Real estate entered 2026 at a point of irreversible change. As the world’s largest asset class—worth more than $650 trillion—it is no longer shaped only by location, supply cycles, and capital costs, but by software, automation, and data-driven decision-making at scale. High interest rates, a global affordability crunch, and operational inefficiencies have exposed the limits of legacy real estate models, accelerating demand for technologies that can deliver efficiency, transparency, and resilience across the built environment.
At the center of this shift is PropTech. What began as experimental digital tooling has matured into a $40+ billion industry, increasingly driven by agentic AI systems capable of executing complex workflows autonomously. These technologies are reshaping leasing, underwriting, property management, transactions, and construction—areas where manual processes and fragmented systems still dominate much of the market. Investors have taken note, shifting capital away from growth-at-all-costs narratives toward startups that demonstrate operational discipline, measurable margin expansion, and scalable unit economics.
Summary of Institutional PropTech Funding and Performance
| Metric | Current Status / Value | Market Implication |
| Global PropTech Market Valuation | ~$40.19 Billion | Core pillar of the global real estate industry. |
| Average Revenue Multiple | 8.8x | Reflects balanced growth and efficiency expectations. |
| U.S. PropTech Debt & Equity (1H 2025) | $2.3 Billion | Sustained capital flow despite interest rate headwinds. |
| Commercial/Multi-family Share | ~50% of Total Investment | Shift in focus toward institutional asset management. |
| Residential Tech Share | ~27% of Total Investment | Cooling due to high mortgage rates and inventory levels. |
| Construction Tech Share | ~23% of Total Investment | Rising due to labor shortages and ESG mandates. |
Best real estate startups worth a follow
We’ve rounded up the top-5 of the real estate startups which managed to get heard and known. Some of them were founded quite a few years ago but came to the spotlight recently. However, all of them are worth attention because of their presentation strategy.
Flatiko.ge is a real estate company based in Georgia that helps people buy and sell properties like houses and apartments. Flatiko.ge allows customers to easily look for different kinds of properties. The website is easy to use and lets people search for what they need in a convenient way.
The company has expert real estate agents who know a lot about the property market in Georgia. These agents help the customers by providing them with the best options, talking about prices, and helping with all the related paperwork. A specialized lawyer is also making sure that everything is smooth and risk-free during the purchase process, which makes it much easier and less stressful
EliseAI is redefining residential leasing and property management through agentic AI that autonomously handles the entire resident lifecycle. Its platform manages lead nurturing, leasing conversations, maintenance requests, and delinquency communications across multiple channels and languages. Large operators report significant payroll savings and faster leasing velocity after adoption. EliseAI represents the transition from human-assisted workflows to fully autonomous property operations.
Keyway provides a finance-first operating system for commercial real estate, automating rent roll and T12 analysis with audit-ready precision. The platform dramatically reduces underwriting time and transaction costs, making sub-$20M CRE assets viable for institutional investors. By industrializing small-ticket CRE, Keyway unlocks a fragmented market segment traditionally ignored due to manual overhead. Its focus on operational efficiency aligns strongly with 2025’s investor expectations.
Qualia leads the digital transformation of real estate closings with an integrated, AI-powered title and escrow platform. Its agentic system automates document review, task execution, and compliance checks, eliminating paper-heavy workflows. The embedded fraud detection solution significantly reduces wire fraud risk during transactions. Qualia has effectively turned the industry’s slowest process into a scalable digital operation.
Propy is pioneering blockchain-based real estate transactions using smart contracts and immutable ownership records. The platform enables secure, automated buying and leasing while reducing fraud and administrative friction. Propy has completed landmark fully on-chain property transactions, demonstrating real-world blockchain adoption beyond experimentation. Its model points toward a future where property titles become digitally native assets.
Bilt Rewards transforms rent payments into a financial asset by allowing renters to earn transferable reward points and build credit. Integrated across millions of rental units, the platform bridges the gap between renting and homeownership. Points can be redeemed for travel or applied toward future down payments. Bilt reframes renting as a wealth-building mechanism rather than a sunk cost.
Pacaso introduces fractional ownership to the luxury second-home market through structured co-ownership models. Buyers purchase shares of high-end properties while Pacaso manages operations, maintenance, and resale liquidity. This approach unlocks access to premium real estate without full ownership costs. Pacaso has turned an illiquid asset class into a flexible investment product.
