Real Estate Technology
Business Wire | September 01, 2023
American Real Estate Partners announced a partnership with Unstuck Labs, an award-winning tech accelerator and mobile app developer that works with early-stage startups, founders, and innovation programs. United by a shared goal of providing environments for people to feel and perform at their best, Unstuck Labs chose one of AREP’s custom-designed SuiteX office spaces for its new startup studio location at the company’s newly transformed Rosslyn City Center (RCC) in the heart of Arlington, Virginia. And every week, RCC will be home to Unstuck Tuesdays, a free workshop for the brave, curious entrepreneur looking to level up.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with Arlington Economic Development, Rosslyn BID and Unstuck Labs to support and bring new businesses to Rosslyn,” said Paul Schulman, Principal and COO at AREP.
RCC isn’t your typical office building. With innovation and technology ingrained in its DNA, AREP developed RCC to accommodate the ever-changing customer and digital landscape, incorporating prop tech to elevate the tenant experience. RCC offers tech-advanced workspaces that foster innovation and connectivity and leverages broader tech partnerships like Wired Score, Datawatch and VTS to better serve and understand its customers. Each tenant has exclusive use of AREP’s award-winning tenant engagement app AREPx to seamlessly access exclusive events and programming, building features, and amenities in and around the building.
Unstuck Labs’ jargon-free, no-fluff approach to accelerating startups’ growth and commitment to building a learning community of passionate founders who help each other succeed perfectly aligns with AREP’s mission. And there’s no better place for the two companies to lock arms than the gateway to the nation’s capital. Ranked No. 3 on Niche’s list of Best Cities to Raise a Family in America and No. 5 on its list of Best Cities for Young Professionals in America, Arlington has emerged as one of the nation’s premier destinations for new businesses, especially in the technology field. RCC’s prime location in the heart of Rosslyn coupled with its unapologetic customer-first philosophy and world-class amenities make it a premier destination for growing businesses - not to mention its location above one of the Washington region's busiest Metro transit stations, providing seamless access to the wider DMV area.
"You know, at Unstuck Labs, we're not just about lighting up creativity or speeding up innovation. We're about dreaming big, about building a future where ideas have no limits, and RCC? Well, it's the perfect place for us to make this happen," said Wa'il Ashshowwaf, CEO and Co-founder of Unstuck Labs. "Just think about it.
We're right in the middle of this amazing hub, with big-name corporations and top universities as our neighbors. We're surrounded by incredible talent and folks who are just as eager to make a difference as we are. And our new spot at RCC? It's not just an office with a killer view, it's a place where dreamers and doers come together. After a day of shaping the future, we can kick back at the Assembly Food Hall, get our sweat on at Gold's Gym, or just jump on the Metro and be home in no time. It's all part of the journey. We're super excited to be a part of the Rosslyn BID and Rosslyn City Center community, and together, we're going to make a future where every idea has the potential to change the world. And you know what? We can't wait to get started."
“Rosslyn is attracting innovators from all over the country, and RCC is the epicenter of it all,” said John Chesley, AREP’s MD Asset Management. “More and more tech companies are choosing AREP because we offer connectivity, accessibility, and world-class amenities in bustling, walkable communities. And with a prime location in one of the nation’s top cities for startups and incubator businesses, RCC provides companies like Unstuck Labs with everything they need to grow their business and thrive.”
"Arlington has always been an excellent location for tech companies to grow and thrive, and the region's local tech startups are some of the most innovative in the nation," said Michael Stiefvater, Acting Director of Arlington Economic Development's Business Investment Group. "The resources of Unstuck Labs will allow for some of these early-stage startups to collaborate and expand on opportunities available locally. We are proud to support Unstuck Labs in Rosslyn via the Arlington Innovation Fund.”
“Rosslyn is designed to help companies like Unstuck Labs plug into an ecosystem in a prime location with business amenities and connections that support growth and expansion at any stage,” said Mary-Claire Burick, president of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID). “When I met the Unstuck Labs team, I knew that their commitment to dreaming big and building the future of innovation would be an asset to Rosslyn and, in turn, could help them thrive and excel within our connected and vibrant neighborhood. I can’t wait to see what the future of this relationship will hold.”
