and new prospects.

Glen Spry, President and CEO of SensorSuite, “We are excited to have Universal PropTech actively drive sales in Canada. Having a 40-year controls company like VCI Controls, enables us to start to scale the success of our AI Energy Cloud Ecosystem Platform.”

Read More: https://agoracom.com/ir/UniversalPropTech/forums/discussion/topics/754518-universal-proptech-inc-announces-channel-partnership-with-sensorsuite-inc-to-deliver-ai-building-automation-for-murbs-and-non-bas-customers/messages/2301770#message

Universal PropTech Inc. $UPI.ca Announces Signing of Exclusive Distributor Agreement for Eastern Canada for Canadian-Made Air Sanitization Solutions #AI #IoT $SNE $MSFT $HON

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:28 AM on Monday, February 1st, 2021
  • Entered into an exclusive master distributor agreement with Air Alpine Innovation Research Inc. to promote and market Air Sniper products.
  • UPI’s wholly-owned subsidiary, VCI Controls Inc. will exclusively distribute these products in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
  • We are excited to exclusively represent this Made-in-Canada success story of leading edge germicidal UVC and NASA-originated Photocatalytic Oxidation technology in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada,” stated Chris Hazelton,

Toronto, Ontario–(February 1, 2021) – Universal PropTech Inc. (TSXV: UPI) (“UPI” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an exclusive master distributor agreement (“Agreement“) with Air Alpine Innovation Research Inc. (“Air Sniper“) to promote and market Air Sniper products. UPI’s wholly-owned subsidiary, VCI Controls Inc. (“VCI“) will exclusively distribute these products in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

We are excited to exclusively represent this Made-in-Canada success story of leading edge germicidal UVC and NASA-originated Photocatalytic Oxidation technology in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada,” stated Chris Hazelton, President and CEO of UPI. “We will aggressively pursue immediate opportunities in schools, campuses, government and commercial facilities and seniors’ homes.”

Stuart Henley, President of Air Sniper said, “Air Sniper is pleased to enter into a partnership with Universal PropTech, and to be able to utilize their 40-year presence and experience in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. With UPI’s existing and expanding client footprint, we expect to develop a strong partnership and see significant adoption as we work to push the Air Sniper product through sales funnels.”

Read More: https://agoracom.com/ir/UniversalPropTech/forums/discussion/topics/754321-universal-proptech-inc-announces-signing-of-exclusive-distributor-agreement-for-eastern-canada-for-canadian-made-air-sanitization-solutions/messages/2301345#message

Universal PropTech Inc. $UPI.ca Announces Signing of Partnership with AtmosAir Solutions for Bi-Polar Ionization Products to Fight COVID-19 #AI #IoT $SNE $MSFT $HON

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:20 AM on Wednesday, January 27th, 2021
  • Entered into a partnership with AtmosAir Solutions of Fairfield CT. to bring its products to market in Canada, including the company’s bi-polar ionization technology that mitigates COVID-19 and other viruses, bacteria and mold in the air and on surfaces.
  • UPI’s wholly-owned subsidiary, VCI Controls Inc. will promote, market, and sell AtmosAir products in Ontario and Quebec.

Toronto, Ontario–(January 27, 2021) – Universal PropTech Inc. (TSXV: UPI) (“UPI” or the “Company“) announced today that is has entered into a partnership with AtmosAir Solutions of Fairfield CT. to bring its products to market in Canada, including the company’s bi-polar ionization technology that mitigates COVID-19 and other viruses, bacteria and mold in the air and on surfaces. UPI’s wholly-owned subsidiary, VCI Controls Inc. (“VCI”) will promote, market, and sell AtmosAir products in Ontario and Quebec.

“Our team is very excited to be taking this important step in our business plan with a reputable company such as AtmosAir,” said Chris Hazelton, President and CEO of UPI. “Their impressive client base is a testament to the quality of their solutions, and it is time such great technology was made readily available to our clients – existing and future. UPI is committed to seeking out the best-in-class technology solutions for our clients to fight the spread of COVID-19 whether by way of ownership, investment, licencing or master distribution arrangements. We are excited and committed to aggressively pursue schools, universities and colleges, long term care facilities and other governmental facilities to deliver results with our 40-year proven integrated HVAC and Building Controls company.”