Habyt is the world’s largest flexible housing provider, operating tens of thousands of units across global cities. Its subscription-based model combines real estate operations with SaaS-style monetization and analytics. Following major acquisitions, Habyt has unified leasing, pricing, and tenant experience under one digital platform. The company validates “housing-as-a-service” as a mature and profitable asset class.
Mighty Buildings uses large-scale 3D printing and advanced composite materials to manufacture sustainable residential structures. Its factory-controlled process minimizes waste, labor dependency, and construction timelines. The resulting homes are energy-efficient and designed for scalable deployment in high-growth regions. Mighty Buildings exemplifies the convergence of construction tech and climate innovation.
CarbonCure Technologies reduces the carbon footprint of concrete by injecting captured CO₂ during production. The process permanently sequesters carbon while improving material strength. Adopted by concrete producers globally, the technology aligns with ESG-driven construction mandates. CarbonCure positions sustainability as a performance advantage rather than a cost center.
ButterflyMX offers a cloud-based access control system that replaces physical keys with mobile credentials. Its platform integrates video intercoms, smart locks, and elevator controls into one interface. Property managers benefit from improved security, operational efficiency, and tenant experience. ButterflyMX is a cornerstone of smart, connected buildings.
Anyone.com focuses on expanding homeownership access to individuals excluded from traditional mortgage systems. The platform combines alternative financing models with digital transaction tools. By lowering entry barriers, it addresses structural affordability gaps in mature housing markets. Anyone.com reflects Europe’s leadership in inclusive PropTech innovation.
MetaWealth enables users to purchase tokenized shares of global real estate assets via blockchain. Investors earn passive income from rental yields with low minimum investments. The platform introduces liquidity and accessibility to institutional-grade properties. MetaWealth illustrates how tokenization is reshaping real estate ownership models.
Automax.ai applies LiDAR scanning and computer vision to automate property appraisals with unprecedented speed and accuracy. By generating full valuation reports in under 20 minutes, the platform replaces days of manual inspections and fragmented data collection. This capability is particularly valuable for lenders, insurers, and institutional investors operating at scale. Automax.ai turns property valuation into a real-time, data-driven process.
Propaya focuses on one of commercial real estate’s most time-consuming workflows: lease abstraction and analysis. Its AI engine extracts, structures, and interprets complex lease clauses with citation-level precision. Legal teams, asset managers, and investors use Propaya to reduce risk, accelerate due diligence, and improve portfolio visibility. The platform transforms dense legal documents into actionable financial and operational insights.
Blue Wall Tech automates property marketing and leasing operations using AI-driven task orchestration. The platform handles campaign execution, lead engagement, and leasing workflows across digital channels. By reducing manual coordination between marketing and leasing teams, it shortens vacancy cycles and improves conversion rates. Blue Wall Tech positions marketing as an operational efficiency lever rather than a cost center.
RIISE.AI is an AI-powered search engine designed specifically for PropTech and SpaceTech intelligence. It aggregates and contextualizes data across startups, technologies, and market developments. Investors, analysts, and operators use RIISE.AI to identify emerging trends and competitive signals faster than traditional research tools. The platform reflects the growing need for specialized, domain-specific search in complex industries.
DealWorthIt provides AI-driven underwriting software for commercial and multifamily real estate acquisitions. The platform analyzes financials, market data, and risk variables to support faster, more consistent investment decisions. By standardizing underwriting logic, it reduces human bias and improves deal comparability across portfolios. DealWorthIt enables investors to scale acquisition pipelines without scaling headcount.
Brickwise functions as an AI-powered property manager, automating maintenance coordination and tenant communications 24/7. The system categorizes requests, prioritizes issues, and routes tasks without human intervention. Property owners benefit from faster response times, lower operational costs, and improved tenant satisfaction. Brickwise exemplifies the shift toward autonomous property operations.
Avery delivers AI leasing agents combined with two-way contact center capabilities for property owners and managers. Its system engages prospects, answers leasing questions, schedules tours, and supports follow-ups across channels. By operating continuously and at scale, Avery reduces leasing friction and improves occupancy rates. The platform positions leasing as a fully automated, always-on revenue function.
