Bharat Nav‑Nirmaan Challenge 2025: NICMAR’s Nationwide Contest for Civil & Architecture Students

NICMAR, India’s premier and dedicated institution for Construction, Real Estate, Infrastructure and Project Management education (CRIP), has announced the launch of the Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge, a nationwide initiative aimed at encouraging undergraduate students in solving real-world challenges linked to India’s built environment and nurture breakthrough ideas that can transform the country’s infrastructure landscape.

This one-of-a-kind challenge offers prizes worth Rs 30 lakh and is supported by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge is open to students in Final and Pre-Final year of civil engineering, architecture, planning and allied disciplines across Indian colleges and universities. Designed as a structured, multi-stage programme, it provides participants with an opportunity to apply their technical learning to practical infrastructure issues while gaining exposure to the academic and industry ecosystem that supports India’s infrastructure development.

Welcoming the Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge as an opportunity for budding students to bring their creative and practical knowledge in one platform, Dr Tapash Kumar Ganguli, Director General (Interim), NICMAR said, “India is entering its most ambitious decade of infrastructure expansion and the demand for skilled problem-solvers with engineering foundations has never been higher. The Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge is our commitment to empower young minds to be part of our nation’s future infrastructure story. India needs innovative thinkers and this platform gives students a meaningful starting point to explore their interests and contribute ideas that align with the country’s development priorities.”

With free registration, student groups comprising of three members (pre-final or final year students), can apply through their colleges. Interdisciplinary approach is encouraged with the requirement of at least two members from civil engineering, architecture or allied disciplines. Participating student groups must submit a brief concept outlining their solution to an infrastructure-related problem.

The Challenge follows five structured stages, College-Level Round, Online Submission Round, City Finale, Regional Finale, and the Grand Finale which will be held in Mumbai. One winning team per college qualifies for the next round, where selected teams enter a national pool to submit detailed proposals. These proposals will form the first layer of evaluation for the jury. This is followed by the City Finales, hosted across key urban centres, where winners will progress to Regional Finales, hosted at NICMAR campuses in Pune, Hyderabad, and Delhi-NCR. One regional winner from each region will participate in the National Grand Finale in Mumbai.

The winners of the Bharat Nav-Nirmaan challenge will receive exciting set of rewards such as infrastructure excellence tour to Dubai, MacBooks, VR headsets, drone trophies and more.

Throughout the contest, participants will gain access to mentorship from NICMAR experts, workshops with engineers, planners, and innovation leaders. Submissions may focus on areas such as construction technology, sustainability, digital construction, mobility, housing, or urban development. Shortlisted teams will be paired with NICMAR faculty and industry mentors to refine their ideas and strengthen feasibility.

Sarvam Properties Secures Strategic Funding, Launches ₹300 Cr AI Platform ‘Assure X’ for Developers

Sarvam Properties, a Mumbai-based real-estate solutions firm, has raised strategic equity funding from Dharmil Sheth, Dhaval Shah, and Hardik Dedhia, founders of PharmEasy and All Home, along with a select group of angel investors across India.

Coinciding with the fundraise, the company announced the launch of Assure X, a ₹300 crore AI-powered initiative designed exclusively for developers partnering with Sarvam. The platform integrates high-performance sales execution with on-demand liquidity support, offering a structured mechanism for predictable project cash flows within Mumbai’s real estate ecosystem.

The fundraise marks a major step in Sarvam’s plan to address a long-standing challenge in Mumbai’s real-estate market. Developers often face liquidity strain between sales progress and cash-flow realization. When inflows lag construction schedules, even projects with strong demand can experience delays. Assure X addresses this challenge by using real-time sales data and predefined liquidity triggers to anticipate funding gaps and facilitate timely capital infusion, ensuring steady project execution. The alignment of performance metrics with prompt capital access enables developers to maintain execution pace and meet delivery timelines.

Reflecting on the milestone, Manan Joshi, Founder of Sarvam Properties, said: “Our goal has always been to make real-estate execution as cohesive and dependable as the assets it produces. Assure X is an extension of that belief. It is a framework that converts market complexity into measurable order. For developers, it means working within a system where progress and liquidity move in tandem.”

The capital raise will enable Sarvam to strengthen its operating framework and extend its reach across Mumbai’s development corridors. The company plans to expand its technology infrastructure, deepen advisory capabilities, and build specialist teams for project strategy and customer engagement.

Speaking on Sarvam’s operational approach, Monty Joshi, Co-Founder of Sarvam Properties, said: “Technology has always been central to how we operate. With Assure X, we are extending that approach, using AI not as a label but as a tool that brings clarity, precision, and speed to project execution, positioning Sarvam as a dependable ally for developers focused on efficiency and timely delivery.”

The equity participation highlights investor conviction in analytics-led, accountable practices within real estate, in line with Sarvam’s plan to professionalize developer services.

Commenting on investor interest, Dhaval Hemani, Co-Founder of Sarvam Properties, said: “We are privileged to partner with founders who have built some of India’s notable digital enterprises. Their entrepreneurial vision and disciplined approach bring perspective that extends well beyond capital, helping us scale responsibly and deliver measurable efficiency.”

Recent industry reports indicate that equity investments in Indian real estate rose 48% to about $3.8 billion in Q3 FY25, signalling renewed investor activity in the real estate sector. As this trend gathers pace, Sarvam is contributing to a more organized and performance-led developer ecosystem through initiatives such as Assure X.

About Sarvam Properties

Sarvam Properties is a Mumbai-based real estate consultancy serving clients across India and international markets. The firm’s mission is to make property transactions efficient and transparent, while maintaining the highest professional standards. With a clientele that includes individual homeowners, developers, investors, and corporate tenants, Sarvam Properties has established a reputation built on credibility and consistent service delivery. The company’s offerings combine competitive pricing, quick possession, and a zero-brokerage advantage, positioning it as a trusted partner in Mumbai’s residential and commercial property segments.

Turbostart Leads $2.5M Round in Lighthouse PropTech with Dabur Family Office & Other FO’s

Turbostart, a global early-stage venture capital firm and accelerator, has announced a $1 million investment in Lighthouse PropTech as part of a $2.5 million funding round. The Dabur Family Office and several other HNI family offices joined the round, Valuing the company at $13.5 million. The investment will fuel Lighthouse PropTech’s expansion as it builds a technology-driven platform for luxury real estate transactions in India.

India’s luxury real estate market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with the segment expected to cross $100 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 21.81%. In the last five years alone, the share of high-end and ultra-luxury housing sales has doubled, driven by rising HNI wealth, digital-first transactions, and institutional investments. As a result, proptech innovation is accelerating, with India’s proptech sector attracting over $1.5 billion in funding and growing at 15-20% annually.

Ganesh Raju, Founder of Turbostart Global

"India’s luxury real estate boom is being shaped by proptech innovation, and the numbers tell the story - high-end housing sales have doubled in top-tier cities, institutional capital is pouring into real estate technology, and AI-driven purchasing is now mainstream. Lighthouse PropTech is positioned at the heart of this transformation. With 40+ years of combined experience, Sumesh and Murtuza are bringing deep market expertise and a cutting-edge technology-driven vision to a sector that is primed for disruption. We are excited to back their journey as they scale to define the future of luxury real estate," said Ganesh Raju, Founder of Turbostart Global.

"Luxury real estate is evolving rapidly, and the demand for seamless, tech-powered portfolio management has never been higher. Partnering with Turbostart gives us more than capital - it brings a high-impact ecosystem of strategic expertise, industry connections, and deep technology enablement. This partnership will accelerate our mission to redefine how HNIs and UHNIs buy, sell, and manage real estate in a market set to double in value over the next five years," said Sumesh Mishra, Founder of Lighthouse PropTech.

