TECH TALK RADIO

On this episode of Tech Talk radio, host Emily Wright is joined by Aviva Investors' head of responsible investment Ed Dixon as reveals the simple mantra the real estate sector needs when it comes to demystifying ESG - and it's not acronyms.  A former carpenter who lost his job in the 2008 recession, Dixon talks about his career path from "fifty quid weekend jobs" to "£50bn of real assets 20 years later" and discusses why "it's OK" that head of sustainability and director roles in large real estate companies are increasingly being taken up by younger, less experienced people. "Young people are taking on incrementally bigger and bigger roles in this space. They are taking risks, they are getting the leadership team on board and they are delivering great stuff. I think it's working." Dixon also touches on the transition from investing in climate solutions such as green buildings to tackling climate in its entirety and why finding the "bright spots" in the sector and ignoring those with their heads down resisting change is crucial to progress.  And, in a direct message to listeners, he told them the simple question they could ask themselves as soon as they had finished listening to the podcast that would reveal whether or not they are on the right tracks as we navigate "a time of change tantamount to the industrial revolution".  To find out more, tune in now. 

On this week's episode of Tech Talk Radio, host Emily Wright speaks to someone not known to mince his words. Ility founder and chief executive Marcus Moufarrige pulls no punches when it comes to his thoughts on the future of tenant engagement apps as his platform is rolled out across portfolios within major real estate companies including L&G and Deloitte.  "I have always said that tenant engagement isn't an app, it's an outcome," said Moufarrige. "If it isn't an app, why do we need them?" Moufarrige added that getting people to engage with a building via an app has traditionally been a tough sell with low uptake and something that usually requires "a lot of pushing" because "no one gets turned on by engaging with a building." He said that New York-based Ility's strategy comes at the problem more from an asset management approach, giving the landlords the tools they need to collect and own their own data while creating flexible, profitable spaces with a focus on ESG.  To hear more about Ility, Moufarrige's thoughts on apps, data ownership and the difference between a sector which is digitised and one which has been digitally transformed, tune in to this episode of Tech Talk Radio. 

Michael Beckerman's efforts to inspire the real estate sector to tackle climate change are not always met with positive feedback. The chief executive and founder of CREtech, which runs real estate tech conferences across the globe, says that the move towards real estate addressing ESG is clearer to see in Europe. But in the US there is a long way to go. "I get a tremendous amount of hate mail," he adds. It's venomous. There are the climate deniers - and these are often people from within the real estate sector. Then there are the people who ask 'why should I be paying for this?' It is really, really hard." That is why, he says, CREtech is set on travelling outside of the States to cities like London and Copenhagen to discuss these issues and bring together the key players required to make significant in-roads in addressing some of the industry's thorniest ESG-related problems.   The hope is that the resulting intel will help to move the US market forward at a more rapid pace. Because, he adds, the time is now. "Real estate doesn't move organically. It moves when external factors force change. Change, right now, is being forced." To hear more from Beckerman tune into the podcast or join him at CREtech London on 27th-28th April https://www.cretech.com/events or CREtech Climate in Copenhagen https://cretechclimate.com/.

Redefining real estate as a product rather than as asset could be the trick to tackling complex and overwhelming ESG targets, says the founder of one of Europe's most active sustainable urbanism funds. Speaking on an episode of Tech Talk Radio, Mikkel Bulow-Lehnsby, co-founder of Copenhagen-based fund 2150 said that property companies have been lulled into "short-term shareholder timeframes" and that 2150 has been set up to help the industry reframe the urban environment. "We should try not to see real estate as an asset, but as a product," he said on this episode of Tech Talk Radio. "We need to focus on how we make that product more sustainable, customer-centric and efficient." Bulow-Lehnsby, who also co-founded European real estate investor NREP, added that anyone who is still part of the climate change problem within 10 years "won't have a business." He was joined on the podcast by former Sidewalk Labs head of sustainability Nicole LeBlanc who is now platform partner at 2150. She said that with so much time pressure on the sector to embrace and fuel change fast, the noise within the industry around ESG can be overwhelming. She said that 2150's investors often come to them saying they have more than one tech company offering the same solution and they don't know where to start. "Don't get analysis paralysis," she said. "Put them all up against each other, work out what the outcome would be if you implemented each of them within your business. Ask for customer references and feedback. Pilot two of them if you still aren't sure. But you have to start somewhere." For all of this and more on everything from first steps to the importance of funds and real estate firms sharing key tech solutions rather than curating technology for their own benefit, tune in to the podcast.  You can also join both LeBlanc and Bulow-Lehnsby at CREtech Climate in Copenhagen on May 17th-19th. Find more information and registration details here www.cretechclimate.com   

