This one-day deep dive provides for practical and comprehensive insights in the most important applications and developments for all players in the real estate sector.
DATE, TIME AND FEES
Date: March 18, 2020
Time: 10.00 – 16.30
Fees: £ 595 ex VAT
Including: Lunch, refreshments and networking drinks reception
LOCATION
The Bartlett Real Estate institute
University College London Here East
Campus Elizabeth Olympic Parc
(Easy to get to by public transport – with options including tube, train and bus – or by bicycle)
PROGRAM MARCH 18
09:30 – 10.00
Registration & Coffee
10.00 – 10.20
Opening keynote
Professor Andrew Edkins
Director, Bartlett Real Estate Institute (BREI)
The Bartlett has again been ranked as Europe’s top institution for architecture/built environment (and second globally) in the renowned latest QS World Rankings.The focus is on the development and deployment of research that relates to the current and future world of real estate, Prop Tech, Real Estate Fintech and PropRegTech.
“How to harness these moving sectors which are having a radical impact on what has been a slow moving, traditional and conservative industry”
The consortium will design protocols for ‘structured data’, ‘tokenisation’ and ‘DataNet; as an infrastructure level using blockchain and DLT technologies which will support data analytics by AI Machine Learning and due diligence through ‘KYA’ [Know Your Asset].
10.20 – 10.55
Blockchain will do for data what the Internet did for communication: identity, privacy, security, trust, sharing, permissioned access
A number of major projects in construction are underway to develop blockchain as a global data infrastructure with the aim of supporting digital marketplaces for audit, legal services, regulation, etc.
INTRODUCTIONS:
10.20
Kyle McFadden
Director of Business Operations, Greystar Real Estate Partners
With over 500,00 units and beds under management globally, $36,1 billion assets under management and more than $14,0 billion of completed rental housing projects in the US, Greystar is the global leader in rental housing.
“Why are some organisations hesitant to implement new technologies? And how can this challenge be overcome?
This is usually down to lack of knowledge in the emergence of new technologies. Most professionals don’t realise that we are in a profound industrial (data) revolution, rather than a mere incremental IT development. It is a data ‘tsunami’.
10.25
Professor Philip Treleaven
Director, UK Centre for Financial Computing and Business Analytics; Professor of Computing at UCL
The UK Centre is a collaboration of UCL, London School of Economics, Imperial College London and the major financial institutions, regulators, retailers and commercial organisations. The Centre undertakes analytics research in finance, retail, healthcare, services and sport.
“Introducing DataNet as a global blockchain infrastructure running on top of the Internet”
Datanet will automate an increasing number of audit and compliance functions. This automation should give the Boardroom unprecedented access to data and in real-time.
10.30
Professor Jeremy Bartnett
Founder, Resilience Partners; Visiting Professor, Bartlett Real Estate Institute
Resilience Partners Ltd is a blockchain consultancy that specialises in Tokenisation of the Construction Sector. In February 2019, he was appointed Visiting Professor of Algorithmic Regulation and Dispute Resolution at The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment at UCL.
“How Blockchain will provide faster results of investigations into disasters such as the Grenfell Tower fire”
Blockchain technology with its combination of inherently high intrinsic data security and ability to be easily transmitted and distributed, will allow the emergence of entire new fields of activity such as disaster inquiries.
10.55 – 11.40
Data is an essential component of tomorrow’s real estate business foundation, so expect a battle against access to data
Benefiting from data will require settling the question of who controls the data. Digitization means integration and networking. Issues, tasks, and business models become more intertwined, requiring specific know-how and skills:
INTRODUCTIONS:
10.55
Nick Wright
Senior Director, Strategic Consulting, CBRE
CBRE Group is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with 2018 revenues of $21.3 billion and more than 90,000 employees (excluding affiliate offices). CBRE offers a range of integrated real estate services globally.
“What is really going to change the industry are the opportunities that technology will bring to data, and eventually, how people view their own data”
Some of the more common difficulties real estate businesses face is their struggle to get real-time data on the properties they own, often due to critical data being stored in disparate silos.