Stavvy modernizes real estate closings by replacing paper-based legal workflows with a fully digital transaction platform. The system enables faster document execution, improved transparency, and smoother coordination between buyers, sellers, lenders, and attorneys. By reducing friction at the closing stage, Stavvy shortens deal cycles and lowers operational risk. Its approach reflects the industry’s push toward end-to-end digital settlements.
Closinglock addresses one of the most critical risks in real estate transactions: wire fraud. The platform verifies wire instructions and secures communication between transaction participants throughout the closing process. By embedding security directly into workflows, it minimizes exposure to phishing attacks and payment interception. Closinglock has become a key layer of trust in increasingly digital real estate transactions.
StreetWire focuses on improving trust in real estate data through verification and scoring mechanisms. Its platform evaluates the accuracy and consistency of property and transaction information using both qualitative and quantitative signals. This enables investors, lenders, and analysts to make decisions based on higher-confidence data. StreetWire positions data integrity as a competitive advantage in institutional real estate.
Foundation provides an end-to-end digital platform for homebuilders to manage online purchasing and ownership experiences. The system streamlines buyer journeys from selection to transaction, reducing reliance on fragmented tools and manual coordination. By bringing e-commerce logic into new-build housing, Foundation improves conversion rates and customer experience. It reflects the growing convergence of real estate and digital retail models.
Crexi is a digital marketplace designed to streamline commercial real estate transactions through integrated data and deal management tools. The platform centralizes listings, analytics, and broker collaboration, reducing friction in property discovery and evaluation. By improving transparency and speed, Crexi helps buyers and sellers close deals more efficiently. It reflects the shift toward data-first CRE marketplaces.
Reonomy provides comprehensive data and analytics on commercial real estate properties, ownership structures, and transactions. Its platform aggregates public and proprietary data to deliver actionable market intelligence. Investors, brokers, and asset managers rely on Reonomy to uncover opportunities and assess risk at scale. The company positions data accessibility as a foundational layer of modern CRE decision-making.
DoorLoop focuses on automating day-to-day property management tasks for long-term rental landlords. The platform simplifies rent collection, accounting, maintenance tracking, and tenant communication within a single system. By reducing administrative overhead, DoorLoop enables smaller operators to run portfolios with institutional-level efficiency. It brings operational discipline to a traditionally fragmented segment of the market.
AppFolio delivers an all-in-one property management suite combining CRM, AI-powered marketing, accounting, and budgeting tools. The platform supports residential, commercial, and community association portfolios. Its integrated approach helps property managers scale operations while maintaining visibility across leasing and financial performance. AppFolio exemplifies the consolidation of multiple property workflows into unified platforms.
Altus Group is a leading provider of analytics and valuation technology for commercial real estate. Its flagship solutions are widely used by institutional investors for asset valuation, forecasting, and portfolio analysis. By standardizing complex financial modeling, Altus Group improves consistency and transparency across global CRE markets. The company represents the institutional backbone of data-driven real estate investment.
ServiceTitan is an end-to-end field service platform designed for residential and light commercial construction trades such as HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services. The platform integrates scheduling, dispatch, billing, customer management, and performance analytics into a single system. By digitizing contractor operations, ServiceTitan enables trade businesses to scale efficiently and improve margin control. It plays a critical role in modernizing the residential construction ecosystem.
OpenSpace uses AI and 360-degree cameras to automatically document construction progress and create digital twins of jobsites. The platform provides real-time visibility into project status without manual site walks. Contractors and owners use OpenSpace to reduce rework, improve coordination, and maintain accountability. It turns visual data into a continuous source of operational insight.
JobNimbus offers an all-in-one management platform for residential exterior contractors, including roofing, siding, and solar services. The system supports CRM, job tracking, invoicing, and workflow automation. By consolidating operational tools, JobNimbus helps contractors reduce administrative friction and accelerate project delivery. It is especially relevant in fragmented, service-heavy construction markets.
ArchiLabs functions as an AI co-pilot for architects, automating repetitive design and documentation tasks. The platform accelerates iteration cycles while preserving creative control for design teams. By reducing manual workload, ArchiLabs enables firms to focus on higher-value conceptual work. It represents the early integration of AI into core architectural practice.