ABOUT AMERICAN REAL ESTATE PARTNERS
Headquartered in the Greater Washington metropolitan area, AREP is an institutional fund manager and operating partner focused on data center, residential, industrial, and office assets, on both a development and repositioning basis in key markets along the East Coast.Since the company’s founding in 2003, AREP has deployed over $5.3 B across targeted geographies, acquired more than 21 million SF of Class A real estate, and currently oversees over 10 million SF. AREP's vertically integrated real estate platform and experienced Management Team provide exceptional expertise in all ownership disciplines from acquisition to realization. By leveraging this expertise, AREP remains at the forefront of real estate innovation, maximizing investment and enhancing performance to provide added value for its investors.
ABOUT UNSTUCK LABS
Unstuck Labs is an award-winning digital agency, venture-building studio, and hyperlearning community based in Arlington, Virginia. Founded by a team of career professionals turned entrepreneurs, Unstuck Labs helps early-stage startups and innovation programs to validate ideas, build products, and launch ventures. Unstuck Labs offers a range of services, including mobile and web development, branding and marketing, pitch decks and fundraising, and advisory and mentoring. Unstuck Labs also runs a 12-week startup studio program that provides hands-on support, deliverables, and perks to selected founders.
Read More
Market Outlook, Mortgage and Lending
Businesswire | July 10, 2023
Today, Valligent a market-leading appraisal management company, recently acquired by VerosTM, an industry leader in enterprise risk management and collateral valuation services, announced their integration to the ICE Mortgage Technology™ Platform. Through this integration, mortgage industry stakeholders have the most efficient access to all collateral valuation related products and services.
The combined forces of Valligent and Veros provide lenders with a unified ecosystem of solutions for a compliant, efficient, and accurate valuation process. By partnering with Valligent and leveraging the ICE Mortgage Technology® Platform, lenders will have access to a seamless technology solution that can solve all property valuation and collateral risk management needs. A full spectrum of valuation products is available including traditional appraisals, AVMs, desktop valuations, and the only 4-hour Evaluation product for equity lending.
“Integrating with Encompass® by ICE Mortgage Technology® was always part of the plan when we acquired Valligent,” said Darius Bozorgi, CEO of Veros Software. “Providing a streamlined experience with our full spectrum of appraisal, valuation data and analytics and related collateral risk management solutions has always been our priority. Our partnership with ICE Mortgage Technology enables Veros and Valligent to drive more efficiency for all our customers. Collectively, we can expand our products and services to meet the demands of the digital mortgage industry.”
About Valligent
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Roseville, California Valligent established itself as a leader in appraisal, alternative valuation, QC and Regulatory Audit solutions. Utilizing a combination of experienced property valuation personnel, automation, Artificial Intelligence, powerful functionality, and mobile technology, Valligent is dedicated to making the property valuation process simple and efficient for everyone involved. Valligent provides comprehensive valuation technology expertise and services to hundreds of banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders and insurance companies nationally. We have developed a state-of-the-art valuation technology platform, fully integrated with best-in-class data providers, Loan Origination Systems (LOS) and on-demand cloud computing platforms and API providers. For more information, visit valligent.com.
About Veros
A mortgage technology innovator since 2001, Veros is a proven leader in enterprise risk management and collateral valuation services. The firm combines the power of predictive technology, data analytics, and industry expertise to deliver advanced automated solutions that control risk and increase profits throughout the mortgage industry, from loan origination to servicing and securitization. Veros’ services include automated valuation, fraud, and risk detection, portfolio analysis, forecasting, and next-generation collateral risk management platforms. Veros is the primary architect and technology provider of the GSEs’ Uniform Collateral Data Portal® (UCDP®). Veros also works closely with the FHA to support its Electronic Appraisal Delivery (EAD) portal. The company is also making the home buying process more efficient for our nation’s Veterans through its appraisal management work with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
About ICE Mortgage Technology
ICE Mortgage Technology® is part of ICE (NYSE: ICE), a global data, technology and market infrastructure company that designs, builds, and operates digital networks to connect people to opportunity. Backed by ICE’s global resources, we offer a truly differentiated digital platform that provides straight-through processing for a more comprehensive end-to-end workflow than any other provider in the market. We reach almost every mortgage in the U.S. by combining the native automation of Encompass® with the e-collaboration and e-recording capabilities of Simplifile®, along with the national electronic registry for nearly 90% of the U.S. mortgage market in MERS®. Ultimately, our technology enables people across the industry to focus on personal connections when they need it most, and support borrowers for a better journey of homeownership. Visit icemortgagetechnology.com to learn more. ICE Mortgage Technology combines technology, data, and expertise to help automate the mortgage process, from consumer engagement through loan registration, and every step and task in between. ICE Mortgage Technology is the leading cloud-based loan origination platform provider for the mortgage industry, with solutions that enable lenders to originate more loans, lower origination costs, and reduce the time to close, all while ensuring high levels of compliance, quality, and efficiency. Visit icemortgagetechnology.com or call (877) 355-4362 to learn more.