Carlos Gendron, VP of Sales and Marketing at AtmosAir said, “Our current distribution has reached over 7,500 installations worldwide, mainly focused on United States and China. The quality of our products is evident from our roster of clients, which include marquee names involved in commercial real estate, health care, hospitals, assisted living, hotels, cruise lines, universities and sports facilities. We are pleased to work with the UPI team as we make our debut into Ontario and Quebec. VCI’s experience and long-standing track record is impressive and we look forward to showcasing our innovation in Canada with a credible partner such as UPI.”

AtmosAir products provide indoor air quality solutions that suppress airborne and surface microbials and pathogens, including coronavirus, other viruses, bacteria and mold, and reduce odors as well as unhealthy and irritating volatile organic compounds (VOCs). AtmosAir Solutions’ tested and proven air purification technology is a continuous disinfectant, removing airborne and surface contaminants from indoor spaces.

Read More: https://agoracom.com/ir/UniversalPropTech/forums/discussion/topics/754030-universal-proptech-inc-announces-signing-of-partnership-with-atmosair-solutions-for-bi-polar-ionization-products-to-fight-covid-19/messages/2300494#message

VIDEO – Universal #PropTech $UPI.ca Has Generated $35,000,000+ In Revenues Over Past 3 Years Delivering Healthy Building Solutions, Now Prepares To Deliver #COVID-19 Solutions To Tier-1 Clients Across Canada #AI #IoT $SNE $MSFT $HON

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 4:16 PM on Tuesday, January 26th, 2021

As the name implies “PropTech” is a combination of two words and stands for “property technology.”  As simple as that is, the implementation and importance of PropTech is anything but, which is why many companies are trying to capitalize on the rapidly growing PropTech industry, while Universal PropTech (UPI:TSXV) is actually delivering healthy building solutions developers, owners and operators across Canada. 

More than just lip service, UPI clients include:

  • Federal Government facilities for over 40 years
  • Manulife
  • Brookfield
  • Billy Bishop Airport
  • University of Toronto
  • …. and many more

Now UPI is preparing to service those clients and take another big step forward with this announcement on January 25, 2021 – Universal PropTech Announces Signing of Canadian Distribution Agreement with Fresh-Aire UV to Help Combat SARS-CoV-2 in Schools, Colleges, Universities, Government Facilities and Seniors’ Homes.  What it means can best be summarized in the following quote by Chris Hazelton, President & CEO of UPI:

“Our clients expect us to have the right Covid-19-fighting solutions that meet the needs of their uniquely designed facilities.  Fresh-Aire UV solutions allow us to deliver a highly integrated HVAC package to fit those schools, colleges, universities, government facilities and seniors’ homes, immediately, and enable us to remain our customer’s trusted advisor in healthy buildings.”  

Watch our interview with CEO Hazelton to learn about the Company’s established PropTech success, COVID-19 solution for Canadian buildings and where the Company is going.

Universal PropTech $UPI.ca Announces Signing of Canadian Distribution Agreement with Fresh-Aire UV to Help Combat SARS-CoV-2 in Schools, Colleges, Universities, Government Facilities and Seniors’ Homes #AI #IoT $SNE $MSFT $HON

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:15 AM on Monday, January 25th, 2021
  • Entered into a distribution agreement with Jupiter, Florida-based Triatomic Environmental Inc. d/b/a Fresh-Aire UV to carry its air purification systems.
  • Fresh-Aire UV is an innovation leader in the field of indoor air quality.
  • Fresh-Aire UV’s light and carbon products fight mold, bacteria, viruses, and odors in commercial and residential HVACR systems.

Toronto, Ontario–(January 25, 2021) – Universal PropTech Inc. (TSXV: UPI) (“UPI” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a distribution agreement (“Agreement“) with Jupiter, Florida-based Triatomic Environmental Inc. d/b/a Fresh-Aire UV (“Fresh-Aire UV“) to carry its air purification systems. Fresh-Aire UV is an innovation leader in the field of indoor air quality. Fresh-Aire UV’s light and carbon products fight mold, bacteria, viruses, and odors in commercial and residential HVACR systems.

Chris Hazelton, President and CEO of UPI commented: “Our clients expect us to have the right Covid-19-fighting solutions that meet the needs of their uniquely designed facilities.” Mr. Hazelton continued: “Fresh-Aire UV solutions allow us to deliver a highly integrated HVAC package to fit those schools, colleges, universities, government facilities and seniors’ homes, immediately, and enable us to remain our customer’s trusted advisor in healthy buildings.

“Fresh-Aire UV is proud to partner with Universal PropTech, an industry leader in providing solutions for healthier indoor environments. We see a tremendous opportunity to make a real difference addressing many air quality issues UPI customers are facing,” said Aaron Engel, Vice President for Fresh-Aire UV.

