immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Category: Trends

  • Two Geneva fintechs are joining forces to make it easier to buy home ownership in Switzerland

    Two Geneva fintechs are joining forces to make it easier to buy home ownership in Switzerland

    Reduce the equity required for the mortgage loan
    While interest rates are at an all-time low, prices are rising. When it comes to granting a mortgage loan, the requirement for at least 20% equity capital is the main obstacle to home ownership. Today, only 40% of households in Switzerland are homeowners. Of the 60% of tenants, 21% would like to own a property, whereas only 3% are able to do so.

    For this reason Evahomes.ch offers financially strong people an alternative income solution that meets the regulatory requirements. The latter only require 10% equity to become a home owner. As with a classic acquisition, the bank can finance the property up to 80%, while the purchaser covers at least 10% of the purchase price with his assets. The remaining equity is provided by qualified Swiss investors with an annual return of 3 to 7%, depending on the risk profile of the overall situation of the buyer.

    The solution enables home ownership with less equity and thus opens up this perspective to more people in Switzerland. The company e-Potek saw Evahomes.ch's innovative proposal as an opportunity to expand its mandate to facilitate access to mortgage credit.

    "Some of our customers borrow money from their families to supplement their equity. Evahomes.ch represents a solution with an interesting tax advantage for those people who do not want or cannot rely on their relatives", explains Yannis Eggert, Director at e -Potek.

    Accompany and facilitate the buying process for future buyers
    The chosen financing solution can be optimized through the partnership with e-Potek. e-Potek enables future buyers to determine the best financing conditions from all lenders on the market and to benefit from tailor-made professional support in the areas of mortgage financing, retirement provision and real estate taxation from the beginning to the end of the project. "Thanks to the partnership with e-Potek, we can expand our service to more households. This is in line with our mandate to lower the entry barriers for new homeowners in Switzerland as much as possible," added Tafsir Bâ, CEO of Evahomes.ch.

    The buyer then pays a monthly amount, which depends on the theoretical rental yield of the property, the duration of the contract, the personal circumstances of the buyer and the investment profile. At the end of the contract, the equity is built up and the rent is reduced to the usual mortgage interest. Potential buyers with sufficient equity can also opt for this alternative if they want to have cash at their disposal.

    Opportunity for returns for investors
    In an economic climate in which savings returns are close to 0% and real estate returns are around 3%, indirect real estate investment via Evahomes.ch is a real opportunity. E-Potek has raised an initial fundraising of CHF 7 on behalf of Evahomes.ch .5 million and the two companies are already considering one
    further fundraising. For investors lending their equity to future buyers, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to
    Investing in the Swiss real estate market at competitive returns.

    "We have been approached by many private investors who want to invest and participate in fundraising and have not been able to meet that demand. So far, fundraising has been aimed primarily at a select few qualified investors who have been looking to invest in this type of opportunity for several years However, in view of the great demand from future buyers who would like to apply for a loan at Evahomes.ch, we believe that we can make the investment opportunity available to the general public very quickly, "says Yannis Eggert, Director at e-Potek.

    Via Evahomes.ch
    Evahomes.ch was founded in 2020 to make it easier for people with sufficient income and reduced equity to buy their own home without having to pay more than the monthly amount of a traditional rent. This unique offer in Switzerland is 100% digital and enables cheap online financing via the Evahomes.ch platform.
    www.evahomes.ch

    About e-Potek
    The company e-Potek, founded in 2018, has set itself the goal of making applying for a mortgage loan easier, more transparent and faster. Through its online platform combined with the specialist knowledge of its team of experts in the field of mortgage financing, pension provision and real estate taxation, the company supports future buyers in the implementation of their real estate projects. e-Potek currently employs around 15 people and has two branches in western Switzerland (Geneva and Lausanne). The growing company is preparing to open new branches and expand in German-speaking Switzerland.
    www.e-potek.ch

    Media contacts: Voxia communication
    Hertha Baumann: +41 43 344 98 49 – hertha.baumann@voxia.ch

  • Swiss Proptech: Launch of Immowise, the very first digital solution to support co-owner meetings

    Swiss Proptech: Launch of Immowise, the very first digital solution to support co-owner meetings

    The solution was developed to meet market expectations and to facilitate the preparation, implementation and follow-up of general meetings of condominiums in Switzerland. It takes into account the specifics of each condominium and thus offers a digital tool that is suitable for both the administrators and the co-owners. All steps are optimized, regardless of whether the general assembly is being held in person or remotely, so that during the meeting you can concentrate on the exchange, advice and decision-making.

    A 100% Swiss platform, adapted to the specifics of Switzerland
    Immowise was developed by wise.swiss and is the first platform that was created for the digitization of general meetings of condominium owners on the Swiss real estate market. It is aimed at all institutions or persons entrusted with the administration and organization of owners’ meetings, regardless of whether they are real estate companies, independent administrators, self-governing owner associations or housing associations.

    The digital tool adapts to the specifics of each co-ownership. It enables the administrator to manage all phases of general meetings on the platform: management of invitations, creation and updating of the agenda, calculation and determination of the quorum, recording of notes and comments, recording of voting results and surveys. It is also possible to create digital protocols that are directly accessible on the platform.

    “Our solution aims to reduce the time required for the preparation, implementation and follow-up of general meetings by 20 to 30% while at the same time ensuring data security. The initial feedback from our customers has been very positive, both for remote use and for remote use on site
    confirms the usefulness of such a solution, “says Gilles von Burg, Director of Immowise.

    Digitization of the processes so that the managing directors can concentrate on the advice and the exchange with the floor owners at the GV
    Digitization not only saves time, it also makes it possible to provide the co-owners with all the information they need to take decisions in the owners’ meeting.

    Condominium owners can securely connect to the platform from their computer, tablet or smartphone and access all information about their building’s general meetings. This contributes to an optimal preparation of the general assembly for all participants.

    The administrator can thus fully fulfill his role as chairman of the meeting, focus on communication between those involved and optimize decision-making.

    “With the various solutions from wise.swiss, we are already supporting the digitization of companies and we have several real estate companies among our customers. The concept of a specific platform for managing general meetings was born in 2019 at your request, the pandemic drove the development forward, and so do we are pleased to be able to offer you a tailor-made, one hundred percent Swiss solution today, “adds Sebastian Chiappero, CEO of wise.swiss.