Read More
Real Estate Advice
PRnewswire | August 16, 2023
Zenerate ,an innovative AI startup in the Proptech space, has entered into a strategic partnership with SoLa Impact ,the leading private real estate developer of affordable housing in California. Zenerate has developed a powerful platform that employs generative design, artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics to optimize the feasibility analysis process for real estate projects, reducing turnaround time and maximizing development returns.
In a groundbreaking move to revolutionize the affordable housing sector, SoLa Impact has partnered with Zenerate, to streamline and automate the feasibility analysis process for their affordable and modular housing developments. The collaboration brings cutting-edge AI technology to the modular construction industry and dramatically accelerates the speed of planning, configuration, design, and the permit approval process for a wide range of SoLa's affording housing projects.
SoLa Impact has been at the forefront of addressing the affordable housing crisis in Los Angeles over the last decade, consistently demonstrating its commitment to creating sustainable, community-focused housing solutions. SoLa currently has over 35 projects with almost 3,000 units at various stages of construction, the majority of which are dedicated to affordable housing. With the increasing demand in the affordable segment, the need for swift and accurate feasibility, configuration, and design analysis has become paramount in the real estate development landscape.
Martin Muoto, the Founder and CEO of SoLa Impact, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, "We are thrilled to collaborate with Zenerate in our mission to dramatically scale the development and delivery of high-quality affordable housing in California. By leveraging Zenerate's cutting-edge technology combined with our proprietary standardization processes, we can bring significantly more units to market more cost-effectively and more quickly, with the vast majority of our projects to house people that are currently homeless and living in tents. Equally important, these are units that are an order-of-magnitude more energy efficient than the aging housing stock they are replacing. All units are fully electric, use water-efficient fixtures, and have ENERGY STAR-certified appliances, dramatically reducing GHG emissions while providing cost savings to California's low-income Black and brown communities."
The integration of Zenerate's software into SoLa Impact's modular operations will facilitate data-driven decision-making, allowing for a more efficient and comprehensive evaluation of potential development sites, construction costs, and market demand. By automating the feasibility and design analysis, SoLa Impact's team will be able to evaluate more sites, repurpose vacant and sub-optimized locations, and build for maximum density and affordability.
The Co-Founder and CEO of Zenerate, Benji Shin, echoed Muoto's sentiments, emphasizing Zenerate's commitment to providing housing more quickly and affordably by leveraging Artificial Intelligence, particularly expert systems for code compliance and machine learning for rapid massing, configuration, and design. "We are thrilled to partner with SoLa Impact, whose deep commitment to creating sustainable, scalable, and affordable housing aligns perfectly with our mission. By automating key parts of the feasibility, configuration, and eventually, the permitting process, we aim to enable developers to run thousands of financial and design scenarios instantly, ultimately contributing to the advancement of affordable housing initiatives."
The innovative approach undertaken by SoLa Impact and Zenerate is expected to have a significant impact on the speed and scale of affordable housing development in California, starting in Los Angeles – the largest affordable housing market in the United States with the most acute homeless problem – and then expanding to other local municipalities, and eventually, other states.
About SoLa Impact
SoLa Impact is a family of real estate funds with a double bottom line strategy focused on preserving, rehabbing, and building high-quality affordable housing in low- and moderate-income communities. SoLa's proven track record leverages data-driven social impact strategies to deliver superior financial returns. SoLa Impact's fourth fund, the Black Impact Fund, has invested $1 billion in affordable housing in Southern California. SoLa Impact was ranked as the 7th fastest-growing minority-led private company by Inc. 500 and was awarded the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA) Emerging Manager ESG Award for SoLa's demonstrated ability to deliver on its commitment to positive changes in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters.
AboutZenerate
Zenerate, a member company of Born2Gl obal Centre, is a venture-backed innovative AI startup in the real estate development space, providing consulting services and web-based products for feasibility studies; Z-maps is a real estate development map that weekly updates all the latest projects in Southern California, and Zenerate App is a design automation tool that generates development scenarios with floor plans in real time for feasibility studies.
Read More