Turbostart leads the $2.5 million investment round, joined by the Dabur Family Office and several HNI investors focused on expanding India’s premium real estate technology ecosystem.

About Lighthouse PropTech

Lighthouse PropTech is building a next-generation digital platform to transform luxury real estate transactions for HNIs and UHNIs, providing a seamless, AI-powered investment experience.

About Turbostart:

Founded in 2019, Turbostart is a catalyst for innovation and a powerhouse accelerator, propelling early-stage startups into the future. With a global presence spanning India, the Middle East, the US, and Singapore, Turbostart has launched 5 funds over 5 years, supporting over 50 diverse startups across sectors and stages. Our unparalleled support extends through 5 Centers of Excellence in Tech, Marketing, Sales, UI/UX, and Strategy and Consulting, providing startups with comprehensive resources to build tomorrow's leaders. For more information, visit [https://turbostart.co/].

Swedish Firm EQT to Acquire Singapore-based PropertyGuru in an All-Cash Deal

Sweden based EQT Private Capital Asia is set to acquire PropertyGuru, a leading property technology company in Southeast Asia, for approximately $1.1 billion. This acquisition will result in PropertyGuru being delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.

The deal represents a significant premium over PropertyGuru's recent share prices, reflecting the strategic value EQT sees in the company. This move is expected to bolster PropertyGuru's growth and innovation in the real estate technology sector.

On Friday today, PropertyGuru Group Limited, Southeast Asia’s leading PropTech company, announced that it has entered into an agreement and plan of merger with affiliates of BPEA Private Equity Fund VIII Limited (“EQT Private Capital Asia”), part of EQT AB, a purpose-driven global investment organization, pursuant to which the Company will be acquired by EQT Private Capital Asia in an all-cash transaction (the “Merger”) that values PropertyGuru at an equity value of approximately USD 1.1 billion.

Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger, each ordinary share of the Company issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time (other than certain excluded shares) will be cancelled and converted automatically into the right to receive an amount in cash equal to USD 6.70 per share, without interest.

The merger consideration represents a 52% premium to PropertyGuru’s closing share price on May 21, 2024, the last unaffected trading day prior to media speculation regarding a potential transaction, and a 75% and 86% premium to the Company’s 30-day and 90-day volume-weighted average share price, respectively, for the period ending May 21, 2024.

Major shareholders, TPG Asia VI SF Pte. Ltd. and TPG Asia VI SPV GP LLC, in its capacity as general partner of TPG Asia VI Digs 1 L.P. (collectively, “TPG”) and Epsilon Asia Holdings II Pte. Ltd., an entity managed by global investment fund KKR (“KKR”), which hold a combined 56% ownership of ordinary shares outstanding, have entered into voting and support agreements with the Company and EQT Private Capital Asia in support of the Merger.

PropertyGuru was founded in 2006 by Steve Melhuish and Jani Rautiainen. The idea for PropertyGuru came from their personal frustrations with the property search process in Singapore. They aimed to create a smarter, more intuitive online platform for property seekers.

The CEO and Managing Director of PropertyGuru is Hari V. Krishnan. He has been instrumental in leading the company through significant milestones, including its successful public listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Hari has over two decades of experience in technology and digital transformation, having previously led LinkedIn in the Asia Pacific region.

PropertyGuru primarily operates in Southeast Asia, including markets like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam1. However, it doesn’t have a significant presence in India. Instead, the Indian real estate market is dominated by local platforms like 99acres, MagicBricks, and Housing.com

EQT has been quite active in the acquisition space recently. In March 2024, EQT announced the acquisition of Equitrans Midstream, creating a vertically integrated natural gas company with an enterprise value over $35 billion. In September 2022, EQT acquired Tug Hill's upstream assets and XcL Midstream's gathering and processing assets for $5.2 billion.

In January 2021, EQT acquired 100% of the Exeter management company and a significant stake in its funds, enhancing its position in value-add real estate investing.

These acquisitions reflect EQT's strategy to expand its capabilities and market presence across various sectors.

Gruhas Aspire-Proptech Scaling Program Onboards 6 Start-Ups to Its 2nd Cohort

• 6 dynamic start-ups (out of 150+) were selected after a screening process spanning months.
• The start-ups are set to embark on a 6 month journey of growth, innovation, and sustainability embedding them within India’s Proptech ecosystem
• This comes after the success of Cohort 1 which saw over INR 22CR raised in capital

Gruhas Fund, DLF Family Office, and Anthill Ventures are thrilled to announce the unveiling of the second cohort of Gruhas Aspire – a proptech accelerator program. This Cohort features six remarkable startups poised to reshape the landscape of the construction and real estate industry. This dynamic initiative will empower these startups with strategic investments, expert guidance, and unparalleled market access opportunities, fostering innovation and sustainability throughout the sector.

Sailesh, Anthill Ventures

Gruhas event

The selected startups encompass a diverse range of groundbreaking solutions aligned with the focus areas such as- New & Emissions-Free Materials & Technologies in Construction, Smart Property Management for Selling & Leasing, Sustainable Properties with Clean Energy, Water Use, & Waste Management and Investments & Financing in Real Estate. Amongst the selected startups are- 

1. Ambiator,
2. Breathe ESG,
3. Earth Fokus,
4. Openhaus,
5. Slice 
6. Zerotouch.

Following the resounding success of the inaugural cohort, the second edition of Gruhas Aspire is committed to further catalyzing the growth of groundbreaking solutions that enhance sustainability, and efficiency in the built environment. The selected startups will benefit from comprehensive support spanning vision, mission & values, business model, product-market fit and growth, pricing and sales, branding and marketing, hiring and performance management, legal and compliance, and overall business mentorship from industry titans. The program is poised to facilitate scale while providing invaluable market access opportunities through strategic collaboration with India's premier developers and property managers. The program will conclude with a Demo Day where each startup will have the opportunity to pitch to a room full of sector specific investors.

Abhijeet Pai, Co-Founder of Gruhas Fund, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "Proptech is one of the key pillars to success and longevity of the human race. Gruhas understands that after AgriTech, Proptech as an ecosystem needs more disruption and exposure. With this thought, we look forward to supporting the incoming Cohort of Gruhas Aspire as they navigate the Proptech ecosystem and scale to new heights."

Rahul Talwar, Director of DLF Family Office, added, "Through the second edition of Gruhas Aspire, we aim to empower startups that address climate change and drive sustainability, making a meaningful impact on the environment and society at large."

Sailesh Sigatapu, Partner at Anthill Ventures, emphasized the firm's commitment to propelling the selected startups to new heights, remarking, "With our extensive experience and strategic approach, we will provide these startups with the essential tools, market access, and mentorship needed to accelerate their growth journey. Our goal is to empower them to navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and scale their innovations, ultimately contributing to their success and the transformation of the proptech landscape."

The inaugural cohort of Gruhas Aspire achieved remarkable success with six startups completing the program, of which four raised funding during the program and two are in the process of closing their rounds. The program facilitated over INR 22 Crore in capital through both the program and external investors, underscoring its effectiveness in nurturing startups in the proptech sector. The second edition is poised to further build on these achievements and significantly contribute to revitalizing and growing the real estate sector through innovation and sustainability.

About Gruhas

Gruhas was founded in 2021 by entrepreneurs Abhijeet Pai (Puzzolana) and Nikhil Kamath (Zerodha). The VC partners with Early, Venture and Debt Investments in start-ups, founders and teams pushing the boundaries of technology, innovation, and creativity. Gruhas has made over 26 investments since 2021. For more information about the Gruhas Aspire Proptech Scaling Program, please visit https://gruhasaspire.com/.

