April 27, 2023
The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Europe is today launching the PropTech Innovation Challenge (PIC), a new competition to bring together the greatest innovators across the real estate industry and the world of technology and start-ups.
In its debut year, ULI’s challenge invites entrepreneurs from six regions* across Europe to apply with a proposal that is a novel, but scalable and competitive solution to align with ULI’s mission priorities**
Lisette van Doorn, CEO ULI Europe, comments: “We believe that tech and innovation are key to addressing some of our industry’s most pressing challenges. We are calling out to start-ups across Europe to work with us, educate us and help us bridge the gap between the built environment and tech and innovation.”
The ULI PIC is spearheaded by Thibault Weston Smith, Chair of ULI Europe Young Leaders, and Simon Abboud, Member of the ULI Europe Young Leader Executive Committee.
Thibault Weston Smith, Managing Director at Realty Corporation, says, “Innovation exists in many forms – a product, a technology, a team, a strategy, a service, a process, a business model and even a societal or organisational change – our goal with ULI PIC is to further expose the forward-thinkers and disruptors to real estate industry players and stakeholders. We expect a wide range of highly creative applicants to participate in this first edition and contribute to shape the future of the real estate industry.”
Simon Abboud, Director at Hines, add, “The global real estate market is currently undergoing rapid transformation, driven by demographic shifts, climate change, market pressures and technological advancements. Through fostering collaboration between the property and technology sectors, the ULI competition seeks to unlock new opportunities for growth, sustainability, and innovation. This will be achieved through providing innovators with a new channel to leverage the ULI’s community of practitioners and offer additional opportunities to our members to be educated on the most innovative solutions locally and across the region.”
The competition will be structured across two phases. Firstly, an in-country stage led by a team of ULI members whereby start-ups are invited to apply and to present in front of a local ULI PIC Selection Committee. Each committee is composed of diverse industry experts from across the built environment, such as architects, developers, asset managers, property managers, investors, urban planners, academics, public servants, attorneys, energy and sustainability experts, brokers, engineers etc.
Second, in-country winners will participate in a European final and present in front of a ULI Europe PIC Committee. The final winner will be announced at the ULI Europe C Change Summit in Copenhagen on 11 October 2023.
In addition to unrivalled industry exposure through the ULI international network, winners will be awarded a one-year ULI membership providing access to research content, event, webinars, education and mentorship programs, knowledge sharing and connections with a multidisciplinary global network of a real estate and land use professionals.
Applications are open until June 11, 2023 for the inaugural ULI PropTech Innovation Challenge.
For more information and how to apply, please visit: https://europe.uli.org/young-leaders-proptech-innovation-challenge-pic/
* France, Germany, Iberia, the Nordics, Switzerland and the UK.
** All three priorities are underpinned by a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), which recognizes that our communities can be successful and sustainable only if they work for everyone.