    The Immowise Terms of Use
    Immowise is available in two different offers: one-time use of the platform for the organization of a general meeting or an annual subscription for the complete digital management of the real estate portfolio.
    Photos of the Immowise solution are available: https://bit.ly/3bdIF1y

    About Immowise
    Immowise was founded in 2021 and is the first Swiss solution for the digitization of general meetings of joint owners. Developed and hosted in Switzerland, this application helps administrators and condominium owners prepare, manage and follow up on general meetings. It complements the wise.swiss software suite launched by EPwise AG in 2020, which offers public administrations and companies a range of digital communication and event organization tools (eventwise, partnerwise and fundwise).

    wise.swiss/immowise

    Media contact
    Voxia communication
    Hertha Baumann
    T. 043 344 98 49 I email: hertha.baumann@voxia.ch

  • Bauwerk Schweiz is under pressure

    Bauwerk Schweiz is under pressure

    Five Swiss experts have worked out why Switzerland is facing major challenges and how they can be tackled sensibly and efficiently. To this end, they have drawn up a so-called roadmap entitled “The Swiss structure is under pressure to adapt”.

    With its bird's eye view of the entirety of buildings, streets, supply and disposal networks, traffic and much more, according to a report by the Federal Materials Testing and Research Institute ( Empa ), the group wants to give a new impetus to the Swiss construction project that began ten years ago, and thus research and advance practice. Today Switzerland is facing massive challenges, for example due to climate change, natural hazards and population growth.

    Under the direction of Peter Matt, Fritz Hunkeler, Hans Rudolf Ganz, Laurent Vulliet, Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne , and Empa Deputy Director Peter Richner identified five segments that are particularly affected by the upcoming challenges: the building stock, the Infrastructures for freight and passenger traffic as well as drinking water and sewage networks. They rate the need for action and the potential for impact in passenger transport and buildings as particularly high.

    According to Richner, the group is pursuing several goals with the roadmap: “To show the importance of Switzerland as a structure for our society, to specify the need for action and, above all, to raise awareness that we can only develop a target-oriented strategy from an overall perspective. "

  • Hächler donates to the old Rütibuck scout home

    Hächler donates to the old Rütibuck scout home

    The Wettinger construction company Hächler is providing the Pfadi Hochwacht Baden home association with CHF 10,000 as a contribution to the renovation of the old Rütibuck scout home. According to a press release , the Hächler Group supports a non-profit organization every year. The donation of 10,000 francs replaces the usual gifts to business partners at Christmas and the turn of the year.

    Who Hächler gives the donation to is never an easy decision, says the media release. There are many institutions that are worth supporting. This year Hächler chose the home club Pfadi Hochwacht Baden. He is the bearer of the old Rütibuck scout home in Baden. This was used by the scout department between 1932 and 1973. They then moved into the new youth center and the old scout home has since been available to children and youth organizations, school groups and sports clubs for weekly camps, training weekends or festivities.

    This winter, the old Rütibuck scout home will be renovated and the outer shell will be subjected to an urgently needed energetic renovation, according to the Hächler announcement. That includes the renovation of the statics, the insulation of the outer walls, replacement of the old windows with triple-glazed wooden windows. The house will also have central heating and there will be a “gentle renovation inside” with adjustment and refreshment work such as painting and modernization of toilets and showers.

    The donation to the old scout home is also the cover story of the company newspaper “ Der Hächler ”. An interview with Stefan Zantop, founding member of the Pfadi Hochwacht Baden home association, is printed there. And there are tips on donations or active help with the renovation.

  • Lucerne University of Applied Sciences offers training in digital construction

    Lucerne University of Applied Sciences offers training in digital construction

    From March 2022, the Techik & Architektur department at HSLU will be offering modular advanced training courses in digital construction. According to a media release , she wants to close the skills gap of numerous specialists in whose training digitization has not yet played a role.

    The HSLU starts with two Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS): Digital Construction – Ordering & Development and Digital Construction – Design & Planning. In the following semesters, the modules Management & Collaboration, Fabrication & Creation and Operation & Maintenance are to be added. The expansion to Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS) and Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) is in preparation. Those who take part in the further training will become "a professional in digital ordering, planning, building and operation and will receive an in-depth overall view of the digital value chain and the lifecycle data management of tomorrow".

    As the HSLU notes, there is a lot of catching up to do in the construction industry when it comes to the application of digitally based processes, methods and technologies. Hundreds of corresponding advertisements can already be found on job portals. The curriculum is based on specific practical tasks and international requirements. "In this way, the participants create the best conditions for positions at home and abroad," says co-program director Markus Weber.

  • Madaster wins pom + as a partner

    Madaster wins pom + as a partner

    Madaster wants to strengthen the circular economy in the construction and real estate sector. For this purpose, it offers digital tools such as material passports and indices for recording the economic and circular value of buildings on its platform. In addition, companies are networked that are committed to circular economy in the construction and real estate sectors. With pom + Consulting AG ( pom + ), the Swiss cadastre for materials has now won another comrade, Madaster Switzerland informs in a message . The consulting company pom +, based in Technopark Zurich, specializes in construction and real estate companies.

    "In order to really achieve the goal of climate neutrality in the construction and real estate industry, an all-round view from planning to use is just as important as anchoring a sustainable real estate strategy," says Jürgen Marc Volm, partner and expert for circular economy at pom +, in the message quote. "Thanks to the data transparency over the entire project life cycle on Madaster, we can combine our expertise with the potential to answer future-oriented questions about the correct use of materials and material dismantling more easily."

    Madaster's building passports record data about the materials used in a building. In this way, future recycling of the material is made possible. The networking should make it easier for companies to disseminate knowledge in circular construction and to jointly develop approaches for a circular construction and real estate industry. With pom +, Madaster has gained a new partner "who integrates the concept of circularity in all services over the entire life cycle," says Marloes Fischer, Managing Director of Madaster Services Switzerland.

  • Holcim buys American company

    Holcim buys American company

    Holcim is buying the American company Marshall Concrete Products , according to a media release . This specializes in concrete products for residential buildings and small businesses. It was founded in 1936 and is based in the metropolitan area of Minneapolis-Saint Paul.

    With the acquisition, Holcim wants to expand its position in the USA. "The acquisition strengthens our presence in this strong growth market and contributes to Holcim's overall strategy of expanding our range of low-carbon products and solutions," Jan Jenisch, CEO of Holcim, is quoted as saying.

    According to the announcement, all Marshall Concrete Products employees will continue to be employed and integrated into Holcim's national subsidiary in the USA. No information is given about the purchase price.