On this episode of Tech Talk Radio, head of content Emily Wright is joined by Cluttons head of research Sophy Moffat to explore the implications of a gradual "watering down" of connectivity targets at government level.  Following the release of the much anticipated Levelling Up white paper earlier this month, it has been noted that while connectivity and technology underpin much of the social advancements outlined within it, there is little focus on improvements to the technology itself.  In fact, says Moffat, the opposite is arguably true. "In the 2019 election manifesto from the Johnson government we had a pledge of 100% Gigabit connectivity to all UK premises by 2025," she says. "Later, in the November 2020 spending review we were told 80-85% of premises covered by 2025. Now, in the Levelling Up white paper, the most recent iteration of targets, we were told we would have nationwide access to Gigabit connectivity by 2030 and that the majority of the population will have 5G access by then. That's added five years onto the Gigabit target and a good three years on to the target for 5G coverage. That's where our concern comes from." On this podcast Moffat explores some of the actions and steps the property industry and local authorities across the UK can take to tackle this issue from raising awareness to supporting the appointment of digital champions at local authority level. "The sector needs to raise awareness around the fact that many crucial technologies will only be supported with 5G and Gigabit internet in place. Our research also shows that local authorities with digital champions in place and good digital strategies were much more likely to have an effective relationship with digital infrastructure providers and operators. The problem is that less than half of them actually have one in place." For more on how real estate can, and should, tackle the watering down of connectivity targets and the impact this apparent step down on initial goals could have on the Levelling Up agenda more widely, tune in to this episode of Tech Talk Radio. 

On this episode of Tech Talk Radio, EG head of content Emily Wright speaks to Insurami chief executive and founder Majed Chaaraoui and head of partnerships Jack Sibley.  Launched in 2019, Insurami effectively operates as a large-scale Deposit Guarantee platform for commercial real estate and is currently used by companies including The Howard De Walden Estate, Level39 and Huckletree.  Rather than forking out a hefty deposit in one go, tenants pay a monthly fee to the platform for a Deposit Guarantee. This then pays out to the landlord – up to the maximum cover value of £600,000 – if there is a default on the lease. Off the back of last month's announcement that Fasanara Capital has joined existing investors including Global Founders Capital, Entrepreneur First and Clocktower Ventures in a £42m raise to facilitate Insurami's expansion, the duo reveal what those growth plans will entail.  They also explain why they believe their tech solution will release billions of pounds worth of otherwise illiquid funds caught up within the real estate sector. 

Hybrid working looks to be here to stay. That not only means that offices need to work harder than ever before to lure tenants back but a wide range of other asset classes must up their connectivity game.   On this episode of Tech Talk Radio, EG head of content Emily Wright is joined by Wiredscore president William Newton and Watkins Jones head of divestment and asset management George Dyer to discuss just that.  Wiredscore research has revealed that over half of Europeans consider their internet to be better at home than in the workplace. As the world gears up to embrace hybrid working, it is clear there is more to be done to ensure that connectivity is supporting hybrid working across a number of asset classes including offices, BTR and purpose-built student accommodation.  "The key thing now for us as developers is to design places where people want to live and a critical part of that now is also where people want to work," said BTR and student accommodation developer Watkins Jones' Dyer. "For us, connectivity is a key part of that as well as looking at how we can integrate things like business lounges and co-working spaces into our buildings and really create an environment where people are happy to live and work." Newton said: “Looking to the future, we don't think the productive home-working we saw during the pandemic was a temporary shift. This is a new way or work and a better, more constructive way for people to live their lives. We are now incredibly well set up for remote work and landlords should be thinking very carefully about setting it up for people who want it.”

JLL's launch of JLL Short Stays in partnership with Lavanda last month is set to plug a gap in the market with a platform "to rival Airbnb".  JLL director Sam Winnard and Lavanda's chief executive Frederik Lerche-Lerchenborg joined EG's Emily Wright on the latest episode of Tech Talk Radio to reveal the thinking behind the launch and why they believe the residential sector needs to be better when it comes to embracing flexibility.  The new booking platform has been launched to offer business and leisure travellers professionally managed and fully flexible short-term rental accommodation in the UK. "We realised there is a huge amount of demand for medium term,  quality inventory," said Lerche-Lerchenborg. "People are relocating. People are in between long-term tenancies and the relationship with the office is changing. People are increasingly looking to book 3-month or 6-month stays, especially around the UK. But finding that high quality inventory is very difficult. "We realised that we have a whole load of different partners including JLL clients but also other big asset managers like Greystar and Blackstone which means we have a lot of inventory." JLL's Winnard adds: "With the short and long let markets, it has become more confusing as to what sits where. Applicants are coming to us with demand for 4-5 month tenancies. Ultimately we are seeing a closing in of two markets that aren't as polarised as they once were." The duo added that while Airbnb have dominated the short stay space for a number of years, they are hoping to access a more specific area of the market as people hunt for corporate relocations where a  professional management of a portfolio of properties is required.  "Logging on and booking via an app like the Airbnb experience is what people want," said Lerche-Lerchenborg. "It is the perfect moment in time for this as the real estate market is maturing and we can deliver this technology to create a platform people want. "I'd say to anyone looking for this sort of flexibility 'don't accept the residential market as it is. Ask for more, ask for better and demand flexibility'."