About DLF Family Office

DLF Family Office stands as one of the oldest family offices in the country. Established by the promoters of DLF Ltd, India's largest real estate company, the family office invests in equity through public market funds, private market funds, and direct investments in unlisted enterprises.

About Anthill Ventures

Anthill Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund and speed scaling ecosystem, investing in visionary entrepreneurs shaping the companies of tomorrow. Focusing on Healthcare, Mediatech, Urbantech, and Consumer Lifestyle, Anthill empowers early-stage startups to achieve transformational growth.

WiseX and Integrow Asset Management Launch India’s 1st Real Estate PMS

• The PMS, named as CREAM - Composite Real-estate Enhanced Active Multi-Asset will be actively managed with multi-asset strategic diversification across listed equity, listed debt and listed REITs
• The Portfolio will be managed by Integrow, which was founded by Mr. Ramashrya Yadav, the former CEO of Edelweiss Real Estate Practice.
• The PMS will be powered by WiseX's proprietary tech making use of AI/ML in its overall decision making
• Minimum investment ticket size is Rs. 50 Lakhs

WiseX, India’s leading Neo-realty investment platform in collaboration with Integrow Asset Management has launched India’s first sector specific Real Estate Portfolio Management Services (PMS). The portfolio will be managed by Integrow Asset Management and powered by WiseX’s proprietary technology. The fund aims to enable investors in generating alpha and risk adjusted returns by investing in the real estate sector in a focused Multi-cap portfolio.

The CREAM Portfolio will be focussed on the Real Estate sector as the sector is poised for growth and offers attractive investment opportunities. The Indian real estate market presents a significant growth potential, with expectations to reach USD 1 Tn by 2030, and contribute nearly 13% to India’s GDP by 2025 as per IBEF Real Estate Industry report. Substantiating this, the Nifty Realty Index has outperformed the benchmark Nifty 50 Index in its past 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 3 years and 5 years’ time periods.

(Left) Mr. Aryaman Vir, CEO, Wisex & (Right) Mr. Ramashrya Yadav, Founder & CEO, Integrow Asset Management

The investment approach combines income generation with the potential for significant gains, specifically tailored for the current volatile market conditions. This is achieved through a multi-asset allocation with strategic diversification across listed equities, listed debt, and listed REITs. The portfolio chosen will be across the entire real estate ecosystem including Construction Materials, Realty Developers, REITs, Housing Finance and Engineering.

To further enhance asset evaluation, WiseX’s proprietary tech will monitor and evaluate 3,500+ securities out of which the top 30 securities will be finally shortlisted and will be made a part of the portfolio. The portfolio will be actively managed to identify optimal exit and entry scenarios to establish an alpha and outperform the broader market index. The curation process entails real time evaluation across 100+ data points and stringent selection criteria. The expertise lies in:

• Real-Time Big Data Analytics – Analyse historical stock performance, market trends, and macroeconomic indicators on an unprecedented scale
• Robot Process Automation (RPA) – Proprietary RPA technology to automate time-consuming and repetitive tasks involved in research and analysis
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning – Identify hidden patterns and trends offering a deeper insight into market dynamics

Mr. Ramashrya Yadav, Founder of Integrow Asset Management said, “Given the strong prospects in the real estate segment in the coming years, we see a massive potential for a Real Estate-focused portfolio as an attractive investment option for HNIs, emerging HNIs, and aspiring millennials. Reinforcing our credentials as a trusted Asset Management Company coupled with the technology capabilities of WiseX, we aim to empower investors with unprecedented access to the Cream of real estate. CREAM Strategy will offer strategically diversified investment options across listed equities, listed debt, and REIT’s which will be leveraged amongst the massive 60k+ user base on WiseX platform. We are confident that the cross-collaboration and synergies among the Aurum PropTech ecosystem will accelerate tech adoption in the real estate industry and present our esteemed investors and valued stakeholders with a diverse range of enriched investment propositions.”

Speaking on the PMS launch, Mr. Aryaman Vir, CEO, WiseX said, “We are excited to launch India’s first sector specific real estate PMS, in collaboration with the industry leader in this space - Integrow Asset Management. By merging the financial expertise of Integrow and our advanced technology capabilities, we will offer a service that stands unrivalled within the Indian market. India is at a critical inflection point, having crossed USD 2,000 GDP indicating exponential growth here onwards in the per capita GDP and disposable incomes. As we witness rising investor interest and huge potential in alternative investments in realty space, we believe that venturing into the PMS segment is a crucial step forward towards scaling our vision of becoming the largest global Neo-Realty platform.”

Mr. Vir added, “Since inception, we have always strived to curate high-quality investment opportunities for our investors to provide maximum returns. This collaboration is a perfect example of leveraging the synergies between players within the Aurum PropTech ecosystem thereby enabling stronger investment products for our investors and our 60k+ user base.”

About WiseX:

WiseX is India’s first Tech Powered Neo-Realty Investment Platform, which enables retail investors to participate in institutional grade investment opportunities. The platform aims to democratise such opportunities by offering unprecedented access through state-of-the-art technological solutions. These opportunities are offered via. Fractional Ownership investment opportunities in Commercial Real Estate (CRE), Structured Debt through popular frameworks like Lease Rental Discounting (LRD), Loan Against Property (LAP), and Mortgage Back Security (MBS) along with their Portfolio Management Services product co-launched with Integrow AMC.

For more information, visit https://aurumwisex.com/

About Integrow:

Integrow is a next-generation, tech-driven real estate investment platform, revolutionizing the accessibility of institutional-grade residential and commercial real estate assets. With a commitment to transparency and active asset management, Integrow empowers investors through its expertise, cutting-edge technology, and unparalleled access to alternative investment opportunities. Founded by Ramashrya Yadav along with a seasoned leadership team and a dedication to sustainable alpha creation, Integrow aims to deliver superior results for all stakeholders. Mr. Ramashrya Yadav is also a board member of India’s first listed Proptech Company Aurum Proptech, which has several investments in property technology companies in areas of CRM, Block chain, Fractionalized Ownership, Metaverse, Co-Living and Co-working software platforms. Prior to this, he was CEO of Real Estate Advisory Practice, Edelweiss Financial Services Ltd.

For more information, visit https://www.integrowamc.com/

ANAROCK Signs Up MP Housing Board For Its AI-powered CRM Suite

ANAROCK CRM now in use by over 150 developers with over 1500 projects

India's leading independent residential real estate services consultant ANAROCK Group has announced that it has signed up the Madhya Pradesh Housing Board (MPHB) for its proprietary AI-enabled customer relationship management services. The ANAROCK CRM (ACRM) suite results in a 10-fold increase in inventory sales within a couple of months of implementation.

Sadiq Din, Head - ANAROCK CRM (India & International), ANAROCK Group, says, "We are gratified to onboard our first government entity as a dedicated user of ACRM after meeting all compliances, checks and balances. ACRM currently caters to over 150 developers with over 1500 projects; in fact, we have signed up over 100 clients in the last three months alone."

"The ANAROCK CRM suite is a revolutionary innovation to ramp up housing sales in all Indian markets from tier 1 to tier 3 cities," adds Santhosh Kumar, Vice Chairman - ANAROCK Group. "From planning and execution to analysis and reporting, it allows residential sales teams to create and track campaigns, and to make informed decisions about their future marketing strategies. The data and information about customers and prospects is stored and automatically analysed to provide valuable insights that help identify trends and measure success rates."

ACRM has been designed to be the ultimate Proptech solution for real estate developers and channel partners including government agencies, who are looking for prop tech-driven tools to enhance overall sales and marketing efficiency. With specialized algorithms created specifically for the Indian real estate market environment, ACRM streamlines and automates many of the manual tasks involved in sales and marketing.

