Industry leaders launch UK Proptech association
Industry leaders have launched the UK PropTech Association (UKPA) in a bid to promote engagement between tech firms and the property business. The group's steering committee includes Dan Hughes of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Juliette Morgan of Cushman & Wakefield, James Dearsley of thedigitalmarketingbureau.com and Edwin Bartlett of kykloud.com. Ten UKPA member firms will go to New York for two days of networking in June, with similar events planned for Dubai in November and Hong Kong in spring 2018. There will also be a proptech awards ceremony in London on 5 December. 

“The growth of PropTech in the UK has been astounding. Today’s climate of ever-increasing investment in PropTech businesses is mirrored by a boom in the adoption of new technology by property professionals and consumers alike” says Eddie Holmes, the chairman of the new UK PropTech Association.

The objective of the association is to promote engagement between tech businesses and the property industry, and representing those interests in the UK and overseas.

Some of the industry’s leading technical experts are this morning launching a new group, the UK PropTech Association, which has already announced ‘trade missions’ to New York and Dubai, and an awards event to be held at the end of the year.

“It’s one of the key goals of the UKPA to bring technology businesses and property businesses close together. For too long each group has viewed each other with some trepidation” Holmes adds.

Ten UKPA member businesses will go to New York in June for two days of what the organisation call “relationship building and networking with investors”; a similar exercise is to happen in Dubai in November, and in Hong Kong in spring 2018.

There will also be an awards ceremony on December 5 at a central London location to be confirmed, with nominations opening on October 1.

The UKPA steering committee consists of Dan Hughes from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the well-known property technology guru James Dearsley of thedigitalmarketingbureau.com, Juliette Morgan or Cushman & Wakefield, and Edwin Bartlett of kykloud.com.

A statement from Dearsley says: “I’ve seen first hand how important it is to help the property industry work with technology companies during my time working in both sectors. I hope to bring this insight to the UKPA steering committee.”

Membership of the UKPA is open to technology and property companies, and to individuals working in, or interested in, PropTech. More details on www.ukproptech.com.