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” So said Leonardo da Vinci, a man who knew a few things about problem solving. As the application of technology and digital innovation to solve problems within the real estate sector continues to dominate strategies across the board, the power of simplicity comes into increasingly sharp focus. Of the many efficiencies offered by real estate tech, using digital technologies to expedite long-standing processes remains one of the most business critical. And while the rationale behind this strategy is simple, actually implementing the right tools for the job remains a challenge. Fitting then, that this should be the discussion point for our latest episode of Tech Talk Radio. EG Head of Content Emily Wright was joined by Teresa Lee, vice president of Roundhill Ventures, managing director of Search Acumen Andrew Lloyd and Marcus Moufarriage, founder and chief executive of Ility to talk about how even the simplest ideas need careful execution. “It is pretty well known that the real estate sector is quite behind in tech adoption,” said Roundhill Ventures' Teresa Lee. “That means a lot of the things we are seeing now are what we perceive to be quite simple. But that also means there are a lot of opportunities to move the needle quite quickly. So, it is a great thing the technology is here, even if it is a little behind other industries.” Ility's Marcus Moufarriage agreed adding: “I think it's a good thing there is movement at all because there has certainly been a tendency for owners and the real estate sector more generally to say 2we took the risk, we built the building. Now we are getting 20% and we will just go to the Cotswolds and come back in 15 years when your lease is up and renew you. It used to be a very light touch and very low service. But that's changing.” Search Acumen's Andrew Lloyd said: “There has been no real pressure on the industry to change until recently. If you look at any sector that has gone through modernisation or digitisation it always starts with the simple, time-consuming things first and then moves its way into more complex operations. But you have to do the simple stuff first.” True. But that doesn't mean it is any easier to tackle these problems in the first instance. Steve Jobs once famously said: “Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple.” So, how can the real estate sector clean up it's thinking? The answer really comes down to necessity. The panel universally agreed that the pandemic has left real estate with no choice but to innovate and, by default, find that simpler state of mind and start to break down straight-forward problems. The biggest challenge will be separating out the tech companies with something to offer, and those cashing in on an industry now under intense pressure to change. Quickly. Search Acumen's Lloyd said: “There are lots of firms jumping into the space. There are many solutions to problems that don't exist out there.” Ility's Moufarriage agreed although added that the pressure is on the tech side fo the equation too, now more than ever. “It always amazes me that the smoke and mirrors gets as far as it gets,” he said. “I don't think 2021 will be the year things unravel but I think next year it probably will for those who can't actually deliver when real decisions are being made. Ongoing uncertainty means that decision-making process is a bit stalled right now so I think there is still room to wing it a bit. But if you are out there not really solving a problem and what you offer is not digital transformation but is just dressed up as that then the cracks will start to show.” So those are some of the pitfalls. The panel also took some time to consider the signs of success. How does a real estate business measure how impactful their tech strategy has been? How do they know when they have played their cards right? “Question number one, are we still in business?” This is how Search Acumens' Lloyd would kick off the analysis. “Have we survived? Are we able to trade and continue to be successful in our market space? Are we winning market share over our competition? Is this tech working for us as an investment?” Roundhill's Lee added: “You need to set very specific goals for whatever technology you are trying to implement. So if you are implementing a new property management system, then you should know what you expect like decreasing the cost by 25%. The goal should be as tangible and specific as that. Treat it like any other project.”

In this 30-minute episode of the EG Property Podcast, EG editor Samantha McClary sits down with tech leader and investor and founder of SuperPitch, Joyeeta Das, and Ayesha Ofori, founder of PropElle, investor and Goldman Sachs alumna, to talk about investing, entrepreneurialism and diversity. Women, particularly women of colour, are massively under-funded as founders, they are often disregarded, not because of their business plans – which as you'll hear from Das in this conversation, are often more considered and considerate, but because they are female. Often it is not on purpose, often it is not conscious, but often it is the case. But instead of just talking about the issue, Das and her crew of supporters are doing something about it. SuperPitch is a global cross industry initiative to eliminate the biased access to capital for under-represented founders, particularly women. The founders have committed to driving investment of $5bn in under-represented founders by 2026 by partnering with investors, mentors, influencers and experts. To find out more about SuperPitch listen in and visit www.superpitch.co.uk

In this episode of EG’s TechTalk radio, EG editor Samantha McClary is talking with Mike Gordon, the relatively newly installed chief executive of Altus Group. The 31-minute discussion takes a look into the firm’s recent acquisition of Finance Active and how tech and data is enabling real estate to better manage debt. Gordon also shares his aspirations for the company and his views on the spate of SPACS being launched with a focus on real estate tech and data-enabled businesses.

In this episode of EG's TechTalk Radio Samantha McClary is talking with Fifth Wall founder Brendan Wallace about the growth of the business from a single $200m fund to a $1.7bn business with more than 70 LPs around the globe. In this hour-long interview the pair discuss the growth of proptech, the responsibility of the real estate sector to do more than just buy PV in the fight against climate change and how the sector is on the cusp of its biggest and most powerful transformation. To read this interview make sure to pick up a copy of the 1 May EG Magazine or subscribe to Radius Data Exchange for online access to all of our news, data and EG Interviews.

In this episode of EG’s TechTalk Radio podcast host EG editor Samantha McClary is in discussion with William Newton, president and EMEA MD of Wiredscore, and Sally Jones, head of strategy, digital and technology at British Land to talk about being smart in real estate. Wiredscore has just launched SmartScore, a new certification that it has developed in response to increasing demand for guidance around what smart really means in relation to commercial buildings, and how it can and should be implemented. Confusion about what really constitutes a smart building is rife in real estate and WiredScore hopes that its new certification, developed in collaboration with the industry, will provide “credibility and certainty to an industry rapidly pursuing digital transformation”. British Land is one of 44 property owners that have signed up to the certification and is delivering smart solutions across its estate. Listen in to find out why smart matters and how it is not always just about the tech.