Despite its high-tech, AI-driven features, ACRM does not require its users to be technologically proficient and can be instantly and seamlessly adopted by existing sales and marketing teams. ANAROCK CRM provides hands-on training to sales and marketing teams to ensure smooth adoption and integration with existing sales campaigns.

ACRM currently manages five enquiries, 90 calls and 1.2 residential site visits every minute. A highly advanced SaaS (software as a service) system, ACRM has so far processed approximately 5 million leads, automatically managing the sales pipeline, allowing sales teams to prioritize their leads, target their marketing efforts more effectively, and track the results of their campaigns.

The automation includes lead management via follow-up emails and lead scoring, which reduces the risk of leads being lost or forgotten.

ACRM has been rolled out across the country and plans to open GCC market in next few months.

B2B Proptech Platform Altre Raises $1 Mn from Institutional Investors

Gurugram based Proptech startup Altre has raised $1 million in a pre series A round of funding from institutional investors, reported Economic Times.

Altre is essentially a B2B Commercial Real Estate tech platform aims to solve real world problems by automating and resolving commercial real estate needs with seamless efficiency, making the process faster, smarter, and more accessible, by powering the process with data-driven insights and Artificial Intelligence.

Founded this year, by Shweta Sawhney (Ex JLL, Cushman and Savills), Altre is India’s first digital brokerage platform servicing a Pan India footprint for enterprise clients.

Shweta Sawhney is an industry expert with over 20 years of real estate experience. She has facilitated transactions of over 35 mn sq. ft., and with Altre she is on a mission to make real estate more efficient and accessible through technology.

Currently Altre has over 2,000 properties listed across 300 million square feet of listings from Bangalore, Delhi, Noida, Pune and Gurugram.

As per the startup's LinkedIn profile, Altre aims to digitize the real estate transaction space across various use cases like leasing, buying/selling utilising data and AI to cater to the real estate needs of corporate occupiers. Altre offers a one-stop solution where businesses can easily search, discover, compare, shortlist, negotiate, and finalize their office, flexible, coworking, meeting rooms, or conference room spaces.

Earlier this month, an another Gurugram headquartered Proptech startup OfficeBanao raised funds from angel investors including former Meta India MD Ajit Mohan and former Colliers India CEO Ramesh Nair.

In start of this year, Landeed, touted as India's largest seed-funded proptech startup, had raised $ 8.3 million from prominent investors like Draper Associates, Y Combinator, and Bayhouse Capital.

Ex-Meta India MD, Ex-Collier India CEO Invest in Proptech Startup OfficeBanao

Gurugram headquartered OfficeBanao has raised funds from three angel investors, including former Meta India MD Ajit Mohan and former Colliers India CEO Ramesh Nair, reported PTI.

The startup will utilize freshly raised funds in further enhancing its technology-driven platform, accelerate product development, and expand its workforce.

Founded in 2021, by Tushar Mittal, Akshya Kumar and Divyanshu Sharma, Officebanao provides AI-powered space planning, 3D walkthroughs, a variety of product selections, and real-time collaboration.

The startup had earlier raised $6 million in seed funding led by Lightspeed, in April this year.

OfficeBanao brings architects, contractors, designers, material suppliers, and office furniture providers under its aegis to cater to a diverse range of commercial interiors and to businesses of all sizes.

Late last month, an another proptech startup Crib raised Rs. 15 crores in its Seed round co-led by We Founder Circle and Rebright Partners. And, in last month only, a SaaS startup catering to Interior and Construction Companies, iDesign.Market, had raised $200,000 in a pre-seed funding round from prominent entities such as Jaipur Rugs, and a consortium of angel investors including PropTech expert Brigade REAP.

To recall, last week ANAROCK, India's largest and leading residential real estate services group, had announced that ASTRA, the firm's proprietary AI-driven Proptech tool, officially received patent status. 

ANAROCK Patents AI-powered Proptech Tool ASTRA

Revolutionary sales acceleration tool deployed in 200+ projects across 21 cities in the last one year

ANAROCK, India's largest and leading residential real estate services group, has announced that ASTRA, the Firm's proprietary AI-driven sales acceleration tool, has officially received patent status. This secures the Firm's exclusive rights to ASTRA and the algorithms and functions that have made it the definitive artificial intelligence tool for real estate developers to speed up their project sales results.

Sunil Mishra, Chief Strategy Officer, ANAROCK Group, says, "ASTRA was created over a two-year period by ANAROCK and its data analytics partner G-Square Solutions. The ASTRA algorithm examines customer behaviour data to produce highly accurate leads, increasing marketing effectiveness while significantly reducing marketing expenses. This pioneering SalesTech solution is now aptly registered with the Controller of Patents and a patent has been granted for innovative practices and processes under the category of a ‘System for Artificial Intelligence-driven Productivity Enhancement for Sales Management'."

With this, ANAROCK is now the first and only real estate services firm to obtain a patent for a disruptive Proptech tool built using Artificial Intelligence for increasing Sales.

Since its introduction in July 2021, ASTRA has transformed the way properties are sold in over 200 projects across 21 cities. It radically streamlines processes, maximizes efficiency in sales conversion, and entirely eliminates leads leakage. Built on consumer behaviour data from over 5 million leads from ANAROCK's own database, ASTRA implements 74 varying models to make it a custom fit for real estate projects of various sizes and stages of completion, and at any location.

According to the 2022 report Proptech - Modelling the Future of the Indian Real Estate Sector, sales automation and sales enablement - broadly defined as SalesTech - are now a necessity for organisations' sales strategy – especially if sellers want to maintain a competitive advantage in their respective industries. It is an efficient way to optimise the prospecting process and ensure that a company has more time to focus on nurturing leads, supporting current clients, and personalising customer experiences.

Proptech Crib Raises 15 Crores in Seed Round from Founders of Paytm, Cred, Mamaearth and others

Bangalore based prop-tech startup Crib raises Rs. 15 crores in its Seed round co-led by We Founder Circle and Rebright Partners.

The round saw participation from 50+ renowned founders and tech operators like Vijay Shekhar Sharma (PayTM), Kunal Shah (Cred), Ghazal Alagh (Mamaearth), Ramakant Sharma (Livspace), Sandeep Aggarwal (Droom, ShopClues), Ravi Bhushan (BrightChamps, Housing), Ankur Aggarwal (Dunzo) along with various angel syndicates and funds like Imperier Holdings, FAAD, Rogue Opportunities, Sigurd Ventures, Beej Network, Dream Green Capital Venture, Supermorpheus Fund etc.

CRIB Founders

Founded in 2022 by Sunny Garg, Shaifali Jain and Archit Chauhan, Crib is a digital ecosystem that connects landlords, tenants and entrepreneurs. For landlords, Crib offers a SaaS based solution that drives operational excellence, streamlines finances and boosts sales making it a go-to platform for rental housing business owners. For tenants, Crib offers a new-age platform to explore and book properties while enjoying exclusive discounts.

“The real-estate as we know it today, belongs to the youth, the next generation that will soon be bound to take up the responsibilities of managing and growing their forefather’s investments. We at Crib are building the digital infrastructure to support these upcoming property owners by creating the ultimate property solution.” said Sunny Garg, Co-Founder & CEO at Crib.

Crib has recently announced its #BeAnEntrepreneur campaign with the intent to foster the spirit of entrepreneurship and self-reliance amongst students and early working professionals. This campaign empowers users to earn cash upto Rs. 2,00,000 by simply referring properties to their contacts. Now anyone and everyone can enjoy the hefty commissions that come with real-estate bookings.