  • Steel profiles from demolished objects should live on

    Steel profiles from demolished objects should live on

    Representatives of the Swiss steel and construction industry have formed an alliance for the recycling of used steel profiles in construction. According to a press release, representatives of the Swiss Steel Construction Center , the Christoph Merian Foundation , the Federal Materials Testing and Research Institute ( Empa ), the Empa research and innovation building NEST and the Eawag water research institute met in situ at a round table in November , ZPF Ingenieure , Madaster and Sumami and decided to jointly promote the recyclability of steel profiles in Switzerland. The project team Purchasing Compass Recycling Management and the Metal suisse industry association were invited to the round table. The aim is to better understand the potential of steel profiles in the circular economy and to make it practicable.

    A car park in Basel belonging to the Christoph Merian Foundation that is being demolished is to serve as a prototype project. According to the announcement, the construction office in situ, which has already implemented projects in this context, is supporting this. It is now being investigated how the dismantling of the steel profiles in the parking garage can succeed, where the steel profiles are reinserted and where they can be stored in the meantime. Steel profiles are considered to be particularly recyclable because they can be expanded in their existing form and usually integrated directly into new buildings. There is no loss of material or quality and no energy is required for melting or reshaping.

    Through this energy saving, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced directly during construction. The direct reuse of building materials without recycling represents the greatest lever in reducing emissions in the construction industry. In addition to steel profiles, concrete, facade elements, windows or doors can also be reused.

  • FHNW gets professor for circular building

    FHNW gets professor for circular building

    For the Institute of Sustainability and Energy in the building of the University of Architecture, Building and Geomatics of the FHNW , circular economy is an important part of environmentally and resource-saving construction. In order to further develop research and education in the areas of energy-efficient and climate-neutral building, integral building technology, sustainable building and operation, resource-efficient and circular building as well as health aspects in buildings, the institute is establishing the professorship of circular building. The architect Andrea Klinge is to take over the corresponding chair.

    Klinge studied architecture at the Technical University of Berlin, the FHNW informs in a message about the new professorship. After further training in sustainable building at the London Metropolitan University, the designated professor worked in various architecture offices in London, Rome and Berlin. Klinge is currently active at ZRS Architekten Ingenieure Berlin. The architect and trained carpenter have established a research department here, according to the announcement.

    In her new position, Klinge wants to tackle “the current challenges in the construction sector”. "This is one of the most resource-intensive economic sectors in the world and contributes significantly to climate change," the professor-designate is quoted in the press release. “In order to meet the Paris climate goals, we urgently need consistent approaches that implement the necessary building turnaround in the construction sector.” According to Barbara Sintzel, Head of the Institute for Sustainability and Energy in Construction, Klinge “has specialist expertise in the use of ReUse components and renewable building materials to help achieve a breakthrough in practice with applied research and thus make the building turnaround possible ”.

  • Construction of housing estate in Zurich's Guggach area begins

    Construction of housing estate in Zurich's Guggach area begins

    Representatives of the city of Zurich broke ground for the construction of the Guggach III residential and commercial estate. At the intersection of Hofwiesenstrasse and Wehntalerstrasse, 111 non-profit apartments for around 300 people will be built in the coming years, according to a media release . The first tenants are expected to be able to move in in the second quarter of 2024.

    The City of Zurich is developing the Guggach area in Zurich-Unterstrass together with the Simple Living Foundation. For this purpose, the city has given part of its land reserve to the public foundation under building law, according to the media release.

    Two residential buildings with commercial units on the ground floor and a building for a kindergarten are being built on the 8,500 square meter property. A school with a gym and a park are to be built in another part of the area.

  • Holcim is building a 3D-printed settlement

    Holcim is building a 3D-printed settlement

    With its joint venture 14Trees and the British development finance institute CDC Group , Holcim wants to realize the largest 3D-printed house complex in Africa. In Kilifi, Kenya, the Mvule Gardens development is to create affordable living space in 52 buildings. The building material manufacturer has now announced this. The project is part of the regenerative ecosystem Green Heart of Kenya , a model for inclusive and climate-resilient cities. Construction will start in early 2022.

    The project builds on Holcim's first 3D printed school in Malawi. It is intended to close an acute infrastructure gap. "14Trees is pioneering the use of cutting-edge technology to address one of Africa's most pressing development needs – affordable housing – and create life-changing infrastructure for entire communities," said Tenbite Ermias, CEO of CDC Africa, as quoted in the press release.

    14Trees has set itself the goal of addressing the lack of affordable housing in Africa with 3D printing and intelligent design, while creating skilled local jobs at the same time. As demonstrated in Malawi, the technology can reduce a house's ecological footprint by more than 50 percent compared to conventional methods, according to Holcim. Accordingly, they have the EDGE certificate for resource- efficient buildings.

    The MASS Design Group , an architecture firm based in the USA and Africa, designed the Mvule Gardens. They are designed to create affordable, sustainable and reproducible housing units that are adapted to the Kenyan environment.

  • Empa concrete project receives funding

    Empa concrete project receives funding

    The Ernst Göhner Foundation , based in Zug, is funding a research project for high-performance concrete at the Federal Materials Testing and Research Institute ( Empa ). She has now made an unspecified amount available to the Empa Future Fund as start- up funding, according to a media release .

    This supports a research project for more environmentally friendly concrete. This has a lower CO2 footprint than conventional reinforced concrete because it is more durable and stable. In addition, the self-tensioning concrete can be used more sparingly.

    The project is a so-called high-risk-high-gain project. "The risk of failure is high, but there is also a lot to be won," Masoud Motavalli, head of the research department for engineering structures at Empa in Dübendorf, is quoted in the media release. Since 2008 he had approached potential sponsors with the idea of prestressed high-performance concrete.

  • Digitalswitzerland shows start-ups the Swiss market

    Digitalswitzerland shows start-ups the Swiss market

    The Digitalswitzerland initiative aims to attract promising young companies to Switzerland. To this end, it launched the Swiss Market Entry Program, which was carried out for the fourth time this year in cooperation with the European innovation platform Kickstart .

    As part of the program, start-ups that are already successful abroad receive an insight into the Swiss ecosystem. Meetings with leading companies, public institutions and innovation programs are organized. The aim is to motivate companies to enter the Swiss market and to support them in doing so.

    According to an announcement , 25 start-ups from 16 countries took part in the Swiss Market Entry Program this year. They come not only from European countries, but also from the USA and Israel. A company from New Zealand also took part with CarbonClick . It supports companies in climate protection by giving them carbon offsets.

