PropTech Today: These are the UK events you have to attend

I have high expectations for this year’s PropTech events and property conferences. 

Those that I attended in 2017 demonstrated a real step forward in our industry’s understanding of how to thrive in a digital world. 

They were well attended, well curated and increasingly diverse in their vision. For the first time, I began to see real communication and mutual understanding between traditional property professionals and their technological peers.

As such, this year promises to be even better, and my list of 2018 events is getting longer by the day; I think we’re looking at around 70 events around the globe. 

Because there’s so much to get to grips with, I thought it might be helpful if I gave you a quick breakdown of the handful of events that I think are particularly worth making sure you get to. By no means is that to say these are the only events worth your time, but they are ones which I think offer a varied, universally appealing programme and promise to have great educational value. 

I’m also going to focus, with one exception, only on events in the UK - a short trip to Paris shouldn’t be missed for the value you will receive.

#PropTechDen, Manchester

Monday 12th February, 18:30 – 21:30, Free

PropTechDen is a great event because it really gets you face-to-face with leaders in innovation and industry. The Dragon’s Den-style pitch event will see a panel of expert judges offering important advice, and perhaps even investment, to a series of budding PropTech entrepreneurs and startups.

Afterwards, there’s a good old-fashioned networking session which offers you the chance to pick brains, receive advice, form partnerships or even make an investment or two (if that’s something you’re looking to do). 

There is also still time left to book a pitching slot or sit on the panel of judges. If you want to make enquiries to that end, Nigel Stephens is your man, and he can be reached on: 07905 772 425.

Previous PropTechDen events have been universally acclaimed by those in attendance, so you can be sure that it’s worth three hours of your time. 

Propteq Europe 2018, London

Thursday 15th February, all day, tickets start at £395 + VAT

Propteq Europe is, in essence, a huge networking event for anyone with an interest in PropTech. Among the 300 + speakers and contributors are representatives from some of the industry's biggest companies, including GVA, JLL, Countrywide, Google, Metaprop NYC, MIPIM, and Realla.

But what’s really unique about this event is the format. They’ve thrown out the traditional panelist/speaker and audience set-up and replaced it with a series of chats, carefully curated by the hosts. 

Propteq has ensured that hundreds of senior industry influencers, referred to as ‘co-hosts’, will be in attendance to contribute to these conversations.

It’s a brilliant opportunity to engage with these people, learn from their expertise and even educated others with yours. The co-hosts speak no more or less than anyone, so it really does promise to be a fascinating day, full of strong opinions from around the world. 

If you want to attend, you need to head to the website and register asap. 

FUTURE: PropTech, London

Wednesday 2nd May, all day, tickets start at £195

With more than 800 guests, 40+ speakers, and almost 400 companies represented from 22 different countries, FUTURE: PropTech 2017 was huge; perhaps even the most well-attended innovation event of the year. 

Now, the hosts are promising the biggest, most comprehensive event ever… 

The subject of conversation is the digital transformation of the property industry and there are expected to be over 1,000 people in attendance this year, nearly 70% of whom are senior management figures from over 50 different nations. 

The event covers everything from the residential sector, the commercial sector, and construction technology (ConTech). Over 50 firms will be showcasing their innovative products and platforms, and workshops and interactive labs offer a great opportunity to learn and engage. 

You can register on the website, and while you’re there, you can even pre-book any one-on-one meetings you’re keen to have. 

MIPIM PropTech Europe, Paris

20th-21st June, tickets start at 400 Euros 

Paris isn’t in the UK, but it is only a train journey away and this is quite simply the single most important event of 2018. If you only go to one this year, make sure it’s this one. 

2018 is the inaugural year for MIPIM’s conference dedicated exclusively to PropTech (they dabbled in it last year with three smaller events dotted around the globe). This event promises to be totally enormous, both physically and figuratively, with 1,500m² dedicated to hosting the key players of the property and technology industries, for a showcase of radical innovation.

With an anticipated guestlist of over 1,500 names, and representatives from over 1000 companies, this is the year’s best opportunity to meet the industry's key decision-makers and gain unrivalled insight into property’s cutting-edge technology.

As well as all of the usual panel discussions, keynote speeches, workshops and networking sessions, the event will also host the first leg of the MIPIM Startup Competition. 

To register, visit the website. There’s also still time to get in and showcase your startup at the event.

I do hope to see you at some of these events as I will be at most of them. Come and say hi.

*James Dearsley is a partner in PropTech Consult, digital transformation specialists for the real estate sector. To sign up to James’ Sunday PropTech Review, click here.