“Within 12 months of launch, we have built a solid foundation across 10+ cities in India including Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Ahmedabad & Delhi NCR. At present, over 500 landlords managing upto 1,00,000 rental units are collecting an annual rental revenue of Rs. 900 cr. on Crib’s SaaS platform.” told Shaifali Jain, Co-founder, COO & CPO at Crib.

“I have known the founders since 2017 when they were building YourShell, their professional growth over the past 6 years combined with their persistent passion for the housing industry is a clear sign that they are the best team to crack this market.” said Neeraj Tyagi, Co-Founder WeFounderCircle.

“Real Estate Industry in India has the potential to become more efficient and transparent for all stakeholders through technology interventions. We are backing Crib to transform this Industry by bringing in new products and services for Landlords, Renters, Service Providers and Financing Partners” said Brij Singh, General Partner at Rebright Partners.

The company plans to use the funds to expand its product offerings, and scale distribution to all major pincodes in India.

Proptech SaaS Startup iDesign.Market Secures $200K In Pre-Seed Funding

iDesign.Market, a Software as a Service (SaaS) startup catering to Interior and Construction Companies, has successfully raised $200,000 in a pre-seed funding round. The investment comes from prominent entities such as Jaipur Rugs, and a consortium of angel investors to a captable that already includes PropTech experts such as Brigade REAP. The capital infusion will be utilized to bolster the company's technological infrastructure, expand the talent pool, and fuel its overall growth trajectory.

Established in 2022 by Ashish Dhingra and Sunil Bhakuni, iDesign.Market offers a user-friendly workflow management platform designed to facilitate team collaboration and streamline business operations for Interior and Construction Companies.

"Ashish and Sunil bring a formidable combination of domain and technology expertise to the table. They have demonstrated a very early solution market fit reflecting their ability to offer straightforward and efficient solutions to an industry known for its complexity and disorganization. With digital transformation on the rise we firmly believe that iDesign.Market will play a pivotal role in transforming the interior and construction ecosystem in India and internationally." said Yogesh Chaudhary, Director at Jaipur Rugs.

“This is a well-earned validation for iDesign.Market that is addressing some long-standing inefficiencies and technology gaps in the Interior and Construction industry. The ecosystem is going through a significant transition from an unorganized fragmented market to rapid digital adoption which will grow manifold in years to come,” Nirupa Shankar, director, Brigade REAP. Brigade REAP is the acceleration and investment arm of the real estate developer Brigade Group that focuses on start-ups in the PropTech and ClimateTech space.

iDesign.Market's enterprise version of the SaaS platform has already garnered significant adoption among leading Design & Construction companies, including Magppie Kitchens, Essentia Environments, and Alsorg India. The company reports a steady monthly growth rate of 25 percent in user acquisition, according to its official statement.

T-Hub and Berkadia announced a strategic alliance to drive innovation and growth in the Indian startup ecosystem

Program Aims to Connect 40-56 Startups with Elite Corporate Partner Berkadia, Fostering Collaboration and Driving Growth.

Berkadia Joins T-Hub's Membership Program for Next 2 Years, Gaining Access to India's Thriving Startup Ecosystem

T-Hub, India's leading innovation ecosystem today announced its alliance with Berkadia, a leading commercial real estate company, to foster innovation, growth, and knowledge exchange in the Indian startup ecosystem. This alliance will last for two years, during which Berkadia will actively participate in T-Hub's membership program.

As part of the alliance, Berkadia will gain access to T-Hub's extensive network of startups. The relationship journey will build on facets of mentorship, networking, proofs of concept, pitch analysis, design assessments, business reviews, technical discoveries, and market analysis that will all play a part in driving change in the Commercial Real Estate industry, ultimately creating value. This will provide valuable networking opportunities and knowledge sharing with other corporate partners and startups. T-Hub's startups, on the other hand, will gain access to Berkadia's network of startups based on their focus areas, creating opportunities for collaboration and potentially scaling their businesses.

The program aims to connect at least 40-56 startups with Berkadia during the two-year alliance period. The program will include sensitization meetings, scouting, screening, evaluating, curated marketing campaigns, outreach, call for applications, specialized jury members, and pitch day. By providing a platform for startups to showcase their solutions, the program will foster collaboration between Berkadia and startups, driving growth, and development.

Mahankali Srinivas Rao (MSR), CEO, T-Hub, said, "We are delighted to work with Berkadia to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. Through this alliance, we aim to connect our startups with Berkadia's network and resources, enabling them to collaborate and create new opportunities. We look forward to working with Berkadia and achieving our shared goals of driving growth and development."

"The expansion of our BeEngaged program into India is very exciting and we couldn’t think of a better partnership than with T-Hub,” said Director – Berkadia Digital Bryce Nyberg. “BeEngaged advises and accelerates startups that are redefining the commercial real estate industry by providing them with resources, strategic counsel, and a collaborative network to test and grow innovative concepts. Since its origination in 2019, the program has accelerated more than a dozen CRE tech startups. T-Hub's track record of promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in India, and their commitment to driving growth and development, is commendable.”

Adding to that, Sudipto Mukherjee, Country Head and Managing Director at Berkadia India said, “This strategic partnership is a first of a kind initiative by Berkadia in the Indian subcontinent and is set to open avenues for more innovation. By working with T-Hub, we will have access to a wide range of innovative startups that align with our focus areas and enable us to stay ahead of the curve in the fast-paced commercial real estate industry”

The alliance between T-Hub and Berkadia is a strategic move that aims to foster innovation, drive growth, and create a robust ecosystem of entrepreneurship in India. With over 2000 startups impacted to date through various programs and initiatives, T-Hub has a proven track record of scaling startups in partnership with a robust ecosystem of partners. T-Hub and Berkadia are set to drive innovation and growth in the Indian startup ecosystem.

ABOUT T-HUB

T-Hub (Technology Hub) is an innovation hub and ecosystem enabler. Based out of Hyderabad, India, T-Hub leads India’s pioneering innovation ecosystem and is the world’s largest innovation campus. Over the six years, T-Hub has pivoted around the 6Ms (Mentors, Market, Motivation, Manpower, Money, Methodologies) and 2Ps (Partnerships & Policy advisory) framework with a mission of driving results and collaboration for entrepreneurs’ success. It has delivered 100+ innovation programs so far, creating an impact for start-ups, corporations, and other innovation ecosystem stakeholders. Since inception, it has provided over 2000 national and international start-ups with access to better technology, talent, mentors, customers, corporates, investors, and government agencies.

For more information about T-Hub, visit www.t-hub.co.

About BeEngaged™ powered by Berkadia®:

Launched in 2019, BeEngaged, powered by Berkadia advises and accelerates startups that are redefining the commercial real estate industry by providing them with resources, strategic counsel, and a collaborative network to test and grow innovative concepts. Since then, the organization has accelerated more than a dozen CRE tech startups, including Esusu.

The BeEngaged program offers three phases of increasingly close collaboration and experimentation with startups across the commercial real estate industry: BeEngaged Network®, Verified Status, and the BeEngaged Lab®. The BeEngaged Network® develops an ecosystem of founders, industry professionals, and capital providers dedicated to redefining the commercial real estate space. Companies participating in the BeEngaged Network® that have proven potential for long-term growth and industry transformation can be invited to seek Verified Status (VP). This stage provides company founders with focused mentorship for validating strategic alignment to participants of the BeEngaged ecosystem through experiments and pilots. Successful VP companies are invited to join BeEngaged Lab®, which is a catalyst for founders and Berkadia to collaborate on long-term initiatives.

To learn more about BeEngaged, click here.