Read More: https://agoracom.com/ir/UniversalPropTech/forums/discussion/topics/753844-universal-proptech-announces-signing-of-canadian-distribution-agreement-with-fresh-aire-uv-to-help-combat-sars-cov-2-in-schools-colleges/messages/2300017#message

Universal PropTech $UPI.ca – An Integrated and Holistic Approach Stops the Spread of #Covid-19 in Public Facilities #AI #IoT $SNE $MSFT $HON

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:23 AM on Tuesday, January 19th, 2021

Public facilities serve their specific purposes, whether they be to educate children, support communities with meeting space and programs, house and support our elderly, maintain the movement of people, or supporting our emergency services resources. It is not an understatement to claim that ensuring these facilities are able to open and operate in a safe and healthy manner underpins the ability for our economy to re-open and thrive. There is no other way.

Despite the rolling out of vaccines, it is also obvious that while 2021 offers a light at the end of the tunnel, not much has changed from the devastation left from the wake of the 2nd wave. Newly identified strain variants don’t guarantee the long-term effectiveness of the vaccines, but resemble more of an equivalent of ongoing serious flu seasons. 

Thinking through how facilities can operate in a safe and healthy manner, what are to be likely challenges? What would success look like? 

Firstly, before people are able to enter a facility, there must be systems in place to assess, in real time, whether people have Covid-19. One way to eliminate the spread of the virus within the facility is ensuring that those who are asymptomatic and may be unaware, are denied access. There are a number of ways to accomplish this, ranging from regular testing, increased speed to generate results, and ability to manage access more effectively.   

Read More: https://universalproptech.com/an-integrated-and-holistic-approach-stops-the-spread-of-covid-19-in-public-facilities/

#Proptech And Contech VCs Predict What Is In Store For 2021 – SPONSOR: Universal PropTech $UPI.ca #AI #IoT $SNE $MSFT $HON

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:55 AM on Wednesday, January 13th, 2021

SPONSOR:

UPI: TSX-V

www.universalproptech.com

As the name implies “PropTech” is a combination of two words and stands for “property technology.”  As simple as that is, the implementation and importance of PropTech is anything but. 

Like every other industry on the planet that is incorporating technology to create greater efficiencies and experiences, the commercial real estate market is no different and is seeing the rapid adoption of;

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Machine learning
  • Big data
  • Internet of Things (IoT Sensors)
  • Cloud computing

To create cost savings by reducing and even eliminating existing costs, create greater efficiencies for the operation and maintenance of real estate assets, as well as, improve the design of new builds.

IMPACT OF COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has served to significantly increased the demand for PropTech in the commercial real estate market as follows:

  • The need for solutions to get workers back into workplace buildings and offices. Specifically, the need to identify bacteria and viruses in indoor air quality, as well as, the ability to sanitize immediately and effectively.
  • The need to create even greater cost savings and efficiencies for real estate owners that will continue suffering losses until workers significantly return to the workplace.

WHY UNIVERSAL PROPTECH (UPI:TSXV)?

Whereas many companies are just now trying to capitalize on the opportunities presented in the current and massive future of PropTech, Universal PropTech Inc. (“UPI”) a diversified investment platform delivering healthy building solutions and services for building developers, owners and operators in Canada. 

—————

Proptech And Contech VCs Predict What Is In Store For 2021

  • The VCs all agree that the sector will continue to strengthen and become more mainstream, and that the pandemic played a significant role in boosting its growth.
  • As Berman puts it, investment into real estate technology will increase in 2021 (and beyond) across industry verticals because “The billions of dollars that have already been invested in innovating ‘real estate’ is just a drop in the bucket.

By: Angelica Krystle Donati

Happy New Year to all of this column’s readers! I think I speak for us all when I say “good riddance” to 2020, and for this reason – and the fact that we’ve covered the topic of the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on real estate, proptech and contech several times during the year – I’ve decided to eschew tradition and only focus on the future in my new year’s piece. Make no mistake, 2021 will be a challenging year. We won’t be free of the virus until the summer at the earliest, and the shocking events that took place in the first week of the year were enough to make many wish that we could skip forward to 2022.

This being said, I believe that 2021 will be a year of change and rebirth. Real estate was forced to embrace innovation once and for all in 2020, and this new year will only serve to cement this shift. 