    The 25 start-ups were received in Switzerland on December 6th. The program took place in the Kraftwerk, a former power station that has been converted into a space for innovation in Zurich.

  • Office space market is holding up better than expected

    Office space market is holding up better than expected

    The supply in the office space market rose from 5.5 to 5.8 percent year-on-year at the end of the second quarter of 2021. Thus, the coronavirus pandemic did not lead to the feared high values, writes Credit Suisse in a report on the study “ Office space market Switzerland 2022 ” by the Zurich-based bank. However, the authors of the study anticipate that the trend towards home office “will still bring some difficult quarters to the office market”.

    Credit Suisse analysts explain that many inquirers were reluctant to rent new office space during the pandemic. They also expect that more and more companies will at least partially enable their employees to work from home in the long term. On the other hand, the analysts expect an increasing share of office work in the course of the digitization of the economy. In the medium term, this will result in stagnating demand for office space, according to the announcement.

    The analysts currently see a connection between higher supply rates and construction activity across Switzerland. However, they have seen counterexamples in Lausanne and Geneva. While Lausanne “benefits from relatively robust demand despite higher construction activity”, weak demand in Geneva has led to an increase in the supply of space to 12.3 percent.

    In the short term, the analysts expect a further increase in the supply of space, also because companies could implement existing plans to give up larger spaces. In the long term, however, they expect the average office rate to rise sharply. Over time, this will probably "overlay the trend towards home office space reducing and generate significant additional demand for office space in the long term".

  • That was the (PropTech) year …

    That was the (PropTech) year …

    The money seems to be on the street at the moment. A number of well-known financing rounds were closed and numerous seed funding was obtained. In addition to the professional venture capital companies, there were increasingly also corporates who want to cut a piece of the (PropTech) pie here – among other things, to secure appropriate product know-how and digital competence in the company.

    More and more insurance companies and banks have used the past twelve months to build their own “living” ecosystem. What was planned and designed in the “Corona year” 2020 was implemented in 2021 – with the aim of strengthening the company’s own market position, for example in the mortgage business, in real estate marketing or in the area of insurance solutions.

    Mobiliar made the most of the talk with its ecosystem ventures. The insurance company has set up the Liiva joint venture with Raiffeisen, among other things, in order to use this platform to give its customers access to the living ecosystem and to establish a continuous value chain. But Credit Suisse, the mortgage specialist Moneypark and the data specialist PropTech Pricehubble also recently announced their partnership with the aim of creating a service and information platform for homeowners. And for the cantonal banks, who have been on the market for a long time with the newhome.ch platform, real estate is part of their core business. With a substantial participation of three cantonal banks in the PropTech company emonitor, a leader in the digitization of letting and marketing processes, a further step towards the living ecosystem has been taken.

    The past year was also marked by mergers and amalgamations of existing business models – such as the portal and solution provider Flatfox and the management solution Aroov. The announcement of the merger of several real estate portals such as homegate.ch and ImmoScout24 under the Swiss Marketplace Group (SMG) brand, a joint venture between TX Group, Ringier, Mobiliar and General Atlantic, has really hit the mark.

    So it will be exciting to see how things will continue in the new year and what concrete successes we will observe. The basis has been created in many ways, but there is certainly still a lot to be done at the level of organization, restructuring and governance. And the topic of sustainability will probably also be mentioned more often in the new year …

    You can find more impulses at PropTechMarket: https://proptechmarket.net/impulse

  • Apartment rents and prices rise towards the end of the year

    Apartment rents and prices rise towards the end of the year

    A stiff breeze was blowing against those looking for accommodation in November. With an increase of 1.5 percent, the rents advertised have increased significantly across Switzerland. This difference is put into perspective, however, by looking at the longer-term development: over the past twelve months, the change is much more moderate at 1.0 percent. This is shown by the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index, which is collected by ImmoScout24 in cooperation with the real estate consultancy IAZI AG.

    The drivers of the rent increase in November are the Greater Zurich Region and the Central Plateau, each with an increase of 0.6 percent. Due to their market size, they have a disproportionately large impact on the Switzerland-wide rent index. Rents have also risen in Central Switzerland (0.6 percent) and in Eastern Switzerland (0.4 percent). Virtually no changes can be observed in northwestern Switzerland (0.2 percent) and in the Lake Geneva region (0.0 percent), while rents in Ticino have fallen (−0.4 percent).

    More expensive condominiums, stable house prices
    Those who want to buy a condominium were faced with 0.6 percent higher prices in November than in the previous month. This means that the national average price per square meter is currently around 8030 francs. For a typical apartment with 110 m² of living space, 880,000 francs are required. The asking prices for single-family houses (0.1 percent) hardly changed in November, which corresponds to a square meter price of around 7130 francs. A typical house with 160 m² of living space is advertised for 1,140,000 francs.

    «The new corona wave should temporarily support the trend of rising property prices, since in the fragile economic environment hardly any rate hikes on the part of the central banks are to be expected. The duration of this policy, however, depends heavily on the further development of consumer prices, which have recently risen significantly, ”says Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate, Swiss Marketplace Group.

  • Abacus presents the latest generation of business software

    Abacus presents the latest generation of business software

    Claudio Hintermann, CEO of Abacus Research AG, presented the fifth generation of Abacus Business Software “Abacus DEEP” at yesterday’s 27th Abacus Partner Conference. The motto of the conference was “Welcome to the future”. The aim of the new software generation is a secure and digital ERP platform that enables autonomous real-time accounting without paper. This means that booking processes are only handled digitally and information is immediately available to customers.

    Deepbox as a universal, digital turntable
    Thanks to the seamless integration of various deep technologies, accounts payable and accounts receivable documents as well as their payments can now be processed autonomously. An important function for the exchange of data is performed by deepbox, a kind of electronic postbox that exchanges documents, information and payments between customers, suppliers, trustees, banks, insurance companies, administrations, but also devices or properties and the Abacus business software as well as AbaNinja . Thanks to “Abacus DEEP”, with technologies from the subsidiary DeepCloud AG, all booking processes that were previously carried out manually can be eliminated.