About Berkadia®:

Berkadia, a joint venture of Berkshire Hathaway and Jefferies Financial Group, is a leader in the commercial real estate industry, offering a robust suite of services to our multifamily and commercial property clients. Through our integrated mortgage banking, investment sales and servicing platform, Berkadia delivers comprehensive real estate solutions for the entire life cycle of our clients’ assets.

To learn more about Berkadia, please visit www.berkadia.com.

India's 1st Listed PropTech Homesfy Forays into the International Market with A New Office in Dubai

Mr. Kiran Mhatre, Mr. Ashish Kukreja and Mr Mukesh Mishra

Mumbai-based Homesfy Realty Ltd., India’s first listed real estate tech-enabled brokerage firm, has expanded to Dubai. In the fourth quarter, Homesfy’s facilitated transaction value in India increased by 51%, which showcases the company’s remarkable growth.

As part of its strategic expansion plans, Homesfy seeks to broaden its horizons globally, with Dubai being its first port of call. Homesfy sees tremendous potential in the Dubai real estate market in the coming years. Its unparalleled network of tech-enabled agents will help achieve success in Dubai.

The impetus behind Homesfy’s expansion into Dubai stems from the highly auspicious growth curve of the Dubai real estate market. This growth is attributable primarily to the path-breaking policies adopted by the UAE government, which have been instrumental in driving a positive impact across the real estate industry.

In 2022, the Dubai real estate market experienced a massive upswing in sales to Indian buyers, raking in an impressive sum of ₹35,500 crores, almost twice the amount generated in the previous year. Of this total, Indian home buyers accounted for a notable 40%, positioning them as the leading buyer demographic in Dubai. These buyers mainly hail from major Indian cities such as Delhi-NCR, Ahmedabad, Surat, and Hyderabad and Punjab.

Mr. Ashish Kukreja, Founder & CEO, Homesfy. in, said, “Homesfy Realty Ltd. continues to ride the wave of success. We are thrilled to announce our latest endeavor of expanding our global footprint, with Dubai as the launchpad. Dubai’s progressive governance and trade policies and massive worldwide appeal has made it a popular destination among both real estate buyers and investors, and we aim to capitalize on this opportunity.”

Homesfy has consistently been a methodical real estate brokerage platform composed of highly imaginative sales, engineering, business, and marketing experts. Each of their products effectively bridges the trust deficit between home buyers and sellers through a refined and sharp approach.

The sales division in Dubai will be spearheaded by Mr. Mukesh Mishra (Head of Sales at Homesfy.in), a seasoned professional with insights into both domestic and international sales.

Mr. Mukesh Mishra, Head of Sales at Homesfy.in, said, “Despite volatile conditions and shifting consumer behavior, Dubai’s property market experienced record-breaking sales, volume, and value in 2022. Dubai has seen record-level demand in residential spaces in February 2023, and with an expected growth of 20% in the coming years, it has the potential to break all records. With a decade of experience in the Indian real estate market, we are ready to pitch in Dubai.”

Mr. Kiran Mhatre, Head of Sales - Dubai, who has over 20 years of experience, will also play a key role in the new territory alongside Mr. Mukesh Mishra.

Homesfy’s expansion to Dubai will undoubtedly provide Indian and international investors with a gateway to the booming Dubai real estate market, which has emerged as a beacon of growth and opportunity in recent years. The city will continue to attract HNIs and expatriates, asserting its position as a major real estate market.

About Homesfy

Homesfy.in, India’s first listed real estate firm, is one of the fastest-growing companies in the full-fledged, organized real estate industry. With over 400+ motivated team members spread across Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, and Bengaluru, the firm partners with reputed builders in the country to facilitate their real estate sales. Founded a decade ago, Homesfy has been the preferred channel partner for builders and developers such as Lodha, Godrej, Prestige, Dosti, Runwal, Hiranandani, Piramal, Raymond, and Mahindra, to name a few. In the last financial year, Homesfy collaborated with more than 106 developers.

Gruhas Proptech, DLF Family Office, and Anthill Ventures Call For Applications for 2nd Edition of Proptech Scaling Program

• Proptech Industry Set to Reach $9.7 Billion by 2023
• Gruhas ASPIRE will make Strategic Investments and Enable Scale & Market Access for Cohort Startups
• Cohort 1 of the program raised more than INR 22 Crore through the program and outside investors.

Gruhas Proptech, DLF Family Office, and Anthill Ventures have announced the launch of the second edition of Gruhas ASPIRE, a six-month scaling program for early stage proptech startups. With a focus on championing transformational solutions to enhance productivity and sustainability in the construction and real estate sector, the program will enable scale and make strategic investments in cohort winners.

The announcement comes on the heels of successful delivery of the first cohort of the program; out of the seven companies in cohort 1, five have closed a round of funding and the remaining two are in the process of closing a round. Further, three of the early-stage companies have completed their product and commenced go-to-market, and another three have expanded to new geographies and achieved scale.

The program has brought in pilots, forged partnerships with manufacturing and distribution partners, refined business models, and helped with branding and thought leadership. The program partners have funded five of the seven partners directly and by leveraging their investor network. The first cohort will conclude with a demo day in Bengaluru in June.

In the second cohort, selected startups will receive dedicated support in marketing, sales, product, team, and other business challenges. The program will also enable market access via India’s leading developers and property managers. Cohort startups will have the opportunity to secure pilots and POCs through Gruhas Proptech, DLF Family Office, and Anthill Ventures’ strong corporate network, and raise capital via Anthill Angel Funds. There will also be a demo day at the end of the program, where cohort companies will have the opportunity to raise capital and develop relationships with investors, corporates, and government.

According to market research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global proptech market is projected to expand from $4.2 billion in 2018 to $9.7 billion in 2023, indicating a CAGR of 18.0%. Additionally, Mordor Intelligence forecasts that by 2025, the smart building market will reach $109.48 billion, growing at a CAGR of 12.6% between 2020 and 2025. These figures underscore the significant growth potential and market opportunities for proptech startups.

The program’s focus areas include.

• New & Emissions-Free Materials & Technologies in Construction
• Smart Property Management for Selling & Leasing
• Sustainable Properties with Clean Energy, Water Use, & Waste Management
• Investments & Financing in Real Estate

The startups will be selected based on the following criteria:

• Early stage i.e., pre-seed or seed start-ups
• Focused on the abovementioned sub-sectors.

About to complete product and commence go-to-market or have already gone to market and wish to scale.

Abhijeet Pai, Co-Founder, Gruhas Proptech: "After the overwhelming support and success of the first cohort, we are excited to build on that momentum with our second cohort of proptech startups. We believe that these startups are at the forefront of the evolution with the rising demand for sustainable solutions, government initiatives, increasing investor interest, and technological advancements. We are excited to see new startups that are leveraging technology to solve some of the industry's most significant challenges.”

Rahul Talwar, Director, DLF Family Office: “After achieving a successful and thrilling Cohort 1, I am pleased to strengthen the partnership with Gruhas and Anthill for a second cohort! Through the second edition of Gruhas ASPIRE, we aim to empower startups that tackle climate change and drive sustainability, making a meaningful impact on the environment and the society at large.

Sailesh Sigatapu, Partner, Anthill Ventures: "We at Anthill have been bullish on the urban tech and proptech market for a few years now, with investments in this space already under our belt. Our market-access focused model has shown results, and we are thrilled to continue our partnership with Gruhas Proptech and DLF Family Office to help early stage proptech startups #ScaleWithSpeed.”

 

The Gruhas ASPIRE program has proven to be a resounding success, with the first edition showcasing some impressive success metrics. The program started with seven cohort startups, all of which successfully completed the program, achieving a 100% success rate. The program engaged with over 50 corporate partners and supported the companies in raising more than INR 22 Crore in capital, from the program as well as outside investors. The program is a unique initiative that presents a significant opportunity for early-stage sustainable proptech startups to scale their businesses and contribute to the revitalization of the real estate sector. Applications for the program will close on May 31st, 2023, and the selected startups will be announced shortly thereafter.