To delve into the outlook for real estate and its tech, I once again enlisted the help of several leading global proptech and contech VCs. They are Pi Labs founder Faisal Butt, Concrete VC founder Taylor Wescoatt, MetaProp cofounder and general partner Zach Aarons, RET Ventures partner John Helm, Camber Creek general partner Jeffrey Berman, JLL Spark APAC lead Anuj Nangpal, Taronga Group cofounder Jonathan Hannam and BuiltUp Ventures co-founding managing partner Oded Eliashiv.

What do you think the proptech and contech investment landscape will look like in 2021 and beyond?

The VCs all agree that the sector will continue to strengthen and become more mainstream, and that the pandemic played a significant role in boosting its growth. As Berman puts it, investment into real estate technology will increase in 2021 (and beyond) across industry verticals because “The billions of dollars that have already been invested in innovating ‘real estate’ is just a drop in the bucket. The pace will quicken as embracing technology and the digitization of otherwise banal workflows becomes routine. COVID-19 became a forcing function for technological adoption in the real estate industry – which has proven to be a boon to both entrepreneurs and investors. And it will continue into 2021 & beyond in key areas around solutions that ensure business continuity (think safety & remote operations), robust data ingestion and, of course, cybersecurity (as real estate companies introduce new technology) among others.”

Aarons concurs stating that, despite the massive economic disruptions that occurred during 2020, the proptech community still enjoyed a record year of financing, and there is still a lot of room to grow. Eliahsiv agrees, as he believes that recovery from the pandemic will be faster and stronger than that from past crises. While COVID-19 caused a hard stop to global activity, it also helped produce rapid changes and accelerated the adoption of new technologies; 5G and IoT will play an important role in this continued growth. Nangpal added that he has seen accelerated activity in proptech investments that are highly focused on narrow opportunistic themes which can harness the tailwinds provided by the pandemic, and pointed out three significant trends: flexibility, safety and sustainability. He reckons that 2021 will see significant private equity activity into proptech as scaling companies get better access to liquidity, and valuations will exponentially increase. As a consequence, proptech leaders will aggressively consolidate using their enhanced valuations as currency.

According to Wescoatt and Butt, this is tied to the growth of the venture capital ecosystem, with Wescoatt stating that “Corporate venture capital will expand as significant players realise they have real value to contribute via their portfolios, and they want to have some skin in the game. Europe-led investments will start to cross borders more meaningfully than they have in the past. M&A by larger proptech players will increase”. Butt added that “There are a number of new funds emerging either wholly or partially focused on proptech, so this is likely to help mature the ecosystem. The ideal is that there is cradle-to-grave availability of capital – where start-ups have capital pools to tap into at every step of the start-up journey”.

From Helm’s point of view, though we can expect the COVID-19 vaccination program to reach critical mass by mid-year and economies should start bouncing back relatively quickly from then, lockdowns and quasi-lockdowns will likely continue for months, impacting certain real estate asset classes such as those tied to travel and retail, and the technology solutions that support them. However, “other proptech companies — especially those related to single-family and multifamily real estate — will continue to prove alluring to users and investors alike. Even after the pandemic fades, many of the technologies whose deployment was speeded up to help deal with social distancing protocols such as online leasing and self-touring will stay as owners and residents alike have found them to be a better experience and operationally more effective.” 

Hannam believes that there has been an erosion of internal barriers of resistance to tech throughout real estate in 2020, as a greater use of innovation and technology has become the only way of returning to some level of normality.  He adds that “However, within the corporates, the major challenge remains implementation. Many corporates now want to drive change within their organisations but realise that change also requires a shift in culture and a different skillset. In order to address this, leading global real estate groups are now adding technologists to their boards and having innovation heads as a direct report to the CEO.” 

What has changed in your thinking for the future compared to this time last year? 

Saying that the global outlook today is radically different than it was this time last year is probably the understatement of the century. The VCs have varying views on how the past 12 months have affected their outlook for the future. 

Wescoatt thinks more ‘tentativity’ in strategic moves driven by uncertain occupier behaviour will lend itself to more tech experimentation. As he puts it, there is “no more ‘business as usual’ and every aspect of the value chain is now thrown open for review.” Aarons agrees, stating that the adoption curve is much faster for customers than it was at this time last year.  

Eliashiv told me he “now view[s] everything through the lens of the pandemic and believe[s] our way of life going forward will need to adapt to a new world of living, working, socializing, and communicating.” In line with this, Nangpal shared that the pandemic has shifted ‘use cases’ for proptech from being focused on cost efficiency to a people and employee focused application. He believes that “CFOs and CHROs are now at the centre of the enterprise sales cycle and have emerged as key influencers in the decision process.” 