    Direct booking in real time
     Another important component of the new generation of business software is the complete integration of the processes with the Neo-Bank YAPEAL. Expenses or payments can be booked in real time and completely autonomously. Thanks to these pioneering innovations, Abacus is strengthening its position as the leading Swiss manufacturer of business software for SMEs and public administrations. The central functional innovations, such as financial and investment planning as well as further developments in the application areas AbaTreuhand, service management, maintenance, AbaUnit for time and performance recording, MyAbacus «for mobile», also met with great interest from the more than 700 participants in the conference. the connection to UKA Connect from HRM Systems for illness and accident reports, AbaClik with a simplified approval process and AbaClock with face recognition. In the future, third-party software can be connected to the Abacus even more easily via REST-API.

    Swiss innovation thanks to the market and competition
    Abacus has succeeded in setting new impulses again and again in recent years. The launch of the fifth generation is an example of how Swiss companies organized under private law can make an important contribution to strengthening the business location. Claudio Hintermann, CEO of Abacus: “Even 36 years after it was founded, Abacus can still offer customers business software that is functionally and technologically at the highest level. We are proud to be able to show that we succeed in investing in the future again and again without subsidies and cross-financing and to prove our leading position. The more than 60,000 customers, the more than 600 employees and Switzerland as a business location benefit from this.

  • High-tech quality in the east

    High-tech quality in the east

    Economic area of technologies
     The economic “core competencies” lie in photonics, textile and material technologies, precision technologies, ICT services and medical technology. Corresponding specialists are also available in large numbers across borders. Their training and further education is guaranteed thanks to the intensive cooperation between industry, vocational and technical colleges and the University of St. Gallen. The ongoing IT education offensive reinforces the already tech-savvy economic atmosphere.

    In the economic region there are still very attractive areas and transformation areas, even in very central locations, which are constantly being developed. They offer a lot of potential for projects and company settlements.

    Innovation park symbolizes departure
    In the city of St. Gallen, the economic center of Eastern Switzerland, the University of St. Gallen and the Cantonal Hospital have supraregional appeal. Empa St. Gallen also positions itself through its scientific excellence. On the basis of these three institutions, the application for “Park Ost” to Switzerland Innovation was successful. In addition, the DNA for ICT, health technologies and start-ups is already developed in the urban location and provides an ideal breeding ground for this.

    City as a center of business and life
    The city of St. Gallen is a center that radiates far and wide, not only economically, but also culturally and urbanly. With over 80,000 employees, it is the labor market center in Eastern Switzerland. Impulses such as the new “School of Medicine” (Joint Medical Master) and the “School of Computer Science” at the University of St. Gallen offer close proximity to specialists for companies in these growth sectors.

    The start-up innovation network “Startfeld” or the networks for ICT and health provide uncomplicated access to local partners and enable joint development.

    The short distances, the compact city and the proximity to the surrounding nature from Säntis to Lake Constance form the basis for the very high quality of life.

    Testimonials

    Josef Brusa
    President of the Board of Directors of Brusa Elektronik AG

    “Everything is right at the Buchs campus. We were able to establish ourselves here thanks to the good cooperation with the cantonal location promotion, the city and local community of Buchs, the university and Lippuner Immobilien. "

    Thomas Harring
    CEO Leica Geosystems

    "Our Heerbrugg innovation factory is the embodiment of Switzerland as a workplace: innovation leadership and high manufacturing quality, which is ensured by well-trained employees and the network of industrial companies and research institutions."

    Roger Dudler
    CEO Frontify

    «Frontify offers a workplace of the future in the heart of St. Gallen. We are continuously working to bring our more than 200 employees (around 180 of them in St. Gallen) together and to offer them the ideal basis to be able to work on something big every day. "

    Roland Ledergerber
    Chairman of the Board of Directors of Switzerland Innovation Park Ost AG

    “In St. Gallen and at the second location in Buchs, experts from research and business will network and jointly create innovative products. The innovation park should be operational from the end of 2022, and it should reach its full capacity from 2025. "

    Portraits and contact details of the heads of location promotion:

    Are you looking for an attractive, competitive and innovative location for your company and would you like to develop further or settle in the canton of St. Gallen? We would be happy to support you personally.

    Daniel Müller,
    Head of Location Promotion Canton St. Gallen | Department of Economic Affairs | Office for Economy and Labor
    Davidstrasse 35, CH-9001 St.Gallen

    T +41 58 229 14 07
    daniel.mueller@sg.ch
    www.standort.sg.ch

    The promotion of the city of St. Gallen actively contributes to the further development of the business and living location of St. Gallen and to positioning it attractively in the competition for locations.

    Samuel Zuberbühler,
    Head of Location Promotion City of St. Gallen
    Poststrasse 28,
    CH-9001 St.Gallen

    Telephone +41 71 224 57 57
    samuel.zuberbuehler@stadt.sg.ch
    www.standort.stadt.sg.ch

  • Implenia is building five buildings for SBB

    Implenia is building five buildings for SBB

    As a general contractor, Implenia is building five buildings on the former Malley industrial site west of Lausanne, one of which has 19 floors and a second one with 24 floors. As the company reports , the order volume is CHF 200 million. It includes the construction of residential and commercial buildings for the first phase of construction called Central Malley . An area of 42,200 square meters is to be developed. 23,700 square meters are planned as office space, 3800 square meters for commercial units and 14,700 square meters for around 200 apartments.

    The Central Malley construction project is the first step in the revitalization of the Malley industrial area. According to the information, the area is to be converted into a sustainable urban quarter with apartments, offices and commercial units. The concept for the development is based on ecological building, future ways of life and the Minergie P-Eco standard. The development of the new district fits into the spatial development plan for the Lausanne metropolitan area, which envisages several “ambitious architectural designs”. In this way, Implenia is making a contribution to the design of “promising future living and working environments,” says Jens Vollmar, Head of the Buildings Division, quoted in the press release.

    The project was preceded by two architecture competitions. The designs are implemented by the offices of Aeby Perneger & Associés SA and Pont 12 Architectes SA .

  • Learn faster than change

    Learn faster than change

    In contrast to earlier, more linear revolutions, digital change is advancing exponentially. That means, you don’t notice anything for a long time, and suddenly the change is there. In contrast to the film, music or car industries, which were surprised by Netflix, Spotify or Tesla, this development should not be overslept. “And that is exactly why it is particularly worthwhile to invest in innovations and stay on the ball,” said Mario Facchinetti in his presentation at this year’s Swiss ImmoTable in the building arena in Volketswil, Switzerland. The name of his company PropTechMarket stands for technology-driven, new innovations (property technology), which are becoming increasingly important for the real estate industry.