In this episode of EG’s TechTalk Radio EG editor Samantha McClary talks to Olly Freedman from ReTransform, MRI Software’s Richard Belgrave and Angelica Donati, chief executive of Donati S.p.a & Donati Immobiliare Group about AI and machine learning in real estate. Over the course of the 35-minute discussion they discuss everything from what AI and machine learning actually is in a real estate context, how attitudes to its use have changed, how it is being used in more areas that we may have realised and the potential it has to really drive the industry forward. They also discussion the investment landscape for tech and investigate fresh topics for conversation around skills and education. For more on the role of tech in real estate, make sure to bookmark EG's dedicated real estate tech news page at https://www.egi.co.uk/halo/

In this special edition of the EG TechTalk Radio podcast, EG editor Samantha McClary is in conversation with a collection of judges for EG’s upcoming Tech Awards to find out a little bit more about what they will be looking for in submissions this year and just how excited they are for the virtual extravaganza that will be the EG Tech Awards. But the conversation is about more than just how to win an EG Tech Award, it is about the role that tech is playing in the evolution of the real estate sector, about how despite the pandemic, 2020 was a year of innovation and big steps forward. Listen in to find out more about that, exactly how Olly Freedman, director- Europe at Retransform, Tim Ryan, partner and head of technology at DAC Beachcroft, and Colin O’Reilly, sales director at MRI Software, are going to dress to impress at this year’s awards and an exclusive piece of breaking tech news. To find out more about the EG Tech Awards and how to enter, visit https://www.egi.co.uk/tech-awards/2021-home/

In this episode of EG’s TechTalk Radio, EG editor Samantha McClary sits down with founder of Appear Here Ross Bailey and its lead data scientist Alex Nussbacher to talk about data driven decisions and how the industry needs to embrace tech to build a new future, particularly for retail. Leaning on learnings from Appear Here’s recently published report, How Landlords Can Help Save the Street, Bailey and Nussbacher explain how embracing technology and data, being flexible and listening are some of the greatest tools of survival. While a tale of retail’s demise is easy to tell, particularly in these Covid times, the Appear Here team are adamant that Covid will not define this decade. And that how we rest and rebuild will. Listen in to hear more about how to use tech as a tool to deliver on bigger goals, how being the best doesn’t mean you always get it right first time, and how the 2020s should be about technology democratising rather than technology dictating.

On this week's Tech Talk Radio, EG tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson dishes out some good news to lighten up a challenging year. Hundreds of dollars are being raised globally for real estate technology as part of a growing trend in launching "blank cheque companies". Tishman Speyer and CBRE are part of the movement. She also sits down virtually with Professor Dr Andrew Baum from Said Business School, and PiLabs research associate Andy Saull who have co-authored a report on how technology is transforming real estate and its role in the industry.  Saull and Baum explain how the report provides a "road map" for digitisation and tech adoption that real estate companies can use, and how companies can avoid becoming a “clear casualty of the digital transformation about to take place”.

On this week's episode of Tech Talk Radio, EG tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson sits down with London South Bank University Business School professor of organisational behaviour Karin Moser to talk all about how remote working and our intense use of technology to keep businesses running is impacting our mental health. Moser led the research, in which 102 UK employees were surveyed on their working from home practices during the first lockdown. The research concluded that remote working could “harm employee wellbeing at work, if left unregulated”, with employees experiencing tiredness or “Zoom fatigue”. So if working from home remotely has taken its toll on our mental health, what does this mean for the future of the office? The two sit down to discuss the role of the workplace post-Covid and how employers can put in place steps to avoid video call fatigue.  

Who's feeling festive during lockdown? EG tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson asks all the burning questions in this week's Tech Talk Radio. Keeping on the subject of lockdown, Alderson also flags EG's 2020 mental health survey analysis (which will be featured in this week's magazine) which looks at how Covid has impacted real estate professionals this year, and what lessons we can learn from a tough year for all. Alderson is then joined by data room provider Drooms chief executive Alexandre Grellier to talk about research the company has conducted into the pace of digitisation in real estate over this year, and how Covid has impacted this. Drooms surveyed 538 real estate investors across Europe, and *spoiler alert* the survey results show that the pace of digitisation is still sluggish. The two dig deeper into the stats to understand why that is.

As part of a Tech Talk Radio podcast with Cluttons, EG’s tech editor Emily Wright is joined by Cluttons head of research Sophy Moffat and CBI senior policy adviser Susannah Odell to delve into some of the key issues at the heart of this debate.

On this week's Tech Talk Radio, EG tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson sat down with AshbyCapital property director Tom Smithers and Smart Spaces chief executive Dan Drogman to talk about Slough's first smart building: The Future Works. The Future Works is a 100,000sq ft office scheme, and part of a wider £200m investment into Slough to create a total of 350,000sq ft of new office accommodation. The Future Works has used Smart Spaces technology to becomes Slough’s first smart office building, and Smithers talks about how the company believes tech like this is critical to futureproofing the office. It's also been a busy year for Drogman, who has seen a 400% increase in demand for smart building technology compared to the year before. He talks about how Covid has played a role in accelerating this demand and what the challenges for the offices sector are.

