Who could afford to miss VivaTech ?! The biggest european meeting for startups and leaders took place in Paris from May 24th to 26th. As we always look for new trends, we attended the event seeking for the last Proptech innovations. Throughout booth visits and conferences, here is what we identified as key growth factors in real estate.
VivaTech 2018 in figures :
100 000 visitors, 2 000 exhibitors, 8 000 start-ups, 1 400 investors, for 3 days in an entire hall of the Paris Exhibition center of Porte de Versailles… and patience !
You needed almost one hour to get in “the event not to be missed”.
Start-up and Brick and Mortar : a win-win relationship
The event wasn’t dedicated to high tech companies only.
Indeed, all sectors are now affected by the digital virus : fintech, insurtech, cybersecurity, foodtech, agtech, gaming, luxe, proptech or tourism… so many buzzwords.
At VivaTech, big CAC40 companies, GAFA (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon) and the French regions hosted start-ups on their booth, whether they support them or not. Highly popular, they were spoiled for choice for their location. Sometimes they even were on several booths. They represented all the key strategic subjects of the moment: Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Robots, Virtual Reality, Hologram, BIM …
What are the issues for the customer relationship ?
Today, the priority of companies is to put the customer at the center of their development.
“It’s important today to build a strong UX (user experience) culture. You have to make sure the digital experience is easy.”
“We have to be able to stick to the expectations and needs of the customers.”
Maud Bailly, Chief Digital Officer chez AccorHotels, nominated on May 29th 2018 at the National Council of Digital (CNNum).
The start-ups’ main strength is to develop tools and services in response to a problem : this is a customer centric approach. These news solutions then fulfill real needs. There are accessible and easy to use.
Brick and Mortar companies don’t always have neither the resources nor the time to work on these issues. As a result, collaboration with start-ups is a real asset. Indeed, they anticipate and have a fresh eye.
“Brick and Mortar companies bring process and structure, start-ups bring speed.”
Conférence KPMG « Proptech : real estate also makes its revolution ! » with Régis Chemouny (KPMG), Julie Villet (Unibail Rodamco) and Marie Schneegans (Workwell).
What about PropTech at Vivatech ?
Nevertheless, Real Estate is not a precursor. PropTech is quite new as it appeared in 2015. This is due to the lack of innovation and new comers on the market.
Robin Rivaton, founder of the Real Estech association confirms : “Real Estech is still in its infancy.”
As said Régis Chemouny of KPMG, Julie Villet of Unibail Rodamco and Marie Schneegans of Workwell : “Real estate did not feel the need to evolve. As long as we are not in danger, we do not question ourselves. Today Proptech illustrates the culture of innovation.”
Thanks to the emergence of new technologies like blockchain and especially data, real estate now becomes a service. It is no longer designed as an asset.
A societal change happened and created a porosity of professional life and personal life. We work at home,offices are considered as hotels, hotels are converted into offices : this is a revolution of uses.
Once again, we should focus on consumers’ uses and needs. The BIM technology and apartment virtual tour meet these requirements.
As we realized at Habiteo, 3D really helps to better qualify prospects’ need. But if this 3D works with a customer relationship management tool and business management, it can accelerate the sales cycle.
It’s all about putting the customer in the center of the attention and allowing the team to do what it does best : sell !
BIM: révolution or disruption ?
During the conference on VINCI Energies booth « BIM, data, digital transformation as part of construction and infrastructures », Philippe Drwost, Director at Leonard (the open laboratory for the future of cities and infrastructures, created by VINCI) and Aymeric Tissandier, Director Tertiary Network Contracting at VINCI Facilities, called it a revolution.
This is a blessing for construction. Construction was only there to build but it is now entering the age of engineering. The disruption will come from 3D solutions which enable people to collaborate.
Data is now the value chain. Disruptors should adapt their solutions to the building sector. It is interesting to link BMS (Building Management Systems) with other applications. Geolocalization will make the link between the building data and the users.
According to Régis Chemouny, the disruption is composed of 3 steps :
- Arrival of new players in the market
- Denial of traditional actors
- Joining and collaborating between new entrants and actors in place
We have reached the 3rd step in the building sector..
What should we expect at VivaTech in 2019 ? Disruptors play on the gray area of legislation, as in the profession of notary. It takes an economic reality behind these new concepts, and it has to make life easier for the consumer. If the proptech progress quickly it is that there is a real need of the consumers.