    Technologies should be used where they are superior to humans. Often enough, the change is creeping: “Ten years ago no taxi driver would have expected that a tech company from San Francisco called Uber could ever compete with him. Or to put it quite simply: Nothing remarkable happens for a long time, with many new companies putting themselves in a starting position, collecting data and experience, ”says Facchinetti. So far, no company has succeeded in turning the real estate industry upside down. However, many companies were working on this vision. Now it’s about building experiences faster than digital change advances.

    New technologies are revolutionizing the market: “One can imagine that we will need different skills in the future than we do today,” says Facchinetti. “Many courses are hopelessly out of date. And soon the question arises as to whether it would be better to hire a graduate with a master’s degree or a lateral thinker with a lot of practical know-how. ” Investing in innovation gives you the time to react to new market conditions. There are currently around 7,000 new companies at work around the world who want to win part of the real estate pie. And in contrast to five years ago, these young savages are increasingly receiving risk capital from investors in order to gain a foothold in the industry with competitive prices.

  • The Livit laundry room is going digital

    The Livit laundry room is going digital

    Tenants and landlords have personal access to an online portal. After logging in, the tenants can see whether the washing machine and / or dryer are free, select the devices and book them. Offsetting is also carried out via the system, in which the tenant purchases a credit (online or via a payment slip). There is no longer any need to collect coins or manage washing cards by the caretaker. And when the laundry or the dryer is ready, the tenant receives a message on the cell phone – a great advantage especially when he or she has to climb several floors.

    Tenants, administration and owners benefit equally
    The advantage for tenants is obvious – they benefit from the convenience that the new system offers them. Livit and the owners benefit by being able to preset washing times or block the devices for repairs and maintenance. The administrative effort is reduced and a dashboard provides an overview of usage at a glance. Livit is one of the first companies in Switzerland to completely digitalize billing in communal laundry rooms. For the implementation, Livit has chosen the company ELEKTRON AG as its partner, which has decades of experience in simple and cashless billing in communal laundry rooms. The fully automated, manufacturer-independent billing solutions offer tenants maximum flexibility and minimum administration effort. “On the one hand, it was crucial that the solution was independent of the manufacturers of the devices. On the other hand, there is also the flexibility and real Swissness that ELEKTRON embodies, ”says Adrian von Burg, Head of Business Solutions at Livit.

  • Walo Bertschinger renovates the Bad Ragaz thermal baths

    Walo Bertschinger renovates the Bad Ragaz thermal baths

    As part of a renovation work in the Bad Ragaz SG thermal baths, the Dietiker construction company Walo Bertschinger renewed the floor coverings. According to a message from Walo on Facebook, the Walo bedding Haypanol D was laid with a special system constellation.

    According to the company announcement, high demands were placed on slip resistance, UV resistance and optics in the thermal baths. In the system constellation used by Walo, these conditions of the client Grand Resort Bad Ragaz were met. The multi-layer structure of the covering and its technical properties also showed high chemical resistance, so that various cleaning agents, greases, other deposits and chemical solutions cannot harm the covering.

    According to Walo, the architecture of the famous thermal baths with its special appearance corresponds to the snow-white surface.

  • Smart new (real) world

    Smart new (real) world

    So what are the areas of competence in which we should operate safely in the future?
    A lot can be subsumed under the term tech knowledge : The increasingly software-based solutions require, among other things, to deal with interface adaptation and web integration. Mastering programming languages could become an individual competitive advantage. No more targeted marketing campaigns without data analytics know-how. And it is certainly not wrong to deal with blockchain technology and terms like DeFi and NFT …

    However, it is not just about technological knowledge itself, but also about the correct use of technology and the new digital possibilities. Cloud-based application programs and virtual team applications are springing up like mushrooms – without conscious effort and targeted handling, these helpers can quickly become time wasters and burnout accelerators. “Ordinary employees” will also have to deal more and more with the topic of cyber security.

    Last but not least, a new understanding of leadership and collaboration is also required. The often traditional hierarchical thinking in the group certainly does not have the potential of a modern leadership model. However, the pure startup peer-to-peer culture without procedural rules is not the golden way either. Above all, it requires mindfulness and participation, sensible autonomy and personal responsibility as well as a new culture of error. Plans and activities must be able to be adapted quickly and flexibly – from this point of view, agile methods are therefore a must in (project) management in the future.

    You can find more impulses here: https://proptechmarket.net/impulse

  • sfb continues training on building informatics

    sfb continues training on building informatics

    The sfb Higher Technical College for Technology and Management has responded to the increasing demand for specialists in building networking. As the first higher technical school, it has therefore introduced the course technician HF building technology with a specialization in building informatics. After a successful start in August this year, the sfb will continue to offer the course. New courses will start on August 18, 2022 at the Dietikon, Emmenbrücke LU and Zollikofen BE locations.

    The new courses also last six semesters. At all three locations, lessons are held on the entire Monday and Thursday evening. In Zollikofen there is also the possibility to attend classes on Thursday evenings and all of Saturday. Participants have the opportunity to qualify for the next step in their careers in the “largest growth market in the construction industry”, as sfb director Dorothea Tiefenauer puts it. “The technician HF building technology course at sfb focuses on building information technology and is geared towards the needs of the economy. Professionals with this training are in great demand on the job market, ”she adds.

    The sfb has a total of eight locations and, with more than 1200 students and 500 teachers, is one of the largest higher technical schools in Switzerland. It is supported by social partners in the machine, electrical and metal industries.

  • EPFL exhibits Design Brain in Seoul

    EPFL exhibits Design Brain in Seoul

    The Media x Design Laboratory of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne ( EPFL ) is currently exhibiting a larger-than-life design brain in the South Korean capital. The exhibit called Artificial Swissness can be seen until October 31 at the Seoul Biennale for Architecture and Urbanism .

    According to a communication from EPFL, Artificial Swissness aims to extend the epistemology of computer science to the cultural field. “Our design brain is an experiment on the question of whether machines can design structures,” laboratory director Professor Jeffrey Huang is quoted as saying. “That means whether they can not only recommend music or drive cars, but also create meaningful cultural artefacts, such as architecture with distinctive Swiss characteristics.”

    As the message goes on to say, the exhibit should be a constantly changing spatial interface that represents the inner thoughts of an artificial intelligence machine that has been trained on 10,000 images of Swiss chalets and alpine architecture. “We make the visual interferences in these layers of the neural network visible,” say the two EPFL students Frederick Kim and Mikhael Johanes. “This gives us an insight into the inner workings of our generative artificial network that creates architectural images.” The two of them set up the installation in Seoul after a 14-day quarantine.