RealT enables investors to purchase tokenized fractional shares of real estate assets, primarily in the U.S. residential market. Token holders receive rental income distributions proportional to their ownership, often on a daily basis. By lowering minimum investment thresholds, RealT opens access to income-generating property that was traditionally reserved for larger investors. The platform positions blockchain as a practical tool for real estate liquidity rather than speculation.
Piece focuses on democratizing access to institutional-grade real estate through fractional share ownership. The platform allows individual investors to participate in professionally managed properties without requiring large upfront capital. By simplifying entry and portfolio diversification, Piece addresses barriers that have historically limited retail participation in real estate investing. It reflects the broader unbundling of ownership models in the sector.
Lofty.ai combines fractional real estate ownership with a technology- and sustainability-driven investment thesis. Investors can acquire small shares in properties while benefiting from streamlined digital ownership and income distribution. The platform emphasizes transparency, automation, and environmentally conscious property selection. Lofty.ai aligns fractional investing with ESG-oriented real estate strategies.
Henry.ai develops AI-driven tools designed to automate and optimize core real estate workflows. The platform focuses on reducing manual effort across research, analysis, and operational tasks. By embedding intelligence directly into daily processes, Henry.ai helps teams move faster without expanding headcount. It represents the growing demand for lightweight, workflow-native AI in real estate operations.
Rigor Equity operates as an investment platform focused on real estate-backed opportunities. The company emphasizes structured access to deals and disciplined capital deployment. Its positioning reflects the broader 2025 shift toward transparency, risk management, and capital efficiency. Rigor Equity aligns with investor demand for platforms built around quality rather than volume.
Lula provides technology-enabled real estate services aimed at improving operational execution. The platform supports property-related workflows that traditionally rely on fragmented vendors and manual coordination. By consolidating services under a digital layer, Lula helps owners and operators reduce friction and response times. It reflects the service-layer modernization underway across real estate.
Flow focuses on residential flexible living models designed for modern renters seeking adaptability and community-driven experiences. The platform blends real estate ownership with hospitality-style services and digital engagement. By rethinking long-term rentals as lifestyle products, Flow targets shifting tenant expectations in urban markets. It sits at the intersection of housing, experience, and subscription-based living.
Tomo is a digital mortgage platform built to simplify and accelerate the home financing process. By reducing reliance on traditional credit scoring and manual underwriting, Tomo shortens approval timelines and improves borrower transparency. The platform addresses structural inefficiencies in mortgage origination exposed by rising rates and affordability pressures. Tomo positions mortgage access as a technology problem rather than a paperwork challenge.
The following table highlights the diversity of startups securing capital in the 2026 market, ranging from pure-play PropTech platforms to specialized real estate investment fintechs.
| Company | HQ Location | Funding Type | Industry Focus |
| Henry.ai | New York | Seed | AI for Real Estate |
| Rigor Equity | Chicago | Undisclosed | Investment Platforms |
| Lula | Kansas | Series A | Real Estate Services |
| Flow | Miami | Series B | Residential Flex Living |
| Tomo | Connecticut | Series B | Digital Mortgage |
| Realfinity | Miami | Debt Financing | FinTech for Real Estate |
| Bilt Rewards | New York | $250M (2025) | Rewards/FinTech |
| Anyone.com | Amsterdam | €5M | Inclusive Homeownership |
| Skarlett | Paris | €12M | Home Equity for Seniors |
| Habyt | Berlin | €40M Series C | Co-living/Flexible Housing |
PR ideas for real estate startups from experts in the field
Matiah Fischer, Founder of RetireBetterNow.com a real estate startup launched in 2020.
We are a B2C and B2B company. We help consumers search for real estate, 2nd homes, and investment properties in Las Vegas, NV. On the B2B side, we provide leads and marketing-tech products to real estate brokers and agents.
As a digital-first company, we utilize Search Engine Optimization through web pages and blogs to get visibility and generate leads. We have just started our PR efforts and mainly work through HARO, although we have tried a couple of press releases.
Shaun Martin owner and CEO of Cash For Houses
We are a real estate startup that helps people find financial freedom through real estate.
We believe that everyone should be able to own their own home, so we make it easy for anyone to get started on the path toward homeownership by providing them with the resources they need to make informed decisions about their future.