On this week’s Tech Talk Radio, EG tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson sits down to talk about the launch of a tool that automates the transactions process with Hogan Lovells partner Nicholas Roberts, BNP Paribas property management director Emma Orford and Integra Ledger chief executive David Fisher. The tool has been launched to solve a longstanding obstacle that stands in the way of the transactions process: quite simply, it takes too long and it’s inefficient. The real estate heavyweights have therefore banded together, bringing in Integra Ledger, to develop a tool that uses blockchain to automate the process. The trio talk to Alderson about how exactly blockchain is used, and the big plans they have for rolling the tool out across real estate – and maybe in further afield.

On this episode of Tech Talk Radio, EG tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson attempts a drum roll and outlines why you can't miss this year's list of EG Rising Stars. In fact, tap here for a link to the piece so you can read all about it. But before you get to know this year's talented bunch, listen to Alderson sit down with Knight Frank head of EMEA and APAC data centres Stephen Beard to discuss all things data centres, following the agent's report on how investment into the sector has boomed over H1 this year. Beard outlines why investment into data centres is on the rise, where the hotspots are in Europe, and why he thinks that despite the asset class' energy guzzling reputation, data centres could actually be a "beacon" for sustainability.  

It's another Tech Talk Radio, and EG tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson starts by outlining the biggest property and tech headlines since last week's episode, including the biggest tech blooper of the week. Alderson then sits down with JPES Partners head of property Duncan Lamb to talk about the launch of Evaluate|Locate, a new platform that tracks the economic health of more than 2,800 locations across the UK to help investors and developers make investment decisions. Over 4,000 lines of code and two years later, Lamb talks about the arduous process of putting Evaluate|Locate together, and gives some data-backed insights into investment trends around the regions during the covid-19 crisis. Could we see investment shift away from cities to satellite towns and regions? Alderson finds out.

There have been some major proptech news that has broken since last week’s episode of Tech Talk Radio, so EG tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson recaps on the juiciest stories from the past week, including: EG’s talk with EDGE chief executive and founder Coen van Oostrom about his plans to take EDGE global; Fifth Wall’s first European proptech fund launch; and tech unicorn Octopus Energy making Manchester the location for its UK tech hub as it launches an expansion programme. Alderson also sits down with Guy Battle, founder and chief executive of proptech start-up Social Value Portal, and Beringea investment director Maria Wagner, to talk about Social Value’s latest fundraise. Beringea has invested £3m into the start-up, and the trio discuss how covid-19 has put the spotlight on the importance of the property industry’s social impact work, as well as the global venture capitalist investment landscape and what sectors are whetting VC appetites.

On this week’s episode of Tech Talk Radio, tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson asks the hard and pressing question: does anyone else feel Christmassy now that summer is over? She also sits down with YourParkingSpace co-founder and chief executive Harrison Woods to discuss the start-up’s latest fundraising round, which saw Pelican Capital back the business with £5m. With money in his pocket to burn, Alderson asks Woods what his plans are for growing the business and tips he can share with listeners for securing funding during a tougher investment climate. Woods also digs into the data, and shares some fascinating insights about how motorists’ movements have changed during the pandemic. How will these movements change in a post-pandemic future – and how can property owners use this information to drive footfall to their assets?

Another week, another Tech Talk Radio episode hosted by tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson, who sits down (virtually) with Triadic Labs founder and director James Spooner and commercial director Alex Tozzi to talk about the launch of the start-up’s virtual viewings platform for off-plan properties. Triadic Dash allows people to view properties which haven’t been built yet, and Alderson asks how the platform has been received in the market at a time when appetite for physical viewings has fallen during the pandemic. The duo also talk about the power of data, how to boost the housing market during the pandemic, going global, and why Spooner thinks Triadic Dash is the virtual viewings market equivalent to the first iPhone.

It's the first Tech Talk Radio since EG's Tech Awards, and tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson outlines just how much you missed out on if you couldn't join the virtual extravaganza last week. But don't fret: you can catch up on the list of winners and highlights from the night on https://www.egi.co.uk/halo/   MediaCityUK property director Chris Reay is this week's Tech Talk Radio guest to talk what it takes to become one of the most connected schemes in the world. In April, the development became a Wired Certified Neighbourhood by WiredScore, the only scheme to have been awarded this rating aside from New York’s sprawling 28-acre Hudson Yards.   Reay also talks about how connectivity could be key in helping the return to work movement gain momentum, and Manchester's tech boom.

It's back to school this week, and what better way to get back into the swing of things than with EG's tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson, who this week sat down with Irish proptech start-up Offr's co-founder and chief executive Robert Hoban to discuss the company's covid-busting fundraise.  The start-up recently secured nearly €3m in its latest seed fundraise led by Barclays, which was much higher than its original target of €1m. In a climate where proptech companies are finding it increasingly difficult to raise capital while investors scale back deals, Hoban shares his own experience and tips for start-ups looking to fundraise in the middle of a pandemic. Hoban also shares more detail about Offr's plans to expand into the UK and Australia, and reveals which other countries the company is eyeing up to launch into at some point in the future.