    The digital screens of the installation show the machine-generated images of typical Swiss architecture. At the same time, an LED projection reveals the constantly evolving learning process that the machines go through while they sift through thousands of images of alpine architecture in order to distill the essence of “Swissness”.

  • Renaissance of Swiss natural stones

    Renaissance of Swiss natural stones

    Switzerland has only a few usable mineral resources that are also effectively used on the home market. This includes salt, which has recently become increasingly scarce due to the sometimes harsh winters. Switzerland is also a moated castle and this resource will become more and more important in the future. Nature also gives us the renewable raw material wood, which is used in a variety of ways in our buildings and is also exported!

    It is often forgotten that our little Switzerland is “filthy rich” in the truest sense of the word! Our own sandstone quarry on the Rooterberg is located two kilometers from our company as the crow flies, 100 meters above the Veriset. Sandstone has been mined up there for over 200 years. Our company, which was founded in 1944, has also been mining this beautiful gray-blue sandstone since then. This noble plant, which originated 20 million years ago, can also be used as a kitchen cover without any problems. We will market this noble product in the future as Lion Stone with completely new surface treatments .

    The lion monument in Lucerne, which was carved out of a former sandstone quarry, is only about four kilometers as the crow flies from our own quarry. It is exactly the same molasse sandstone . Our local material costs a fraction – in contrast to artificial stone or chrome steel! Our noble Ticino gneisses are not only a great eye-catcher, but thanks to the latest impregnation agents they are also suitable for kitchen covers without any problems. Partial darkening really only occurs with very poor care! The very latest impregnation methods, which do not change the color of the beautiful Swiss natural stones, make practical use seem harmless today. In any case, these are far superior to an artificial stone that has only been polished. The noble gray-blue of an onsernone gneiss matches light and gray kitchen furniture simply sensationally and at an affordable price!

    The noble dark gray of the Onsernone is described by experts as the most beautiful gray in the world! Of course, Cresciano and Iragna also shine as light gray alternatives in every kitchen. The green Andeer, Valser or Verde Spluga also look very modern with wooden furniture and are therefore often used. The floor coverings from COOP are a shining example!

    The oldest coverings are already 17 years old and appear almost new despite intensive use. The natural patina makes the floor very attractive. Our Rooterberger sandstone was laid as an example in 1983 in the Jesuit church in Root. 1974 also in the catholic church in Root! Despite their age and intensive use, the floors still look sensational! Somebody should say that sandstone is tricky and that in the public sector.

    We must not forget one thing: Honor local work! In Switzerland, we meet all known safety regulations when mining natural stones and also meet all ecological standards in terms of sustainability. The wages in Switzerland are fair and correct, child or slave labor are foreign words in Switzerland! Thanks to the nearby quarries, the product meets all ecological requirements in terms of gray energy! There is simply nothing better than the use of Swiss natural stones in ecological and sustainable construction! You can also rely on Swiss natural stone, be it indoors or outdoors, as a great floor, wall covering or kitchen cover, Swiss natural stone is always a perfect choice!

    In order to achieve a certain long-term advertising effect, our company Emilio Stecher AG from Root has set up three additional URLs in addition to www.stecher.ch : www.onsernone.com , www.schweizer-natursteine.ch and www.rooterberger.ch . Let yourself be fascinated.

    A visit to us is worthwhile, but even the Internet cannot replace our beautiful exhibition in Root. We would like to invite you to visit us. We hope that you will use a lot of beautiful Swiss natural stones in the future and of course take into account our family-run Lucerne-based company based in Root, which has always advocated the use of Swiss natural stones since it was founded. We can boast that over 50% of our invoiced sales are made with Swiss natural stones!

    Click here for the video from the Rooterberg sandstone quarry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQpgKNsyli8

  • 2. Global Real Estate Run in Switzerland – Get on the move!

    2. Global Real Estate Run in Switzerland – Get on the move!

    After the endlessly long home office and shutdown time, the 1st Global Real Estate Run (impressions: https://globalrealestaterun.com/socialmediawall) came at the start of the year, in order to exchange ideas with like-minded people, and to do more than just active team building To do something good for oneself, but also for the environment: “Around 1400 participants from 46 countries modified the Global Run to meet their individual needs,” says the initiator Mario Facchinetti. “Once again, it is important to complete six kilometers in a time window of 24 hours: every participant is free to run, run or walk. Anyone can take part, free of charge – anywhere in the world. ” The run is of course 100 percent corona compliant. The six kilometers can be completed on a route of your choice, regardless of location. Registration on the Globalrealestaterun.com website is required to participate. Each participant then has access to a geotagged app that accompanies the event interactively.


    Promote sustainability
     Not only real estate professionals take part in the Global Real Estate Run, but also tenants and owners. The “team event of a different kind” is not only health-promoting, but also provides a topic of conversation. And by the way, you are also doing something good for the environment. Thanks to the collaboration with Unispace, Key4 by UBS, Immo! Invest, PropTechMarket, Schäppi Grundstücke and “There for Trees”, a tree is now being planted for every kilometer covered. Well: If these are not enough good reasons to be active to register for the next event and to make a contribution to more sustainability and innovation in the real estate industry.


    Registration and more information: https://globalrealestaterun.com
    Impressions:https://globalrealestaterun.com/socialmediawall
    Media kit: https://globalrealestaterun.com/mediakit
    Contact person: Mario Facchinetti, initiator, mail@globalrealestaterun.com

  • Innovative Swiss platform for space and real estate development

    Innovative Swiss platform for space and real estate development

    Luucy AG, based in Lucerne, was founded in 2019 by the architect and entrepreneur Mark Imhof. He describes himself as a visionary who has been dealing with the complex issues of the internal development of villages and cities for a long time. It struck him that he was repeatedly reaching limits with the usual methods and procedures. Imhof decided to develop a solution that strengthens and simplifies communication and cooperation between all parties involved: “Luucy combines the relevant data for the spatial and real estate development of all Swiss municipalities in one central location. The planning platform also provides intelligent tools for development and supports the exchange with all stakeholders through the understandable 3D visualization, ”explains Mark Imhof, CEO of Luucy AG.