Looking forward, Butt is exploring the new and next-generation ideas and technologies within proptech and contech. “There are category leaders already established in some of the proptech niches, many of which are already in our portfolio.  We are extensively researching new areas to venture into and invest in, in addition to supporting our growing portfolio of 50+ companies.” 

Hannam believes that, in addition to current trends centred around safety, process digitalization and the creation of new revenue streams for sectors such as retail, there will be an ever-growing focus on sustainability.  

Helm and Berman both feel that their thinking for the future has changed much less than might be expected. As Berman puts it, “We have a focused investment thesis that supports deploying capital into technology & business innovation that are ‘need to haves’ versus ‘nice to haves’. 2020 – and the COVID backdrop – provided the ultimate validation for our philosophy as a number of our companies experienced breakout growth due to the pandemic disruption. COVID-19 greatly accelerated adoption and there’s no going back from that. I’ll be surprised if there’s anything but a vocal minority that says ‘let’s go back to the old way of doing business.’”  

Helm echoes this, stating that “Most of the changes that we’ve observed in these sectors were accelerated by the pandemic, not created by it. Prime examples are changes that relate to working from home, self-touring/online leasing, and the growth of e-commerce and attendant concerns in apartment buildings. Zooming out to look at the industry broadly, this has been a very dynamic year; some proptech companies have thrived and others have floundered. As a sector matures, you always expect a certain amount of consolidation: End-users begin gravitating toward certain solutions, creating winners and losers, and then mergers and acquisitions solidify these companies’ respective market positions. Within proptech, we saw this maturation begin in a limited sense before the pandemic, but it has accelerated in a significant way. In the coming year, I think we’ll get a much clearer picture of who the winners are in various proptech categories.” 

What tech and what sectors are you most excited about for 2021 and beyond? 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, as the VCs hail from different geographical areas and have a varied sectoral focus, their answers to this question are wide-ranging. One key trend they all agree on for the new year is that of sustainability.  

Hannam shared that “Our pipeline of potential new investments includes construction technology, solar distribution systems that will be applicable for build-to-rent and residential owners, cleaning technology applicable to all sectors, marketplace creation for retail, as well as additional investments into vision systems and AI. We have focused on construction because it has so many implications for energy, sustainability as well as health and safety.” 

Helm, too, is focusing on construction alongside his ongoing focus on residential management, explaining that “Our outlook on construction tech is now more bullish for several reasons. In the short-term, certain construction technologies are helpful in that they can simplify the on-site construction process, and can limit the number of trade workers onsite, facilitating social distancing. In the medium term, due to where we stand in the real estate cycle, many owners are increasing their focus on developing multifamily properties. With more shovels poised to hit the ground in the next few years, the market opportunity for construction technology is growing. We had never doubted the long-term opportunity for construction tech; due to present conditions, it now seems like a strong category in the short and medium-term, as well.”    

Eliashiv favors IoT, advanced materials, and computer vision. Wescoatt believes in flexible offerings, for every category, as well as solutions targeting ESGs and sustainability. He thinks that “Facilities Management and Asset Management are pivotal activities that stand to gain a lot from better data-driven practices.” 

Nangpal echoes Wescoatt, stating that he believes that tech which enables people to work flexibly and be fully functional and efficient will be a winner. “This would include portfolio optimization tools for occupiers to assess their real estate in a post-pandemic world, collaboration software, and platforms that enable workspaces as an employee benefit such as allowing the employee to choose where they want to work out of.” 

Aarons is “excited to invest in hotel technology again, as we’re anticipating a post-vaccination rebound to the hospitality sector and massive “rip and replace” efforts for hotel software stacks, as they contemplate reopening with newer, more efficient systems in place. We are also excited about some of the dynamics we are seeing in the senior housing sector as it relates to technology adoption.” 

 According to Butt, “We recently published a research paper on the Future of Real Estate Investment Management, and off the back of that research, we are actively investing in start-ups that are digitalizing this space. Similarly, we have researched sustainability in the built environment and are very actively investing in start-ups that can help the real estate and construction sectors reduce their carbon footprint. This is, in fact, one of our key investment themes for 2021.” 

Berman believes there is so much opportunity in every sector that it is hard to single out one. He is very interested in the potential at the intersection between proptech and fintech, stating that “There’s been a lot of press around fast-growing fintech companies that are proving out the adoption of digital finance. We’ve only started scratching the surface of what’s possible; add real estate applications into the mix and the possibilities are staggering. Companies tackling everything from DIY Landlord banking to multifamily payments will change the way businesses and consumers financially interact.” 

