Will invest in companies that aim to transform the real estate industry through technology; anticipates significant opportunities in Asia Pacific
MUMBAI – 6 June 2018 – JLL Spark, a division of JLL (NYSE: JLL), announces today the creation of JLL Spark Global Venture Fund, which plans to invest up to US$100 million in companies focused on leveraging technology to improve everything from real estate development and management to leasing and investing, while enhancing the experience of those who occupy it. The fund will help entrepreneurs and their companies by connecting them with JLL’s business lines and clients for insightful feedback and product distribution.
According to a recent report by JLL and Tech in Asia, proptech start-ups in Asia Pacific are outpacing their counterparts in Europe and the United States with 179 of them raising around US$4.8 billion in funding between 2013 and mid-2017 – over 60 per cent of the global total. It forecasts that funding for proptech start-ups in this region will reach US$4.5 billion a year by 2020.
“Asia Pacific is home to the world’s leading smart cities, many of which are powered by tech-enabled real estate tools. JLL is committed to cultivating next-generation proptech start-ups and promoting Asia Pacific as a hub of technology innovation for real estate, and JLL Spark Global Venture Fund is an extension of that goal,” says Mihir Shah, Co-CEO at JLL Spark.
“The fund gives us the unparalleled opportunity to partner with local and global entrepreneurs who can utilise the resources of JLL’s business lines to rapidly grow their companies while creating value for JLL’s clients.”
The new fund will focus on seed and Series A investments, as well as select later stage rounds. Typical investment size will range from a few hundred thousand to several million dollars. JLL Spark will direct its efforts to technology startups with products that can help JLL investor and occupier clients, or that can be used by JLL businesses to better deliver their services. The fund is also interested in companies that are inventing new technology-enabled business models in traditional JLL service areas or those that will help expand its services to new client segments.
“Creating this US$100 million venture fund through JLL Spark allows us to continue to lead the real estate industry in bringing the best proptech ideas to reality. It complements and expands our substantial ongoing investments in innovative, cutting-edge digital solutions, which is a core part of our Beyond strategic vision and commitment to achieve ambitions for our clients,” says Christian Ulbrich, JLL’s Global CEO.
As part of its commitment to engaging with the tech and innovation ecosystem in Asia Pacific, JLL is today hosting ‘Proptech Unleashed’, the first-ever proptech forum at innovfest unbound Singapore, Southeast Asia’s largest innovation festival. Happening in conjunction with the Singapore Smart Nation Innovation Week, ‘Proptech Unleashed’ gathers industry thought leaders and rising entrepreneurs to explore the impact of smart cities and how corporates can successfully innovate.
About JLL India:
JLL is India’s premier and largest professional services firm specializing in real estate. With estimated revenue for FY 2017-18 expected to be ~INR 3,200 crores, the firm is growing from strength to strength in India for over the past 20 years. JLL has an extensive geographic footprint across 10 cities (Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kochi and Coimbatore) and a staff strength of over 9,500. The firm provides investors, developers, local corporates and multinational companies with a comprehensive range of services. This includes research, strategic advisory and consultancy, capital markets, transaction management, project and development services, integrated facilities management, property and asset management. These services cover various asset classes such as commercial, residential, industrial, retail, warehouse and logistics, hospitality, healthcare, senior living and education.
JLL was recognised as one of the Best Places to Work in India 2017 in the annual survey of ‘India’s Best Companies to Work For’ – a joint study conducted by Great Place to Work® and The Economic Times. The firm has also been acknowledged as ‘Property Consultant of the Decade’ at the 10th CNBC-Awaaz Real Estate Awards 2015 and the Best Property Consultancy in India at the International Property Awards Asia Pacific 2016-17. For further information, please visit www.jll.co.in
About JLL Spark
JLL Spark is dedicated to transforming the real estate industry through technology-based innovation. JLL Spark provides the nimbleness of a startup backed by JLL’s expertise and resources. Led by experienced Silicon Valley entrepreneurs with successful track records building and investing in tech companies, JLL Spark’s strategic proptech investments offer JLL the ability to provide innovative products to real estate owners and operators. JLL Spark was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. For more information, please visit https://spark.jll.com.