With more than 200 entries and submissions from around the globe, the 2021 EG Tech Awards was always going to be a tough one to judge. But with more than 30 expert judges from across the worlds of real estate and tech, days of submission studying and around 12 hours in virtual judging rooms debating, deliberating and often challenging, we have settled on this year’s potential winners of a coveted EG Tech Award.
Bridging the Gap Award
The Bridging the Gap award is one of our most popular awards. The winner is someone who can demonstrate true leadership in the sector and plays a major role in bringing the worlds of technology and real estate closer together. Previous winners include Ross Bailey of Appear Here, Fionnuala Hogan of Goldacre and Dan Hughes of Alpha Property Insight.
- Lee Butz, chief executive & founder, District Technologies
- Angelica Donati, chief executive, Donati Immobiliare Group
- James Pellatt, director of workplace & innovation, Great Portland Estates
- Matt Partridge, founder & chief executive, Infabode and chairman, UK PropTech Association
- Natasha Terinova, program director, REACH UK – Second Century Ventures
- Russ Shaw CBE, founder, Tech London Advocates & Global Tech Advocates
Judge Stefan Schmidt of HB Reavis (pictured), said: “This year’s submissions to the EG Tech Awards demonstrated an unprecedented combination of innovation and social impact. It was truly a pleasure to see so many solutions respond positively to the rapidly changing real estate landscape.”
Construction Award
The winner of this award will have demonstrated that they have made the best use of technology to facilitate, create or improve a construction project or process. Previous winners include Mace, Qualis Flow and PlanRadar.
- innDex
- Modulous Ltd
- OpenSpace
Judge Martin Quinn of Great Portland Estates (pictured) said: “It was fantastic to see a wide variety of applicants and submissions with some innovative solutions. Congratulations to those that have been shortlisted.”
Infrastructure Award
The winner of this award must demonstrate how they have made the best use of technology to facilitate, create or improve an infrastructure project. Infrastructure in this category refers to either physical or social infrastructure and can also apply to existing or future schemes and is open to companies and project from around the world. Previous winners include UK Infrastructure Transitions Research Consortium, VU.CITY and Glide.
- AirWorks
- Buro Happold’s SmartViz developed in partnership with Microsoft
- Node
- Qlue Smart City
Investment Award
This award recognises the best use of technology to support property investment, either to raise funds, reduce risk, identify an opportunity or speed up transactions. Goldacre, Gyana, Coyote Software and BIDX1 have all previously picked up and EG Tech award for investment.
- Coyote Software
- LDS
- Native Finance
- OakNorth
Judge Colin O’Reilly of MRI Software (pictured) said: “It was exciting to be involved in judging the EG tech awards. The entries showed innovation in resolving important industry issues; submissions were thoughtfully crafted. Choosing winners was so difficult. Congratulations to all.”
Placemaking Award
This award celebrates a technology solution that elevates wider building portfolios and larger schemes to new heights by focusing on place and space making. Businesses including Wordsearch Place, Built-ID, Manchester Science Partnerships, Appear Here and Ideal Modular Homes with shedkm have previously won this award.
- Built-ID
- DevComms Ltd
- HqO
Productivity Award
Shortlisted entrants for this award had to showcase how their tech was improving productivity in buildings or cities. Previous winners of this valuable award have included Open Box, Vodafone, Demand Logic and VU.CITY.
- Beringar
- Desana
- Equiem
- Plentific
- VU.CITY
Rapid Response Award
This award, new for 2021, is for a business or individual which demonstrated a measurably successful solution or response to the changing market during unprecedented times. Including, but not limited to, ideas and solutions developed quickly in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, judges have shortlisted entrants that stepped up to the plate in challenging circumstances to deal with an unforeseen issue or problem.
- Arthur
- innDex
- Student Cribs
- UnderTheDoormat
- VTS
Real Estate Digital Legal Adviser
The digital legal adviser is for any law firm, department or individual advising a technology or real estate company to help them navigate the complicated world of digital transformation. Introduced for last year’s awards, this gong was picked up Mishcon de Reya.
- Addleshaw Goddard
- CMS
- Simmons & Simmons
Real Estate Digital Rising Star
A rising star in tech is not confined by age or tenure in the profession. You could be fresh out of university or a property veteran who as pivoted into real estate tech. Last year’s winner of this highly contested award was British Land’s Chenai Gondo. Who will be this year’s winner?
- Sharon Jenkins, senior innovation manager, CMS
- Aimee Rootes, COO, Cureoscity
- Charlotte Laing, head of marketing, Metrikus, AirRated and Aerum
- Andy Saull, head of research and strategy, Pi Labs
- Valentina Shegoyan, managing partner, REACH UK – Second Century Ventures
- Gonzalo Marquesini, founder, RenKap
- Nick Christoforou MRICS, founder & director, The ZEUS App
Judge Olly Freedman (pictured) said: “This year the quality of entrants for the Rising Star category was extremely high, making the shortlisting process very difficult. Well done to all those who entered and congratulations to all those who made the shortlist.”
Sustainability Award
Much of real estate’s progress in achieving net zero carbon will be driven by tech so recognising those firm’s that are using technology to improve the sustainability of a building, scheme or city was one of the most important categories being judged this year. Previous winners have included Nuveen Real Estate, Airlite, British Land and Pavegen.
- AET Flexible Space
- BrainBox AI
- CIM
- Converge
- ECOncrete
- Incube Space
Tech Investment Award
This award celebrates the people putting their money where their mouths are – the real estate companies, VCs and others making significant investment in the real estate tech space. Last year’s winner was EDF Energy with Legal & General. Who will take home the prize in 2021?
- A/O PropTech
- Blend Network
- CEMEX Ventures
The Big Picture Award
Shortlisted entrants for this award had to demonstrate support for tech and real estate on a grand scale, through digital transformation and focused engagement across the sector. Previous winners have included NHS Property Services and HM Land Registry.
- Geovation, Ordnance Survey
- Greater London Authority
- Institute of Residential Property Management
- PropTech for Good
- UK PropTech Association
- VU.CITY
The Wellbeing Technology Award
This award celebrates the best wellbeing innovations in property and judges were keen to shortlist companies that would show how their technology is being implemented, how it works and how the wellbeing impact is measured. AirSensa won this award in 2020.
- AirRated
- Angel Guard
- HomeLINK
- SmartONE Solutions Inc.
Innovation Awards
Innovation is synonymous with tech, which is why these categories are always the hardest to judge. Entries overwhelmed judges this year which meant they were even more diligent and tough when it came to selecting the very best of the best.
Innovation (product) Award
- Converge
- Desana
- Hollis
- Incube Space
- Obligo
- OpenSpace
- RenKap
Innovation (building) Award
- AshbyCapital and U+I’s The Future Works
- AXA IM Alts’ 22 Bishopsgate
- British Land’s 100 Liverpool Street
- Great Portland Estates’ The Hickman
Innovation (business) award
- Great Portland Estates
- Plentific
- Smart Spaces
- Student Cribs
- VTS
- VU.CITY
Some 76 excellent shortlisted companies will be eagerly waiting to see if they have won one of 17 glitzy EG Tech Awards to be handed out at our global, virtual celebration on 14 September. Join us to help celebrate all of their achievements and to find out who EG’s top notch judges have awarded this year’s Real Estate Digital Outstanding Achievement of the Year award too.
It’s been a big year for tech in real estate, so it could be you.