11.00
Jen Hartley
Director, Invest Newcastle
Newcastle Helix is a test bed for new technologies being the home to the National Innovation Centre for Data and the Urban Observatory. The Urban Observatory hosts the largest set of publicly available real time urban data in the UK, with the data being used to inform decision making and improve outcomes for people in the city.
“Our smart, sustainable and digital technologies are making Newcastle an attractive place to live, work and invest in”
Newcastle Helix runs unique experiments, at scale, that can’t be found anywhere else – from best-in-class building monitoring to testing pioneering integrated solutions for water infrastructure.
11.05
Jon Corner
Chief Digital Officer (CDO), Salford (tbc)
Salford is a very attractive city for digital enterprise. With a population of 245,000, the City of Salford is an important metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester. But Salford is also a city in transition and is now the fastest growing economy in Greater Manchester.
“Towards a holistic citizen-centric Digital Strategy”
Therefore the vision for a Digital Salford is one that marries digital economic growth with direct social impact. Salford will open up and connect its existing assets to enable collaboration and experimentation.
11.10
Kevin O'Grady
Associate Director, ARUP Group
Arup is a multinational professional services firm which provides engineering, architecture, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. Headquartered in London with 90 offices in 35 countries.
“Heathrow and Schiphol show how technology is being used to optimise airport design and construction process”
Currently, it is estimated that the typical large project across all asset types overruns its schedule by an average of 20% and exceeds its budget by 80%. The application of digital technologies has been shown to reduce cost and schedule overruns by an average of 10-15%, and by even more on complex projects.
11.40 – 12.40
lunch break
12.40 – 13.35
Maximum transparency at a fraction of the cost; Know Your Asset and the transactional infrastructure
Industry players now realise that blockchain-based smart contracts can play a much larger role in commercial real estate, potentially transforming core operations such as property transactions (purchase, sale, financing, leasing, and management). The real estate industry can take advantage of its inherent benefits and meets the prerequisites for using the technology.
INTRODUCTIONS:
12.40
Patrick Brown
Head of Insights and EU engagement, British Property Federation
BPF is the membership organisation for, and the voice of, the UK real estate industry. Representing and promoting the interests of all those with a stake in real estate in the UK – owners, developers, funders (equity and debt), agents and advisers. Its focus is on the commercial real estate element, which has a market value of £1,662 billion in the UK.
“The culture around data has been about protecting rather than sharing and that does need to change”
If we’re going to drive change we need to understand where we’re starting from, because we need better data exchange and common data standards. Customers understand buildings better than we do. So we have to identify the barriers to sharing and using data at the industry level.
12.45
Jack Sibley
Technology & Innovation Strategist Real Estate, Nuveen Real Estate
Nuveen, the investment management arm of TIAA (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America), is one of the largest investment managers in the world with $1 trillion in assets under management – managing a broad array of assets across diverse asset classes, geographies, and investment styles.
“Leveraging emerging technologies is essential to drive asset selection, asset management and portfolio resilience”
The focus on technological innovation, change and disruption should include analysis and solutions for how technology is changing what end-users want from real estate, proactive engagement with PropTech start-ups and disruptors.
12.50
Andrew Knight
International Data Standards Director, RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors)
RCIS Data Standards support the capture, verification, and sharing of data in a standard format, enabling property professionals to use and communicate trusted data for analytics, benchmarking, and decision-making around investment opportunities.
“Embracing data standards will accelerate the property technology revolution in real estate”
It is key to understand that data governance procedures and policies protect not only sensitive data from unauthorised access, but also provide clear direction on what data can be shared and with whom. Data must be trusted and protected to provide an efficient due diligence framework.
12.55
Ami Ben-David
Co-Founder and CEO, Ownera
Ownera is a global base-layer Proof of Ownership protocol on which the market can compete to manage all regulated asset ownership and trade. KYA (Know Your Asset) is the core basic building block of ownership, common to all asset classes. Based on Hyperledger Fabric and aimed at institutional financial entities, assets and investors.