About Gruhas Proptech Fund:

Gruhas Proptech is a venture by the people behind Puzzolana and Zerodha. Gruhas focuses on Proptech, Metals, and Infrastructure. The acceptance of climate change, high debt, job dependency and suitability need urgent attention. Decarbonizing of the sector that accounts for around 40 percent of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide (UNEP) is critical to achieve the Paris Agreement commitment and the United Nations Sustainable Developments Goals.

About DLF Family Office:

The DLF Family Office is one of the oldest family offices in the country. Established by the promoters of DLF Ltd, India's largest real estate company, the family office invests in equity through investments in public market funds, private market funds and direct investments in unlisted enterprises.

About Anthill Ventures:

Anthill Ventures is a global venture capital fund and speed scaling ecosystem that invests in bold entrepreneurs who are building the companies of tomorrow. With a focus on Healthcare, Mediatech, Urbantech and Consumer Lifestyle, Anthill provides targeted and timely interventions that drive transformational growth for early-stage startups. Our unique approach helps companies #ScaleWithSpeed, allowing them to reach stronger growth trajectories and unlock their full potential.

Proptech Platform Strata Clocks 2X Rise in Women Investors Reaching 45% of Its Total Customer Base

Earlier anticipated to be a five-year programme, the aim was achieved in just one year since its launch

Committed to creating an inclusive investment atmosphere, Strata, India's leading proptech enabling fractional ownership in commercial real estate, marked a 2X growth in the number of women investors within a year of slashing the minimum investment ticket size for women. It now has 45% women investors of its total investor base.

Last year, during the occasion of International Women’s Day, Strata launched an initiative to encourage women take active role in their investment decisions. As a part of this initiative, Strata reduced its minimum investment ticket size by 40% from INR25 lakh to INR 15 lakh for women investing on its platform. The initiative was envisaged as a five-year programme, however, the aim of increasing women investor participation in fractional ownership of commercial real estate, has been achieved in less than a years’ time. While commemorating the investment spirit and financial empowerment of women, the initiative has also been instrumental in driving awareness among investors to explore new-age alternative investment avenues.

Strata's Co-founder & COO Priyanka Rathore said, "Promoting an inclusive investment environment has always been Strata's core principle, and we are thrilled to receive such a warm response from our women investors. We applaud the courage and effort for taking a step out of their comfort zone and taking charge of their financial health.


Comprising half of the economy's population, we must focus on and create an equal podium for women investors. As a women entrepreneur, I am responsible for making efforts in this direction. Strata is committed to further curating innovative products and investment opportunities to create a more engaging and nurturing investment ecosystem for women."

Strata, as one of the leading players in this segment, is actively working to create full awareness about the first-hand participation of women in building and nurturing their financial health. Strata have constantly been raising investment awareness through different mediums to foster the sentiment of boosting India's alternative investment spectrum.

About Strata Property Management

Strata is a tech-enabled real estate investment platform that allows investors to own and sell fractions of pre-leased, Grade-A commercial properties like office spaces, warehouses, industrial assets, etc. With more than 900+ Cr in AUM, over 50,000 members, and 3000 investors, it is India's leading platform for fractional ownership in commercial real estate. It is funded by marquee investors, Kotak Investment Advisors, Gruhas Proptech, Elevation Capital, Mayfield India, and others.

Sourcing Commercial Real Estate and offering it on an easy-to-use online platform, Strata aims to democratize CRE, making it accessible for a much larger investor base, as well as bringing transparency and simplicity to CRE investments with its data-driven asset selection and single window platform to invest in assets across the nation.

https://strataprop.com/

Proptech Startup Landeed Raises $8.3 Mn in Seed Funding led by Draper Associates and Bayhouse Capital

Y-Combinator-backed Landeed co-founders (L-R) — ZJ Lin, Sanjay Mandava, Jonathan Richards

• Within four months of its launch, Landeed received 1.7 million searches for land titles across the seven states it operates in
• Landeed’s proptech approach is a consumer-centric product with enterprise capabilities leading to the search of property titles 10X faster

Landeed, India's largest seed-funded proptech startup, has recently hit the ground running by raising US$ 8.3 Million. This round witnessed the participation of investors led by Draper Associates, Y Combinator, and Bayhouse Capital.

With these investors backing, Landeed, the brand, aims to build India's fastest and most comprehensive property title search engine. This new funding is set to be utilised to infuse fresh talent into the company to support the accomplished team and further strengthen the technological infrastructure.

As India’s real estate market is expected to reach a size of US$ 1 Trillion by 2030, this funding presents the startup with a huge opportunity in the proptech market. Tapping into the industry need, the investment procured will be used in a manner to build for the maximum number of users to reach Product Market Fit. The start-up plans to hire ten more software developers to help it become an IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) provider for all real estate transactions.

Speaking on the announcement, Sanjay Mandava, CEO and Co-Founder of Landeed, said, “Landeed weaves together multiple government departments across various states producing a ‘plaid-like’ property summary data. Through our application, an individual can verify a property transaction ledger going back 20 years in 2 seconds. To make this happen, we built a standardised interface simplifying the multiple search methods across states into an intuitive and fluid user experience. This unique proposition has led our team to witness impressive revenue growth. We are grateful to our investors for placing their trust in our service as we work towards building the largest possible user base, making Landeed for the world, not just India!”

In a country, where 67% of all court cases deal with land-related disputes, founded in 2022, Landeed is simplifying property due diligence for all parties to engage, communicate, and close deals. Landeed simplifies the multiple search methods across states into an intuitive and fluid experience. The company is solving a very difficult and serious problem that no other company tried to solve. It collects all the data that is required by a land owner or buyer to ensure everything is in order with a particular property.

In order to become the primary hub and authority for real estate transactions in India, Landeed closed its oversubscribed seed round today at a $ 8.3 million. Six months prior to receiving the new funding, Landeed had already raised a pre-seed round from Justin Hamilton (CEO, Clutterbot), Goodwater Capital, Olive Tree, Manmohan Chandolu, Chris Maurice (Yellow Card), Christian Kaczmarczyk (Third Prime VC), AVCF Fund, and nine Y Combinator alumni.

PropTech Strata Raises INR 76 Cr for its Biggest Asset in Mumbai Metropolitan Region

• Introduces Phase II asset in MMR; to raise total of INR 170 crores in four phases
• After successful closure of Phase I, Phase II launched valuing at INR 53 crore
• Investors will earn a gross entry yield of 9.1 % p.a. and targeted IRR of 12.7% p.a.
• The phase II asset is spread across an area of 39,000 sq. ft., which is pre-leased for 6.5 years with a tenant lock in period of 5.5 years
• With this asset, Strata to cross an AUM of INR 900 crore in 2023
• This asset is expected to provide the target multiple of 2X

Strata, India’s leading proptech enabling fractional ownership in commercial real estate (CRE), has launched Phase II of its 21st asset valued at INR 170 crores. Of the total value, Strata has facilitated investors to raise INR 76 crore including Phase I & II. The asset that spans over 39000 sq.ft. is an office asset situated in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The property will provide a gross entry yield of 9.1% and a targeted IRR of 12.7%. It is expected to provide 2X returns during the total investment tenure including rental yield and capital appreciation. It has been pre-leased for a period of 6.5 years and has a tenant lock in period of 5.5 years.

