Zurich-based proptech Optiml secures €3.5 million pre-seed extension to decarbonise real estate

Optiml, a Swiss proptech offering a software solution for sustainable real estate investments and renovation strategies, secured €3.5 million in a pre-seed extension. The round is led by BitStone Capital, a VC investor for technology companies in the real estate and construction industry, and supported by KOMPAS VC, which focuses on the construction and manufacturing sector. 

Existing investors, the VC of ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Innovation Endeavors, and Planet A Ventures, are also participating in the round, underlining their commitment to Optiml. This financing represents the first closing. The capital from this pre-seed extension is intended to accelerate the development of further software features and expand the team to meet increasing customer demand in the DACH region, Great Britain and beyond.

Decarbonisation software

As a spin-off of ETH Zurich, Optiml offers asset managers, investors and their consultants decarbonisation and renovation software for individual properties and entire portfolios. The software is based on algorithms that have been researched and developed over the years and are able to handle the complexity of decarbonizing buildings and portfolios; this is where established approaches often fail. Even with low data availability, the software quickly provides insights such as indicative ESG due diligence, decarbonization and investment strategies, and detailed renovation plans that reflect not only net zero requirements but also corporate goals across the entire building life cycle. This enables reliable, timely and cost-optimized measures that are individually tailored to each building.

Evan Petkov, CEO and co-founder of Optiml, commented: “It really is an exciting time right now – over the last two years we have developed from a laboratory start-up with two founders to a team of almost 20 people who are fully dedicated to our vision of developing a new way of making decisions in the real estate sector and thus bringing it closer to the net zero goal; while achieving the company-specific goals. We will use the investment to grow the team, expand features, improve data availability, develop APIs, automate data ingestion and usability, and improve the customer experience in different regions.”

Award winning proptech

The depth and novelty of the software has recently earned Optiml the ZIA proptech of the Year Award, the Startup Awards of the W.A. de Vigier Foundation and >> venture >> Award. On the market, the proptech has over 30 successful pilot projects with industry players such as AXA, Credit Suisse and Grosvenor, and is currently implementing the solution with particularly innovative asset managers and consulting firms.

Andreas Winter-Extra, Partner at Kompas VC, said: “Our investment in Optiml reflects our commitment to supporting the most innovative companies in the construction and manufacturing sector that are decarbonizing the sector. Making informed decisions requires a comprehensive understanding of your own data and buildings. Optiml’s software provides the industry with such an understanding and comprehensive recommendations for action in order to carry out renovations on a large scale. With increasingly strict regulatory frameworks and great interest from the industry in a reliable solution for decarbonizing the building stock, Optiml is in an excellent position to take a leading role in this important market. We look forward to supporting the talented team in the coming years.”

Manfred Heid, Managing Partner at BitStone Capital, added: “BitStone Capital is excited to invest in a solution for the real estate industry that has never been seen before. Optiml’s decarbonization and renovation software not only serves as a crucial tool for achieving climate goals, but also as a comprehensive asset management solution that can be used to execute portfolio strategies and planning while ensuring returns. The ability to generate rich insights with just a few data points thanks to artificial intelligence, together with the team’s impressive performance and the positive feedback from satisfied customers, convinced us that this technology represents a decisive step forward. We see Optiml’s software as a great opportunity to lead the real estate industry into a more sustainable future.”

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