As a real estate startup, we’re trying to get our name out there so people can buy and sell properties through our platform. We have been spreading the word about what we do by creating a website and social media accounts and writing articles for local and national publications. We also attend conferences and networking events to meet potential clients, investors, and business partners.
Brian Davis, real estate investor and founder at SparkRental.com
Most middle-class investors have never heard of real estate syndications. They’re private equity investments, where passive investors can buy fractional ownership in large apartment complexes. They typically pay 15-50% returns, much higher than returns available on more traditional paper assets, while coming with mid-range risk.
Most real estate syndicators (known as sponsors) don’t allow non-accredited investors to participate, because doing so comes with so much more regulation by the SEC. Even those that do allow middle-class investors still require a minimum investment of $50-100K on most deals.
So we set out to build relationships with reputable syndicators who do allow middle-class investors, and we launched a Co-Investing Club to let investors pool funds together to invest with much less cash. We offer this as a service to our students who have taken our FIRE from Real Estate course to reach financial independence through real estate.
We don’t earn any fees on real estate syndication deals, we’re not raising money for syndicators, and aren’t offering securities. We just propose deals each month to our students and invest our own money passively alongside them.
As for PR, we haven’t done nearly as much of it as we should. In fact, we’ve only really used HARO as a resource to get our name out there. We plan to do more marketing and PR in 2023.
Melanie Hartmann, owner of Creo Home Buyers.
Our PR in 2022 is mostly ranking on Google and getting listed in local directories.
We are also beginning to tap into our social media platforms to have more presence there and online.
Creo Home Buyers is a house-flipping company in Maryland. We purchase property, primarily off-market, in Maryland to rehab, resell and rent.
Mandy Menaker Director of Communications at Orchard
Orchard is the most stress-free, fair, and simple way to buy a home.
Orchard has two key services for home buyers:
For home buyers who also have a home to sell: Our Move First service helps buyers win their dream home with an all-cash offer and move right away. Once the customer has moved out, Orchard handles all home repairs and showings, selling their first home for top dollar. Orchard customers never need to deal with home showings or keeping their home looking like a museum – a massive win, especially for families with kids and pets!
For first-time home buyers: Our Buy with Orchard service enables first-time home buyers to become non-contingent cash buyers and make winning offers backed by Orchard’s cash in a hyper-competitive market.
Our 2022 PR focus has been on sharing the why behind our service, and the ways in which we are helping people to become homeowners. Here’s a few headlines we have been able to land by focusing on the difference our services make:
- HousingWire: Orchard provides cash offers for first-time homebuyers
- Fox Oregon: Real estate company Orchard offers prospective buyers a chance to buy before they sell
We have also used awards as a way to put a spotlight on the work we do and shared these awards through our LinkedIn page to build our employer brand. Top 2023 awards so far include ranking in the top 250 fastest-growing private companies in America for Inc. 5000, winning a spot in the HousingWire Tech 100, getting showcased by Crain’s New York Best Places to Work, and many more.
Megan Anderson, Communications Manager at Abodu
Abodu is an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) startup in the real estate space. Abodu builds and sells beautifully pre-fabricated ADUs that add to a property’s livable space. They can be used as rental units, in-law suites, flexible spaces for family and friends, and for multigenerational living. ADUs not only add to a property’s livable space but also add to the overall property value, so they provide a way to invest in your own backyard.
Regarding how we’ve scaled our PR efforts, I have been with the company for about a year and am a one-woman show who sits on the marketing team. I primarily focus on hyperlocal PR to drive education around ADUs in neighborhoods within the markets we serve in Northern and Southern California as well as the Pacific Northwest. I spearheaded a city-by-city PR strategy where we use timely moments like delivery days (where we crane-lift the ADU into the homeowner’s backyard) as a way to secure articles that spotlight the homeowners and their unique use cases. We just launched our press page here which has links to recent articles, our press kit, and press releases.
Conclusion
All of the companies above are innovative enough but that’s hardly the only requirement you need for a successful launch. If one doesn’t hear about something, it doesn’t exist in the outside world. Sounds harsh, still, holds for business. This is even more crucial for start-ups that’s looking for investors.
People invest in what they know about, at least, from a Google search. To ensure the viability of your project, consider quality PR helpers who’ve mastered the publishing process inside out. So that the search engine displays what is put there intentionally.