Tech Talk Radio is back after a week-long summer holiday break with tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson, who is joined by British Land's head of strategy, digital & technology Sally Jones to discuss the launch of the landlord's new digital engagement app. The app will first be rolled out at British Land's Broadgate campus, and is designed to help people working and visiting the area make the most of the amenities, facilities and events.  It will also play a key role in helping the 26,000 workers based at the campus return back to the office, Jones explains, providing information on lobby traffic, occupancy, air quality, and booking access to meeting rooms. Jones outlines the key aims of the app, how the landlord will roll out the app to its other London campuses, and how will the app fits into a post-covid future at British Land's schemes.  

In this week’s Tech Talk Radio episode, tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson is joined by Planet Smart City chief digital strategy officer Alan Marcus to talk about a very special project the proptech start-up and affordable housing developer has recently announced. Last year, Planet Smart City came on the United Nations Human Settlements Programme’s radar for the work they were doing in designing and building affordable housing across the world, and placing tech at the heart of these developments. Planet Smart City is now working with the United Nations to build an app for two of Nairobi's largest slum communities to use to organise events, access educational resources, advertise business services to develop a local economy, and create a better life. Marcus discusses the “gold mine of information” that will be collected through the app ,which will be able to give data insights into how slum communities can be best supported. He also outlines the challenges he expects the partnership will face in encouraging the local community to adopt the technology.

On this week’s Tech Talk Radio, tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson is joined by flexible office space provider Mindspace co-founder Yotam Alroy, to talk about how tech is vital to get people back into the office and what the future holds for the flex space market. Mindspace has developed an app which members can use to book space and order services in their office, keeping human contact to a minimum. Alroy outlines how critical it is for landlords to use tech to navigate their way out of the pandemic, and how it can be used to make people feel safe and comfortable enough to return to the office. He also outlines the opportunities and challenges that the flex market faces emerging from the initial coronavirus crisis, and whether there is a degree of hype around just how much flex office space is in demand as a result of Covid-19.

On this week’s Tech Talk Radio, tech and global reporter Lucy Alderson is joined by Cubic Lease chief executive James Owusu to talk about how the online property viewings booking company, founded last year, has navigated its way through the pandemic and what opportunities this has presented for the start-up. Owusu also talks about a subject that has also dominated global headlines – the Black Lives Matter movement – and how it relates to the property industry. Being one of very few black British proptech founders, Owusu talks about the challenges that he faces where white founders don’t, and how to make property a more inclusive place. What property is doing to tackle its lack of diversity is “quite frankly, not enough”, Owusu says. He outlines strategies VCs can put in place to increase investment into non-white businesses and how to talk about race-related issues if you are a white senior leader.  

On this week's episode of Tech Talk Radio Emily Wright is joined by RJ Pittman and James Morris-Manuel, chief executive and EMEA MD of spatial data capture company Matterport.  The duo talk about the impact COVID-19 has had on the business and the wider real estate sector as social distancing restrictions and global lockdowns have seen a surge in interest for virtual property viewings. "In the month of April alone we added more new customers than in the first eight years of the business," says Pittman, adding that the company had already built up a significant global customer base before the pandemic hit.  The trend towards virtual viewings was already picking up, he adds, particularly towards the end of 2019 and so Matterport was prepared for the sudden increase in demand. The company also rushed out Matterport for iPhone app to respond to the current situation.  Tune in to hear more about the launch of the app, how they are handling swathes of new customers and how they are dealing with the team's collective mental health in such strange times. Also on this week's episode, Wright is joined by Nadia Elghamry, senior product manager at EG. She offers her thoughts on the virtual viewings trend backing up Pittman's predictions that it is here to stay.  She adds that while COVID-19 might have been a catalyst for growth, virtual viewings were something clients were expecting as standard before the pandemic and that the trend has now simply been fast-tracked. 

On this week's Tech Talk Radio, host Emily Wright is joined by CBRE's new head of technology Mike Gedye.  Gedye, who took on the newly created role this month, talked about how he will approach the position and revealed his thoughts on the post lockdown return to work.  He said that CBRE expects "fragmented" occupancy in the coming weeks and months as companies promote a blend of continued home working and traditional office use. He added that we could see a 50% slump in office occupancy for up to a year after lockdown due to "phased occupancy and seating teams much wider apart physically." Gedye added that some companies are even considering seven day working weeks to move away from traditional office utilisation peaks and troughs and explained how occupiers are starting to rethink their longer term space and lease requirements.  For this plus his thoughts on how this could impact the future of the office more broadly, tune in to this week's Tech Talk Radio podcast.   

Tech Talk Radio is back. In the first episode after a brief hiatus host Emily Wright speaks to Akshay Thakur, head of technology consulting EMEA and APAC at JLL about smart buildings and cyber security.  As we move towards a smarter future, how vulnerable are we to cyber attacks? How can businesses best prepare for them? And when it comes to protecting smart buildings from potential breaches where does the responsibility lie?  Thakur addresses all of these questions and more in this episode as he explains how attacks come about and how sometimes the simplest fixes are among the most effective ways to protect smart buildings and cities. 