What plays that worked in the past are now old news and off your menu for 2021? 

It is inevitable that, in a maturing market that has seen such radical change over the past year, some investment categories will inevitably have lost their shine.  

Aarons told me that tenant-experience technology was a major focus of MetaProp’s for years. Now, as they believe that the winners have been crowned in this space, it’s off the menu in terms of new investments, though they will continue to support our existing companies in this space. Butt shared a similar story about property maintenance and management platforms. As they are already investors in one of the sector leaders, they are not actively pursuing new investments in this niche at the moment.  PiLabs are looking for start-ups that can scale globally so are unlikely to invest in local or regional start-ups that don’t have global ambitions. Eliashiv shared that BuiltUp Ventures has also cooled down on management tools. 

Berman believes that some of the hype around blockchain-focused startups (specifically germane to the tokenization of assets) has died down. He added “That’s not to say blockchain won’t be incredibly impactful to the real estate industry. It will, but it’s early days yet. I’d also suggest that some (arguably not even appropriate to call ‘proptech’) lease arbitrage plays are slightly out of favor as investors look to minimize risk.” 

Though it isn’t an area of major focus for RET Ventures, Helm feels that “capital-intensive investments, such as co-working, which always carry an element of risk seem particularly ill-advised in such an uncertain market. We have always gravitated toward technology that improves real estate operations (marketing, leasing, communications, etc.), which are more stable, and I think that approach has proven itself in the past year.” 

Wescoatt added that hospitality and retail have far less ‘inevitability’ of consumption than previously, “so while Concrete VC is happy to back novel concepts at early stages, later-stage opportunities bear greater scrutiny.” 

What is your main goal as an investor in 2021? 

Proptech and contech have reacted counter-cyclically to the current crisis and are poised to grow exponentially from here, and the VCs are ready to act on it. Their main focus is to ensure they best serve their investors, partners, and portfolio companies. 

Nangpal thinks the market will shift towards solving problems for the mid-market occupier and mid-sized real estate investors rather than the past focus on enterprise clients and large global investors only. Eliashiv wants to focus on technologies that will serve new market needs, be agile, and can adapt to disruptive events. “It starts with the “big idea,” continues to the team, and ends with the technology.” 

Wescoatt wants to “help our portfolio companies see and respond to the changes that are coming,” as does Berman, who shared that his goal is to “maximize my ability to serve as a resource to and for Camber Creek portfolio company founders and limited partners and to continue to be mindful and thankful of how lucky I am to get to do what I love.” Aarons’ goal is to “work with a diverse and wonderful group of entrepreneurs who are interested in making real estate more affordable, accessible, and sustainable through technology.”  

Butt added that “we have several portfolio companies that are maturing and reaching a stage where we, as the first VC investor in those start-ups, will have opportunities to exit and return capital and profits to our LPs.  That will be a big priority for us.  Additionally, we are actively broadening our investment mandate in terms of geography and are excited to be making investments in places where we haven’t invested before. Continuing to consistently invest in top-performing proptech start-ups is our main priority. We are an ambitious team, so scaling up Pi Labs is front of mind for us in 2021. Sustainability remains a key priority for Pi Labs, so investing in start-ups that can make a tangible sustainability impact at scale will be a priority.”  

Helm reckons that part of what makes RET Ventures unique is how closely they work with strategic investors to identify the issues that are plaguing the industry and find and back technologies that will solve those problems. He expects to be at least as busy in 2021 as in the second half of 2020, which was a very busy and fruitful period.  

According to Hannam, Taronga Ventures wants to drive further collaboration across the real estate sector and they will work to bring together regional governments, real estate corporations, emerging technology companies as well as universities and research institutions. Through RealTechX – Asia’s largest Growth Program, they continue to attract the world’s leading emerging technology companies and help them to expand into new markets – especially across Asia. Through the RealTech Ventures Fund, their focus is now on deploying capital and ensuring they continue to deliver for their investors. 

What is your biggest wish for the proptech and contech sectors for the new year? 

Finally, this is what the VCs hope the new year will bring to real estate technologies.  

Wescoatt wants the nomenclature to go away, and for every part of real estate to automatically consider technology in what they do. Eliashiv concurs, hoping that more real estate players will adopt technological innovation. 

