The RE-evolution of Real Estate Capital Markets

If time is money, then blockchain is gold. But when you talk to landlords and real estate professionals about blockchain’s potential impact on their business, many have no idea what it is, some don’t care, and others simply don’t understand its practical use. Across all industries, blockchain is making its mark. “According to a 2015 World Economic Forum survey of 800 executives and information and communications technology sector experts, 57.9 percent of the respondents believe that 10 percen…

The downturn is coming. Can the We Company survive the storm?

In January, Adam Neumann went on CNBC to quiet concerns that his company, WeWork, was in trouble. News had just broken that SoftBank Group, WeWork’s primary investor, had walked back a $16 billion deal, and Neumann, with celebrity pal Ashton Kutcher in tow, wanted to reassure the world that demand for his office-space-as-a-service company was still high. In fact, he said, it was increasing.

SoftBank Founder Masayoshi Son Lost $130 Million on Bitcoin

Masayoshi Son, the billionaire founder of SoftBank Group Corp. 9984 0.39% , made a huge personal bet on bitcoin just as prices for the digital currency peaked, losing more than $130 million when he sold out, according to people familiar with the matter. Mr. Son, who launched the world’s biggest venture-capital fund on the strength of his long-term investing acumen, made the investment in late 2017 at the recommendation of a well-known bitcoin booster, whose investment firm SoftBank bought t…

When Office Buildings Go Beyond Green

Developers and landlords have for decades sought green certification to help them attain a level of sustainability that can make their buildings more efficient, and cheaper, to maintain in the long run. In turn, the buildings can fetch premium rents and achieve higher occupancy rates. But as the industry for independent review grows, some organizations have started to offer verification in other areas, like digital infrastructure, landscaping and human wellness. The crowded field has left some…

A Deeper Look at Ten-X’s New Portfolio Tool

Knotel Appoints Vik Aggarwal as Global Head of Enterprise

New York (April 23, 2019) – Knotel, the leading flexible office space provider, announced today that it has appointed industry veteran Vik Aggarwal as Global Head of Enterprise, effective immediately. Aggarwal comes to Knotel with over 18 years of financial and corporate real estate experience. In his new role, he will lead and expand Knotel’s enterprise business by leveraging his network and expertise to cultivate new strategic partners. His responsibilities will include managing and support…

AI Technology Is Attracting Younger Property Management Talent

Locus Robotics Raises $26 Million in New Funding Round

Locus Robotics Corp. raised $26 million in a Series C funding round that will help the warehouse automation company expand the reach of its robots, which help speed up the fulfillment of e-commerce orders, into international markets. The round increased to $66 million the funding the Wilmington, Mass.-based company has raised since the business was spun out in 2015 from Quiet Logistics Inc. The new funding came from investors including Zebra Ventures, the strategic investment arm of logistics…

Zillow launches AI-powered 3D home tours in the U.S. and Canada

For prospective home buyers, touring a house traditionally entails commuting to top prospects and painstakingly documenting each room with photos, but Zillowwants to drag the process into the 21st century. To that end, the Seattle, Washington-based real estate database company today announced the debut of 3D Home, an AI-powered iOS app that allows potential buyers to view 360-degree pics and tours of properties….

Tesla plans to launch a robotaxi network in 2020

Tesla expects to launch the first robotaxis as part of broader vision for an autonomous ride-sharing network in 2020, CEO Elon Musk said during the company’s Autonomy Day. “I feel very confident predicting that there will be autonomous robotaxis from Tesla next year — not in all jurisdictions because we won’t have regulatory approval everywhere” Musk said without detailing what regulations he was referring to. He added that he is confident the company will have regulatory approval somewhere n…