EG Tech Academy: Meet the mentors

The 2018 intake for the EG Tech Academy has opened and EG – along with our partners KPMG, CBRE, Legal & General Real Assets and Pi Labs – is looking for both pre- and post-seed start-ups that can deliver innovative tech or data solutions for the built environment. Whatever your idea, we are interested in seeing what you have to offer a rapidly evolving real estate environment. To help you make the most of your entry, over the next few weeks we will be finding out from EG’s Tech partners – each of which is offering six hours of hands-on mentoring with leaders within their businesses for our shortlisted entrants – just what they are looking for. First up is Legal & General Real Assets’ head of platform technology and change, Jon Avery. EG: What are you most looking forward to about this year’s EG Tech Academy? JA: A range of new entrants from different industry backgrounds showing that proptech is now creating its own gravity, helping to normalise the offerings while also attracting top talent bringing their shared experiences to accelerate our sector. EG: What do you think is the biggest/most exciting problem that needs solving through tech in the built environment? JA: Frictionless processes, from planning and design to operation and occupation. EG: What should potential Academy finalists make absolutely sure they include in their entries? JA: A clear understanding of the problem or opportunity they are seeking to improve or remove. It would be hard to mentor and then try to get them to pivot straight away if they have not got something that actually is a problem that needs solving. EG: What type of tech solutions are you most excited to see pitched? JA: We are really open to this. We want to see solutions that can interact with incumbents, while looking to the future to provide services, platforms and applications. Innovation and progress has been slow as a result of the closed nature of a lot of the leading software providers in the market. Teams should be able to solve data integration or seek standardised integration methods. EG: You are going to offer mentoring for shortlisted parties. What can finalists expect from you if they secure this invaluable opportunity? JA: Guidance, networking and exposure across a multitude of stakeholders and sectors in real estate, infrastructure and finance. To enter the EG Tech Academy 2018, e-mail your submission to techtalk@egi.co.uk. Submissions should include your business/idea, how it will be utilised in the built environment, evidence of the size and value of the market, and customer testimonials. See below for full entry criteria. The closing date for entries is 5 October 2018. © Romilly Lockyer How to enter Pre-revenue For teams or companies which may be pre-product or in trials, but with no paying clients. Please provide: Details of your business and idea and how it will be utilised within the built environment. Evidence of the market, including a detailed market-sizing report on the scale of the opportunity. Customer validation. Plans for founders to go full time soon and commit to the venture. Post-revenue For companies that have already generated some income through paid trials or subscriptions. Entrants in this category should have a full-time team, have a cumulative revenue of less than £250,000 and must not have received funding in excess of £250,000 (including investment, loans and grants). Please provide: Details of your business and how it is being utilised with in the built environment. A detailed market-sizing report, showing the scale of the opportunity. Evidence of a strong grasp of your business’s financials, unit economics and business model. Customer testimonials. Find out more at www.egi.co.uk/eg-tech-academy-2018/ Main image © Ed Telling To send feedback, e-mail Samantha.McClary@egi.co.uk or tweet @Samanthamcclary or @estatesgazette