Butt would like to see some big fundraising rounds in Europe, allowing category leaders to scale-up and have a real impact on their home turf, and in international markets.  He added that “I’d like to see more proptech start-ups proving that they can scale globally. Exits are also top of my wish list. If we and the industry can demonstrate big, valuable exits, that will help bring more capital into the proptech ecosystem.” 

Nangpal wishes for the sector to continue to be ‘use case’ driven. “There still are a lot of ‘good to have’ technologies out there. Given where we are in the adoption journey, I wish tech founders would focus on the ‘must-haves’ that solve people-centric problems in the real estate sector.” 

Hannam’s greatest wish is that real estate assets can be used to support the transition back to some level of normalcy and that we can put 2020 behind us, learn from the challenges, and move forward with more efficient assets that are less polluting and driving higher returns. A second wish is that “Valuers take a more pragmatic approach to valuing flexible or collaborative workspace. In our view every commercial asset will have a portion of space, perhaps up to 30%, operating as flex space. Yet valuers currently discount this space significantly, when in many cases the flex space is more profitable and delivers a significant benefit to the asset or precinct.” 

Helm thinks the most important thing for proptech and contech is a strong overall economy. Different business sectors are inter-connected in many ways, and bad employment figures or other issues will ultimately impact investment flow and tech adoption. Tied closely to that is the need for continued innovation. Over the past few years, proptech innovation has grown dramatically, and many compelling technologies have been introduced to the real estate space. He added that “These maturing companies are already improving operations across the industry, but we still need entrepreneurs to innovate to create fresh solutions for problems that have not yet been solved. A strong economy will make angel investing more plentiful and help support this entrepreneurism.” 

Berman’s biggest wish for the proptech sector in 2021 is that the best and the brightest entrepreneurs from all walks of life continue exploring novel ways to transform the real estate industry for the better. 

Last, but not least, Aarons wishes to see people in person again within the sector, stating that “I genuinely enjoy spending time with the friends and colleagues I have made over the years in the sector and interacting over Zoom is just not the same.” 

Happy new year, and may 2021 be a fresh start for us all!

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/angelicakrystledonati/2021/01/10/proptech-and-contech-vcs-predict-what-is-in-store-for-2021/?sh=690e518c7073

Universal PropTech $UPI.ca Announces Closing of Oversubscribed Private Placement of Units #AI #IoT $SNE $MSFT $HON

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:16 AM on Monday, January 11th, 2021
  • Announced it has completed an oversubscribed non-brokered private placement of 4,027,779 units of the Company at a price of $0.21 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $845,833.
  • Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant

Toronto, Ontario–(January 11, 2021) – Universal PropTech Inc. (TSXV: UPI) (“UPI” or the “Company“) wishes to announce it has completed an oversubscribed non-brokered private placement (the “Offering“) of 4,027,779 units of the Company (“Units“) at a price of $0.21 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $845,833. Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (a “Common Share“) and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a “Warrant“). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at a price of $0.30 for a period of two years from the date of issuance.

The Company paid an aggregate cash commission of $67,666 representing 8% of the gross proceeds of the Offering introduced by the finders. In addition, the Company issued 322,222 compensation options of the Company (“Compensation Options”) to the finders representing 8% of the number of Units sold to subscribers introduced by the finders. Each Compensation Option entitles the holder thereof to purchase a Unit for $0.21 for a period of two years from the date of issuance. Foundation Markets Inc. was engaged as the Company’s exclusive finder in connection with the Offering.

Read More: https://agoracom.com/ir/UniversalPropTech/forums/discussion/topics/752722-universal-proptech-announces-closing-of-oversubscribed-private-placement-of-units/messages/2296947#message

#PropTech Is About To Come of Age – SPONSOR: Universal PropTech $UPI.ca Delivering Healthy Building Solutions and Services For Building Developers, Owners and Operators #AI #IoT $SNE $MSFT $HON

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:52 AM on Thursday, January 7th, 2021

SPONSOR:

UPI: TSX-V

www.universalproptech.com

As the name implies “PropTech” is a combination of two words and stands for “property technology.”  As simple as that is, the implementation and importance of PropTech is anything but. 

Like every other industry on the planet that is incorporating technology to create greater efficiencies and experiences, the commercial real estate market is no different and is seeing the rapid adoption of;

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Machine learning
  • Big data
  • Internet of Things (IoT Sensors)
  • Cloud computing

To create cost savings by reducing and even eliminating existing costs, create greater efficiencies for the operation and maintenance of real estate assets, as well as, improve the design of new builds.