On this week's Tech Talk Radio Emily Wright is joined by former Rockspring chief executive Robert Gilchrist and Dashflow creator Mike Molloy as the pair discuss the former's investment in the app.  Gilchrist is one of a tranche of angel investors backing the tech company as it targets a £1.5m second fundraise. The funding round follows the app’s initial seed funding offer in 2017, which was 50% oversubscribed and raised £400,000 ahead of Dashflow’s launch in 2018. Since then the app has attracted users including M&G Real Estate, BNP Paribas Real Estate, Orion Capital Managers, Hermes, Derwent London, Delancey, SevenCapital and Amazon Property. Gilchrist reveals why he has backed Dashflow and discusses the future of tech investment from a real estate perspective.  Also on this episode, tech reporter Lucy Alderson tells us how she fared when she gave up the internet for a day along with 11 other industry professionals for the Wiredscore Unplugged Challenge.     

On this week's Tech Talk Radio Emily Wright meets HB Reavis's innovations and partnerships lead Gaia Arzilli for one of our most high octane podcasts to date.  Arzilli concedes that it takes a particular type of person to take on her role as she must bring together a community of people across a number of offices and countries and "excite them about new innovations." She talks about the challenges of the role, the importance of change and urges the industry to be "Netflix, not Blockbuster" as priorities shift from pure bricks and mortar to prioritise humans.  "Planet, people and productivity are at the heart of everything we do," she says.  Then, Damian Wild steps in for Sam McClary this week as TTR co-host as he talks all things Mipim and reveals what EG will be up to out in Cannes next month. For this and much more, tune in now. 

On this week's Tech Talk Radio, Emily Wright and co-host Sam McClary are joined by Fifth Wall's Brendan Wallace and Tyson Woeste following the launch of the California-based VC fund's $200m Carbon Impact Fund last week.  The fund will allow real estate companies in invest in sustainable and energy efficient technologies. The duo talk about why the time for action is now as the general public, capital markets and regulators alike are all starting to ask what the real estate sector is doing to take responsibility for its role in climate change.  "We want to make the real estate industry more energy efficient than it is currently," says Wallace. "Everyone on planet earth is in the middle of this crisis and real estate owners haven’t accepted the responsibility they have. It is time. The real estate industry has to come together to solve this." Wallace and Woeste go on to add that the problem will not be solved by hundreds or thousands of real estate owners looking to individually assess technologies and then individually apply them to their portfolios. Rather everyone needs to come together to solve a "collective problem".  Given the fact that Fifth Wall manages "a billion dollars worth of capital" from 52 real estate corporates across the world already, it feels well placed to be the driving force behind bringing the sector together to help take on "the biggest fight of our generation."

On this week's Tech Talk Radio, EG kicks off the new year and a new decade with a refreshingly honest chat with Mark Quigley of Beaufort Capital.  The managing director of the firm's UK real estate finance division joined Emily Wright and Sam McClary to talk about how he, along with the rest of his team, is addressing some of the challenges around digital transformation.  Quigley reveals how he is learning about the impact of technology on real estate despite being someone who has gaps in his knowledge when it comes to tech.  "I could just ignore all of these tech advances," he says. "But then I would never take myself forward. Learning about technology has meant putting myself out there. I am the oldest member of my team and those younger than me are quick to point out my shortcomings but I also know that all of them recognise I am trying to move with the times." To find out more, tune in to hear how learning about technology has helped propelled Beaufort Capital forward and listen to Quigley outline plans for an AI breakfast, hosted by the company, on January 28th. 

On this week's Tech Talk Radio podcast Emily Wright is reunited with original co-host and esteemed EG editor Sam McClary to celebrate EG Tech Week. OK, so EG Tech Week might not be its official title but an apt one for a week in which we have a Tech Live event, a TTR and a special tech-themed issue of EG.    Coyote's Oli Farago and Rob Bould join Wright and McClary on this week's episode as they reveal what 2020 holds for the business as the plan for ambitious overseas expansion. 

On this week's Tech Talk Radio, co-hosts Emily Wright and Lucy Alderson (temporarily) slow down and take stock as they discuss all things mental health ahead of this week's special issue of EG. As our survey of nearly 700 real estate professionals  - including those from the tech sector  - has revealed some "tough to read" statistics, Alderson digs into some of the contributing factors that working in a fast-paced industry can have on those operating within it.  Also this week we speak to Jess Ford, co-founder of the new property management start-up Herddle, about giving up a career in investment banking to become a founder, why acquiring a company two years ago to trial the concept was "crucial" and what the future holds for the fledgling firm.  Also on this week's episode find out more about the tech special of EG due out before Christmas and the final Tech Live event of the year where the man behind Google Maps will be speaking and answering your questions. 

Redmayne, who has moved to New York with the connectivity ratings business to take on a new role as senior director joins EG for the final instalment of the Big Apple Breakfast series to talk Brooklyn, relocation and the “idiosyncrasies” of doing business in the US.   Tune in to hear his take on getting used to a new way of doing business, which major company’s AI committee he pitched to last week and why he believes that while US might be ahead on tech, the UK leads the way when it comes to building communities. 

Leila Collins, former enterprise investor at Metaprop VC, joined Emily Wright for a breakfast podcast to discuss her plans to step into affordable housing with her new company EqualRoot where she is working with affordable housing organisations to introduce them to technology companies and solutions to help “streamline their operations” and deliver more houses, more quickly.   