“Introducing the Internet of Ownership”
Verification by trusted underwriters and trusted distribution of verified assets is the key to massive adoption. Within 10 years, digital securities will be the standard for the institutional multi-trillion dollar ecosystem where the vast majority of global capital flows.
13.00
Adam Koehler
Co-Founder, CPROP (tbc)
Adam looks forward to leveraging his successful DotLoop Company (a real estate-based startup sold to Zillow for $100+ million) and crypto trading experience to build CPROP into a global enterprise that delivers massive value to the real estate vertical.
“We all should recognise the power of blockchain to improve the quality of data in the real estate industry”
Real estate is a data-intensive industry with large capital flows that has historically lagged in technology innovation and adaptation as compared to other data-intensive industries. CPROP deploys proprietary and white-labeled apps across the real estate value chain, using blockchain where appropriate, to help reduce business risk, address pain points and capture new revenue opportunities.
13.35 – 14.45
‘Recent property deals in Europe show that digital financial instruments will also significantly gain in importance in the real estate sector in the future’
The realised transactions in Europe in 2019 may have an icebreaker function for the sector in terms of its volume and institutional character. The invited speakers will offering the latest comprehensive insights on the entire process of tokenizing a real estate asset and on ways to create, issue, store, trade and invest.
INTRODUCTIONS:
13.35
Ed Protheroe
Strategy Consultant, Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF) (tbc)
AREF is the body tat represents the interests of its fund managers, those from those that advise and support them and the end investors. The membership includes over sixty-five funds with a collective net asset value of over £72bn. With more than fifty Affiliate members, a number of Associate members and hundreds of Investor members.
AREF is the body tat represents the interests of its fund managers, those from those that advise and support them and the end investors. The membership includes over sixty-five funds with a collective net asset value of over £72bn. With more than fifty Affiliate members, a number of Associate members and hundreds of Investor members.
“Tokenization opens up a range of business model opportunities not as easily achieved with conventional financing techniques”
Tokenizing (issuing a blockchain token that digitally represents a real tradable asset) will provide investment professionals to successfully implement tokenization as part of their business, project, investment or fund strategy.
13.40
Daniel Coheur
Chief Strategy Officer, Tokeny Solutions
Tokeny Solutions provides the real estate industry with the modular and user-friendly technology required for firms to create digital representation so called tokens of real estate related financial products, and as such enforce global compliance obligations, enable automation, drive efficiency and increase liquidity.
“Utilizing Blockchain to drive efficiency in real estate”
How to turn the challenges that are currently faced in this inefficient industry (localized and stagnant assets, low liquidity, complex portfolio management, siloed data, and IT systems handled by service providers) into opportunities: (global distribution, improved liquidity, connected marketplace).
13.45
Ryan Hanley
Managing Director, TokenMarket
Since 2016, the TokenMarket platform has raised over $315 million for more than 30 blockchain start-ups. In July 2019, TokenMarket successfully conducted a ￡240,000 Security Token Offering (STO) under the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulatory sandbox.
“Now we can bring this next generation of disruptive business to the real estate industry”
The FCA’s regulatory sandbox was used “to show that tokenised equity could be written to the blockchain and democratise investment opportunities for all investor types”. We are one step closer to bringing the next generation of disruptive businesses to the real estate industry and our investment community.
13.50
Nils Veenstra
Chief Executive Officer, New Alchemy
New Alchemy is a Seattle-based blockchain development company with a primary focus on developing a global institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure, and building a decentralized protocol for the Built Environment as well as specific other industries. Over the last 3 years New Alchemy has developed and audited blockchain-based initiatives for clients such as Microsoft, Bittrex and Deloitte as well as run over 80 digital asset projects through its proprietary platform, raising well over 3 billion USD.
“Bringing revolutionary new technology to existing markets; what is needed before digital assets can solve pain points in the real estate and investment industries”
By merely creating digital copies which represent ownership in (parts of) buildings or funds, real estate as an asset class will not necessarily transform from an illiquid asset class to a liquid one. Let’s have a good luck at what is needed before new technology is truly adopted, and can really start making a difference in the way we finance and invest in real estate assets.