    Data and information from all stakeholders could be easily found, further developed and made available via the comprehensive platform. To make this possible, Luucy was constructed as a digital twin of built Switzerland. Imhof: “The topography of the Swiss landscape with all existing buildings is available in 3D as a basis. Thanks to the web solution, no software needs to be installed to use it. Initial building volumes and variant studies can be modeled directly in Luucy and compared with one another. Additional apps from third-party providers, for example for calculating investment costs, provide valuable additional information for decision-making. “

    The official survey data, maps and access to the building laws can also be called up directly on the platform. “Luucy enables all interested third-party providers to connect additional solutions and thus offers space for new business models and value chains,” says Imhof. The solution met with great interest in the real estate industry: “Having all the relevant data and tools for room and real estate development available online in one place increases efficiency considerably,” explains Imhof.

    Make feasibility studies much easier
    Luucy isn’t the only platform that makes data accessible in a digital twin. «The specialty of our solution is the platform concept. We don’t work out everything ourselves – we integrate and work with the best. As a result, the platform is growing steadily, ”says Imhof, explaining the advantages. The interactive platform also differs from other solutions, because it acts as an intermediary builder of bridges between the authorities, which often do not know enough about the needs of the private sector, and the private sector, which the overarching goals of spatial development in the sense of a sustainable and holistically functioning organism Too little consideration of “living space”.

    “Today, for example, many steps in different systems are necessary to create a feasibility study. The analysis of the legal basis in the building laws of the 2172 municipalities in Switzerland and their interpretation is often a challenge. A lot of time is lost here, ”says Imhof. Luucy has all of these basics ready in a single system. The platform would primarily be used by specialists from architecture or site development. In this way, they can check meaningful development scenarios in just a few hours. “Authorities and spatial planning offices can also use our solution to display local planning revisions and potential spatial developments over a large area. Investors can easily make their own initial potential assessments of properties and areas,” explains Imhof.

    The modeling of own building volumes and the quick calculation of the corresponding rough costs are currently most in demand. “Here, the entire settlement context is taken into account, and the influence on neighboring buildings in terms of shadows and views can be quickly checked. In addition, Luucy is often used for digital competitions in which the different project ideas are simply evaluated and compared with one another, ”says Imhof.

    In 10 years the most used planning and coordination platform for the space and real estate industry
    The main focus of Luucy AG is initially on Switzerland. “But it is quite conceivable that the solution will also be offered in the DACH region and Europe in the next few years,” says Imhof. The basic costs for the platform are CHF 3,000 per year. This means that three administrators can create any number of projects, and unlimited users can work in these projects.

    In the coming months, the start-up plans to continuously expand its offerings: “In five years, Luucy will be so extensive that all room-relevant data and functions can be accessed via the platform. Simulations, for example on noise, mobility and climate, can be displayed »,
    says Imhof. And he is convinced: “In ten years, our solution will be the planning and coordination platform for the space and real estate industry. And with Luucy, cooperation with the private sector will also be greatly simplified for the authorities. Planning applications can then be published in 3D format. “

    In addition to a further developed geometer system, Luucy will one day ensure that an up-to-date digital twin is available to all planners on a daily basis. The spatial strategies and the associated development of the infrastructure of the cities and municipalities should be available. The solution is disruptive and is likely to play a key role in replacing complicated and less dynamic processes in the construction industry, as Imhof explains.

    Mark Imhof, CEO Luucy.
  • PropTech Map is growing strongly again

    PropTech Map is growing strongly again

    PropTech Map is growing strongly again. Some of the new additions to the PropTech Map Switzerland come from RENT 21, the real estate event from Lausanne. The “Marketplaces” category recorded a decline. The PropTech Map Switzerland has grown by 16 entries. A total of 350 PropTechs will soon be found in 11 categories.

    Various PropTechs, akenza.io , PriceHubble , architrave and realcube , gave themselves a new look, including a new logo.

    The new report Swiss Venture Insights shows where all the money went in the 3rd quarter of 2021. PropTechs have also received crumbs.

    Here are the new additions

    • Construction: medusoil.com and raumpioniereai.com
    • Finance: The mortgage broker Moneypark was previously not to be found on the PropTech Map Switerland. With the new activities related to real estate brokerage, they are now part of it. tilbago.ch has specialized in the one solution for debt enforcement and loss certificates. Migros Bank is said to be behind the mortgage broker cactous.ch.
    • Floorplan AR / VR 3D: uzufly.com , mytourlive.com, visualreality3d.ch and backbone. As recently announced, the western Swiss startup backbone was able to successfully close a financing round.
    • Marketplaces: The Avobis Group launched a new property marketplace with propertycaptain.ch. With the integration of Neue Aaargauer Bank into Credit Suisse, the regional marketplace nabhome.ch has disappeared. According to a well-informed source, the CS is planning new activities in the area of living. The lookmove marketplace is active in western Switzerland. This PropTech says of itself that they have the largest range of properties. lookmove could be an interesting alternative for all financial service providers in Switzerland who (now) want to jump on the bandwagon of the “living” ecosystem. lookmove is currently planning a financing round to finance international expansion.
    • Services: Swiss AI, mybeppo.ch, immowise and iNCH
    • Smart Building: Another PropTech from western Switzerland is called local-energy.ch, while zevvy.ch comes from Central Switzerland.
    • Software: ziffu.io and prozessfux.com

    PropTech Map is growing strongly again. Compared to Germany, Switzerland has an extremely attractive, diverse and, above all, much larger PropTech scene.

    Source: Heinz M. Schwyter , https://proptechnews.ch/2021/10/11/proptech-map-waechst-wieder-stark/

  • ConReal wants to digitize interior design

    ConReal wants to digitize interior design

    ConReal Swiss has set itself the goal of breaking up “the old structures of the construction and real estate industry”, explains the proptech start-up from Winterthur in a press release . “We want to make the construction industry fairer, more transparent and more efficient,” said co-founder and board member Christoph Meili. “We would also like to give small and medium-sized companies access to data and digital tools.”

    In order to achieve this, ConReal relies on the networking of actors in the construction and real estate industry. The young company itself offers digital and analog services in the real estate sector. ConReal wants to build a comprehensive marketplace in interior design. In a first step, the company’s current marketplace for the bathroom will be repositioned, the company writes. Habitects is to appear under the ConReal brand.

    The transfer will create a digital marketplace for bathroom remodeling, explains ConReal. Homeowners can choose their style there and have an individual concept drawn up with a target price. As a result, a 3D model of the project is created and a craftsman is entrusted with a feasibility study and a final offer. The desired articles can also be ordered via the marketplace.

    ConReal believes that everyone involved could benefit from the combination of traditional handicrafts and physical products with new digital tools. The start-up plans to expand the platform to other categories. The communication mentions the kitchen and flooring.