How would you invest in housing? Would it be a wager on massive disruption? More convenience? A bet on streamlined regulation or policy? Improved access to capital? There are dozens of more ways.
More and more investment is being aimed at real estate because of the massive opportunities – housing is in high demand and low supply. A recent Forbes article pointed out that in 2010, the total investment in real estate technology was estimated to be $33 million, and just seven years later, more than $5 billion was raised.
This opportunity is producing many venture capital groups that are aimed at real estate, along with other programs to facilitate innovation. The Terner Center for Housing Innovation, for example, recently launched the Housing Lab, a group that will advise and invest in companies to help refine strategic and successful business models, navigate the policy environment, and find the right investors to help deliver the innovation to scale.
Even home builders and manufacturers are getting in the mix. Ivory Homes launched the Ivory Prize this year as an annual award recognizing ambitious, feasible, and scalable solutions to housing affordability. The Ivory Prize not only recognizes innovators, but also provides material support to advance the innovation that they represent, which could include solutions that advance elements of finance, policy, or design and construction.

In January this year, Saint-Gobain and Certainteed launched the InNOVAte 2019, an accelerator program to support entrepreneurs that are shaking up the construction value chain. Those selected to be part of the program will not only earn grant funding, but they also be part of the manufacturer’s partner Greentown Launch’s six-month acceleration program.
Andrew Ackerman, managing partner of Urbantech at Dreamit Ventures, one of real estate’s most active venture capital groups, spoke with Philip Beere, host of the HIVE RE:Think podcast about how his organization is working with startups and the impact that it will have on the future of housing. You can listen here:
Dreamit is working with many startups that are re-imagining housing, including VirtualAPT, VirtualKEY, amenify, Snappt, PassiveLogic and many more.
At this year’s HIVE conference, there is a strong focus on this growing investment opportunity in housing, including the new HIVE Launchpad program. This program puts five innovative startups on stage to present their products and services to the audience and to a panel of judges from a variety of real estate venture capital groups.
After the fifth pitch, the audience and a talented panel of judges, including Ackerman, will vote for the most compelling innovation. That innovation will be recognized with a prize of $15,000 in kind Hanley Wood marketing services. The application process to be included in this program is open now online until September 27.
Ackerman also is serving as a HIVE Dean and will be presenting the break out session “Launching Innovation: The Money Equation,” where he will discuss how to align operational models with innovation, and at the same time remain flexible to make it profitable. He will build a thought-provoking discussion with attendees on how housing leaders can attract, manage and merge innovation to be successful in the future.
Register now to be part of this event!
This article appears as it was originally published on our sister site, www.hiveforhousing.com.