IMPACT OF COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has served to significantly increased the demand for PropTech in the commercial real estate market as follows:

  • The need for solutions to get workers back into workplace buildings and offices. Specifically, the need to identify bacteria and viruses in indoor air quality, as well as, the ability to sanitize immediately and effectively.
  • The need to create even greater cost savings and efficiencies for real estate owners that will continue suffering losses until workers significantly return to the workplace.

WHY UNIVERSAL PROPTECH (UPI:TSXV)?

Whereas many companies are just now trying to capitalize on the opportunities presented in the current and massive future of PropTech, Universal PropTech Inc. (“UPI”) a diversified investment platform delivering healthy building solutions and services for building developers, owners and operators in Canada.  More than just lip service, UPI has been successfully delivering its PropTech solutions for years, with revenues over the last 3 years as follows:

2017 – $13.8M

2018 – $13.7M

2019 – $15.9M


Proptech is about to come of age

  • Our view is that proptech adoption will be quicker as a result of this downturn, with acceptance of tech-driven transformation much more widely accepted than previously experienced.
  • As office owners and developers explore how to adapt their operations and assets to remain competitive, 89% of proptech investors believe the pandemic will accelerate real estate technology adoption across the industry, according to MetaProp’s Global PropTech Confidence Index.

By Faisal Butt

We are almost a year into the global pandemic and offices are largely sat idle and empty. With lockdown now a reality until spring, the question on many industry leaders’ lips is: what does the future hold for commercial offices?

Prior to widespread home working, remote work was usually viewed as a nice perk rather than an organisational priority. Just 5.1% of the UK workforce primarily worked from home in 2019, despite the steady proliferation of technologies that made it easier than ever.

Given that 82% of real estate companies are looking to invest in home working and digital meeting tools in the immediate future, according to Property Week’s 2020 Power of Proptech survey, we can be confident that remote working will continue to be a common workplace reality in the post-Covid era.

It’s no surprise, then, that demand for offices is suppressed right now, with some consultancies estimating the average firm in London now has 20% more office space than it requires.

What’s next?

We are in all likelihood in for a prolonged economic downturn, which generally impacts office take-up. However, experience tells us that those who turn to innovation during a recession often outperform their peers.

With this in mind, we firmly believe that Covid-19 will be for real estate what the Global Financial Crisis was for the financial services sector. There is a real opportunity to drive innovation and more widespread technological adoption. Much of this is long overdue, given how resistant to change the commercial real estate industry has always been.

Source: Shutterstock/David Pereiras

Home office: working from home will continue to be a workplace reality

Our view is that proptech adoption will be quicker as a result of this downturn, with acceptance of tech-driven transformation much more widely accepted than previously experienced. As office owners and developers explore how to adapt their operations and assets to remain competitive, 89% of proptech investors believe the pandemic will accelerate real estate technology adoption across the industry, according to MetaProp’s Global PropTech Confidence Index.

The emergence of user-focused, big data in the occupier markets, combined with the digitalisation of letting, financial and legal processes, will allow the new wave of proptech adoption to reshape the real estate industry with their innovative business models. There will also be a pressing importance for office owners and developers to stay ahead of the curve and understand the business value of the data generated in buying, renting or managing real estate. That will enable them to select the best technological solutions to ensure that they remain agile within this changing world.

Covid-19 tailwind

The foundations are already being laid so that 10 years of proptech adoption will now take place in just two. For instance, tenant and employee engagement platform Office App has experienced a sharp uptick in enquiries as corporates turn to technology to overcome some of the hurdles of returning to the office.

Office App brings together the data and digital systems used by buildings into a single platform to measure crowdedness, manage hygiene control and store all Covid-19 employee information in one place. To date, the software has been adopted across 300 buildings in Europe and is proving to be an indispensable tool as companies plan how to safely get employees back to the workplace and facilitate face-to-face collaboration.

Further evidence that Covid-19 has boosted the transition towards a digital commercial real estate market comes from VTS’s latest successful innovation. The New York-based unicorn, a modern tech platform for commercial real estate, launched an online office marketplace during lockdown enabling owners and brokers to see office listings, take digital tours and, eventually, complete an entire leasing transaction virtually, unhindered by any lockdown or logistical restrictions.

These are the types of solutions that we can expect to thrive in the post-Covid-19 world. At Pi Labs, we identified and completed 11 new investments last year, realising that such technological solutions developed by the next generation of entrepreneurs will shape how and where we work for years to come.

Source: https://www.propertyweek.com/insight/proptech-is-about-to-come-of-age/5111898.article