New Alchemy is a Seattle-based blockchain development company with a primary focus on developing a global institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure, and building a decentralized protocol for the Built Environment as well as specific other industries. Over the last 3 years New Alchemy has developed and audited blockchain-based initiatives for clients such as Microsoft, Bittrex and Deloitte as well as run over 80 digital asset projects through its proprietary platform, raising well over 3 billion USD.
“Bringing revolutionary new technology to existing markets; what is needed before digital assets can solve pain points in the real estate and investment industries”
By merely creating digital copies which represent ownership in (parts of) buildings or funds, real estate as an asset class will not necessarily transform from an illiquid asset class to a liquid one. Let’s have a good luck at what is needed before new technology is truly adopted, and can really start making a difference in the way we finance and invest in real estate assets.
14.20 – 14.50
Break
14.50 – 15.25
‘How to foster rapid innovation in the UK real estate and construction industries?’
It’s all about building bridges between the young PropTech sector and the established players. Decision-makers and tech companies have to be connected to increase awareness and encourage mutual understanding. PropTech companies should be supported in their three main challenges: access to established players, to investors and to talent.
INTRODUCTIONS:
14.50
Riam Kanso
Chief Executive Officer, Conception X
Initially launched in University College London Faculty of Engineering, and now supported by Barclays Eagle Labs, Conception X is open to current students from all universities. Conception X is a 9-month programme designed to train PhD students in technology entrepreneurship and to support them in building ventures based on their original research during their degree.
“Our programmes de-risk very exciting technologies which have enormous potential to change the world for the better”
Conception X is a venture builder that creates investable deep tech startups from the UK’s leading research labs and PhD programmes. In our model, the university is the incubator, and we empower students to explore entrepreneurship as a viable and exciting career choice, in tandem with their degree.
14.55
Isobel Wilson
Head of Marketing, Pi Labs
Pi Labs is the first venture capital firm in Europe to exclusively support proptech companies. They believe technology will make our world a fairer and better place and they want to support exceptional talent in achieving great things.
“Property innovation requires us to think deeply about the developments that will shape the way that people everywhere will live and work in the future”
The process of constructing new buildings and infrastructure has remained largely unchanged for the past century. Now, however, the industry is on the cusp of a digital revolution — and this is prompting a drastic reassessment of operations across the sector.
15.00
Taylor Wescoatt
Founder, Concrete VC (tbc)
A flood of technology trends is moving into the $217 trillion asset class that is Global Real Estate. Residential, Commercial, Retail, Hospitality, Industrial meet Blockchain, Mobile Apps, Big Data, VR, and many more. Concrete VC makes Seed & Series A investments in property technology.
“Quality startups with solid technology and real estate credentials will head start property innovation”
We work with our Braintrust, global leaders across the RE spectrum, to find and meet only the quality startups in the sea of ventures seeking partnerships in all RE segments.
15.25 – 16.00
Challenges and Open Mic.
Prof Jeremy Bartnett
‘Introducing: DigitalDisruption@BREI’
A unique consortium of academics, real estate asset managers, developers, managers, funding institutions, lawyers and other professionals and representative trade bodies, which will drive adoption of both inventive and innovative ‘deep tech’ in the global real estate market.
A unique consortium of academics, real estate asset managers, developers, managers, funding institutions, lawyers and other professionals and representative trade bodies, which will drive adoption of both inventive and innovative ‘deep tech’ in the global real estate market.
‘Open Mic’
The audience is invited to contribute on stage.
16.00 – 17.00
Closing and networking drinks reception
DEEP DIVE BLOCKCHAIN & REAL ESTATE
Date: March 18, 2020
Time: 10.00 – 16.30
Fees: £ 595 ex VAT
Including: Lunch, refreshments and networking drinks reception
LOCATION
The Bartlett Real Estate institute
University College London Here East
Campus Elizabeth Olympic Parc
(Easy to get to by public transport – with options including tube, train and bus – or by bicycle)