PropTech is a very interesting and important area as it impacts everything from energy consumption including the environmental impact to for example employee’s user experience and productivity in workplaces to how you more efficiently can manage buildings.
Many believe that PropTech is something new, but it has actually been around for over 100 years with for example Professor Warren S. Johnson (the Founder of my old employer Johnson Controls) invented the first the electric room thermostat in 1883! PropTech was for years very much about managing heating, ventilation etc, but has now really moved into the space where it really impacts people’s life and work.
The PropTech industry is very expansive with players from very large corporates, to scale-ups and start-ups. It is really interesting to see how it’s moving from large corporates only working with other large corporates to now all type of players from large to small, old to new working together trying to cretate the best solutions and products. Property developers and owners, investors of all types are also showing a significant interest for the industry.
The ongoing pandemic is of course creating problems, but also opportunities for the PropTech industry with for example social distancing in the workplace as one critical area. Other challenges to overcome includes for example how to efficiently bridge the knowledge gaps between people from the real estate and tech industries, how to efficiently integrate old and new systems, how to create great user experiences among other, so exciting times for the PropTech Industry!
Sweden is one of the most innovative and largest (per capita) PropTech industries in the world. I believe that PropTech Sweden really can be the community that brings people and organisations together as an eco-system of entrepreneurs, small and large corporates, property owners and developers and investors to continue to grow Sweden’s position as a leader PropTech.
I hope that my long experience as an international business leader combined with my real estate and startup, scale-up and corporate experience within PropTech will contribute to the continued development and success of PropTech in Sweden, the EU and worldwide.
I am really looking forward working together with PropTech Sweden’s CEO and Founder, Roger Tofft, our Advisory Board, Swedish PropTech Experts and all our members. I also look forward working together with Dirk Paelinck, Chairman of the European PropTech Association – PropTech House and the other Board Members to continue the development of PropTech.
Thank you.
Magnus Åkerberg