Is real estate still comprised of assets? Or is it becoming an operating business? Dror Poleg poses some big questions in the first episode of our Big Apple Breakfast podcast series    Dror Poleg joined EG bright and early on day one of Mipim Proptech New York to as his new book, Rethinking Real Estate launches worldwide this week.    The co-chair of the Urban Land Institute’s Technology and Innovation Council in New York explained that book, which he fondly refers to as his “love letter to real estate” examines the history of how humans have lived and how the assets that support those lives have changed over time. It then looks forward to how technology and digital disruption look set to transform lives and, by default, assets in the future. “I want people to rethink the meaning of location, the meaning of visibility, the meaning of accessibility, the power of zoning laws...and at the asset level I want people to think is it real estate still what we assume to is when we allocate capital against it? Is it still a safe bet against inflation? Is it still a source of very stable income? Is it still an asset and not an operating business? Because it looks like real estate is becoming much more hands on and increasingly reliant on its operators.”   He added that the wider impact of tech on asset classes from residential through to retail, commercial, leisure and industrial is a story everyone in technology and real estate should be plugged into. 

NYC Real Estate Tech Week: Investors told are beginning to swerve away from the US proptech market to score better deals amid sky-high proptech company valuations. Speaking at MIPIM Proptech New York, Concrete VC partner Taylor Wescoatt said finding a good investment deal in the US has become increasingly difficult, describing current valuations as being “bananas”. Wescoatt said Europe was a better place for investors to seek a good deal for investing in proptech companies.  “There is so much money here [in US] and the market is so big, there are so many funds competing for any hit deal that Valuations are bananas,” he said. He added that in Europe there are “lower valuations and there is less people competing for each deal which drives them [valuations] down[…] there’s good deals to be had”. Meanwhile, JLL Spark head of growth Americas Andrea Jang said that one of the most attractive areas to invest in was Canada. She said that there was “a lot of very good tech talent” in the country and that the government in Ontario and Quebec are funding the salaries of that pool of talent.  “It’s much cheaper to start a company in Canada than it is in the US, the valuations in Canada are significantly lower and you can benefit on the exchange rate of the US and Canadian dollar,” Jang said. Jang added that proptech companies in Canada can also be more easily deployed to Asia Pacific and Europe. Mitsui Fudosan executive manager Takeshi Kodoma said that Israel presented the best opportunities, especially in the cyber security space.

On this week’s Tech Talk Radio, Emily Wright and Lucy Alderson bring you two podcasts from New York as Real Estate Tech week kicks off in the city.   First up, Emily visited the new Sandbox space at the Zaha Hadid Residences to speak to Related Companies’ Greg Gushee about the launch of this tech education space. As the man behind the concept, Gushee said that he hopes other developers will follow suit and that a plethora of fresh, new maker spaces will emerge around the world.    A dual space incorporating a public area as well as one reserved for residents at 520 West 28th Street in New York, Related Companies’ The Sandbox space has been created to help encourage people, and children in particular, to learn about all aspects of technology.    “It’s like a Soho House for mad scientists in one way,” said Gushee. “But equally we want spaces like these to be open to everyone so we have our public area too.”   Then Lucy met with Carlos Valverde, VP real estate development at Silverstein Properties to talk about bringing fresh tenants to the World Trade Center site, the power of tech and why developing in New York is a “headache.”

This week on Tech Talk Radio Sam McClary is back in the studio. EG's editor joins Emily Wright a week after the roaring success of the new look EG Awards where black tie was banned and light-up footwear positively encouraged.  After an all-important awards round-up, our TTR co-hosts are joined by Evan Petitt, director of operations and events for MetaProp NYC. On this episode he gives a sneak peek into what delegates can expect at Mipim Proptech New York next month. Part of NYC Real Estate Tech Week, this will mark the fourth year since the event was launched as Petitt reveals who will be speaking and what has been added to the ever-evolving programme in 2019. 

It’s all very well having access to data, but where does the real value lie? Is it in being able to analyse that data? Yes, to a degree. But the real returns come when you know how to use it. This was one of the overriding points made by two people who know their stuff when it comes to applying data to real estate and the wider world; Savills director of urban design Andy Dowding and chief executive of VU.CITY Jamie Holmes. This dynamic duo join Emily Wright on this week's Tech Talk Radio to talk data, delivery and how to avoid falling into the trap of "analysis paralysis". 

On this week's Tech Talk Radio Emily Wright is joined by guest co-host EG publisher Damian Wild to talk all things offices in a sparser than usual space as the studio prepares to go on the road.  Then Smart Spaces CEO Dan Drogman makes his TTR debut as he joins the podcast to talk about the growth of the IoT platform and what it means for office space in and around London and beyond.  Tune in to find out about his future plans as well as why he recently drove from one side of London to the other with a robot in the boot of his car. 

In this week's episode of Tech Talk Radio, reporter Lucy Alderson heads up north to talk to WiredScore Home director Henry Pethybridge and WiredScore director of business development Tom McClellan about the company's launch in Leeds.  The pair talk about why WiredScore has landed in Leeds, and reveal that the digital connectivity rating company has also launched in Australia too.  What better way to celebrate WiredScore's sixth anniversary this week than with a Tech Talk Radio episode!