With its extreme proximity to Mumbai, this asset is strategically located in India’s largest transit oriented development landscape of Seawoods Grand Central. This landscape features a wide range of Grade-A office spaces, residences, malls and an integrated Seawoods-Darave railway station which offers easy connectivity to the entire MMR region. Navi Mumbai, is one of the largest planned townships in the country and has a well-connected national rail & road network along with an upcoming international airport. Equipped with conducive infrastructure including large corporate parks, upcoming business compounds and skilled workforce; the city is definitely one of India’s prime destinations in terms of growth.

Commenting on the launch, Sudarshan Lodha, Cofounder & CEO, Strata Property Management, said, “We are delighted to return to one of the most sought after locations of MMR with our second and highest valued asset amidst the fast paced and strategic development of the region. After successfully funding over 20 assets across the country, this 21st asset is expected to generate 2X return on investment for investors. Having said that, this asset is a perfect example of these efforts bringing a seamless combination of strategic location, high quality property and an international heritage tenant making it an optimum investment opportunity for investors looking to invest into the ambitious city of dreams.

With adding an AUM of INR One crore every day in 2022, in the new year, we aim to bring in more assets across high demand sectors like warehousing, hospitals, data centres making Strata one of the leading alternative investment platforms offering fractional ownership into CRE. We aim to reach an AUM of 1100-1200 crores by the end of this fiscal. ”

In its efforts to encourage retail investment in Grade A, state of the art commercial properties in India, Strata has launched multiple premium assets across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hosur, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Pune, etc.

Strata, since its inception has been continuously striving towards creating a strong new asset class of fractional ownership in India, thus democratising the high end, limited access CRE investment. Due to these efforts, Strata has successfully proven to win the stanch confidence of over 50000 users and 2500+ active investors. With approximately 25% of NRI investor base, Strata is helping encourage foreign investment in Indian real estate. Strata is backed by institutional investors like Kotak Investment Advisors, Gruhas Proptech, Sabre Investments Elevation Capital, Mayfield and PropStack.

About Strata Property Management

Strata is a tech-enabled real estate investment platform that allows investors to own and sell fractions of pre-leased, Grade-A commercial properties like office spaces, warehouses, industrial assets, etc. With more than 700+ Cr in AUM, over 35,000 members, and 2000 investors, it is India's leading platform for fractional ownership in commercial real estate.

It is funded by marquee investors, Kotak Investment Advisors, Gruhas Proptech, Elevation Capital, Mayfield India, and others.

Sourcing Commercial Real Estate and offering it on an easy-to-use online platform, Strata aims to democratize CRE, making it accessible for a much larger investor base, as well as bringing transparency and simplicity to CRE investments with its data-driven asset selection and single window platform to invest in assets across the nation.

https://strataprop.com/

Blox Raises $12 Mn in Largest Proptech Sector Investment in India

Largest proptech sector investment, Silicon Valley-based investors double down in new round of funding. 

Proptech start-up, Blox, announced today that it has raised USD 12 million in a Series A funding round – the largest in the proptech sector in India. This round was backed by earlier Silicon Valley investors and new strategic investors and angels, notably Kunal Shah, founder of CRED.

The funds will be utilized by Blox for market expansion, boosting the product portfolio, and building data infrastructure across customer, broker, and developer segments. 

Blox is a fully integrated online real-estate service that allows customers to make their home-buying experience as seamless as possible. Blox provides instantaneous site visits along with complete transparency and convenience through its comprehensive home-buying experience. A Relationship Manager is assigned to every home buyer to assist with virtual and physical site visits across the city. To sustain and further develop their capabilities, this round of funding will enhance the product development frameworks and streamline technologies to build a superior customer experience. It will also be utilized to expand Blox’s presence through market expansion and penetration, allowing Blox to service more developers and create a higher property density for customers to view more projects that are being serviced actively by the company.

Aditya Jhaveri

Blox Founder and CEO, Aditya Jhaveri, commented, "We are stoked to receive this round of funding from our existing Silicon Valley investors, new strategic investors and angels, along with Kunal Shah. It reaffirms their faith in our vision to lead India’s property technology transformation and disrupt the USD 100 billion real estate market. Blox was conceptualized with the aim to democratize real estate by keeping customers at the center of the equation and making real estate purchases joyful again, by delivering the end-to-end purchase process.

We understand that buying a home is the biggest decision for a family and we want to make sure that our customers have access to the best possible data insights, allowing them to make informed decisions based on transparency and trust. The Indian real estate sector has massive untapped potential and we are proud to be at the forefront of this growth opportunity. This round of funding bolsters our position as a market leader and gives impetus to our customer-driven approach.

Since its launch in 2020, Blox has been making waves in the real estate industry with its unique approach to home buying. The platform enables users to buy a home in less than 7 clicks, making it one of the most user-friendly platforms in India. With this latest round of funding, Blox is well-positioned to continue its growth trajectory and emerge as a leading player in the real estate space. 

About Blox - 

Blox is India’s first technology-based and consumer-centric real estate buying platform. It has built on its reputable stature and has gained the attention of several leading investors. Through its fully integrated online-to-offline system, Blox is revolutionizing the way Indians perceive buying and selling real estate. Blox also allows clients to compare properties fairly; owing to its price transparency, which has led to increased customer loyalty and satisfaction.

PropTech Firm, Homesfy.in, Raises $1.1 Mn from Marquee Investors Led by Girish Gulati, Ahead of Planned SME IPO

Mr. Ashish Kukreja, CEO & Founder with Team of Homesfy.

Funding will support the firm's expansion across multiple cities in India and fructify its plans to enter international markets

A fast-growing company in the real estate broking sector, Homesfy Realty, has raised $1.1 million from early-stage growth investors Girish Gulati, Dnyanesh Bhatavadekar, Neha Idnany, Yogesh Bagaria, and Amit Bagaria.

The company is planning to list on the Indian bourses and has filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) for SME IPO with NSE Emerge. The proceeds from the proposed offering will be used by the company for its Working capital requirements, General corporate purpose, and organic growth, the firm said in a statement.

"Real estate is poised to be a $1.5 trillion industry in the near future. As real estate developers consolidate market share via launches and construction velocity, they need the right partners to drive sales. Through the use of proprietary technology tools, rigorous processes, and talented sales agents, Homesfy simplifies the home-buying experience and is positioned to lead the channel partner sales for all major developers across India," said Girish Gulati, who is a veteran investor in the public equity markets. Gulati has led many small companies to scale while supporting them through his large network and ample experience.

“Buying a home for personal use or as an investment continues to be a popular choice in the country. Due to the pandemic, even the reluctant youth has realized the advantages of investing in hard assets. This, coupled with the regulatory framework coming into the real estate sector through RERA, has paved the way for a growing interest in real estate transactions. We, at Homesfy, started our journey with the aim to simplify the home-buying process. With the new strengths coming in and this fund-raise, Homesfy is committed to delivering growth to its employees and investors and satisfactory services to its customers,” said Ashish Kukreja, Founder & CEO at Homesfy.in & MyMagnet.io.

Currently, Homesfy is headquartered in Mumbai and has an operational presence in 4 cities in India including Pune, Bengaluru, and Delhi NCR. With a team strength of nearly 400 employees, the firm partners with all reputed builders in the country to facilitate their real estate sales. The company has recently initiated the process of acquiring EQServ, a Mumbai-based real estate broking firm that has been facilitating residential property sales for category A+ developers across the city.

Founded a decade ago, Homesfy quickly became self-sufficient and expanded to facilitate bookings totaling Rs 1,650 Cr on its platforms in the last financial year.

About Homesfy:

Homesfy Realty is a leading real estate brokerage platform with a presence across the top 4 cities in India. Homesfy has endeavored to spur the real estate industry towards value-added professional service where trust and confidence meet convenience and transformational business transactions.