Top 15 Most Influential People in Real Estate Technology 2015

In honor of our upcoming 2015/2016 Demo Days, MetaProp NYC presents:   

THE FIRST ANNUAL LIST OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL IN NY REAL ESTATE TECH:

1. Jared Kushner of Kushner Companies and Josh Kushner of Thrive Capital
   
   
   • These two power brokers control millions of square feet in NY, and are among the earliest adopters and champions of all things real estate tech including startups like: WeWork, Compass, Cadre, Honest Buildings, and WiredScore.
     
     
2. Zach Aarons, Clelia Peters and Aaron Block of MetaProp NYC
   
   
   • The most prolific angel in real estate tech, one of NYC’s top residential brokerage minds and an ex-Cushman executive teamed up with REBNY, ICSC, the NYCEDC, Warburg Realty and Zillow to launch this real estate tech startup accelerator and the #1 global RETech seed fund.  This team also produces NYC Real Estate Tech Week.
     
     
3. Nick Romito of VTS and Brandon Weber of Hightower
   
   
   • Founding entrepreneurs and competitors who are lighting the commercial real estate tech world on fire. Future of CRE could be here.  Both companies have activated old-line institutional partners (Blackstone, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank Corp, etc.) and have raised significant Series B capital from blue chip venture funds.
     
     
4. Robert Refkin and Ori Allon of Compass
   
   
   • Ex-Goldman Sachs and ex-Google founders who built a tech enabled residential real estate brokerage powerhouse.
     
     
5. Susan Daimler of StreetEasy/Zillow
   
   
   • One of the previous generation of real estate tech entrepreneurs who remains as relevant and influential as ever.  Currently GM of top residential listings site.
     
     
6. Steve Schlafman of RRE
   
   
   • Principal who leads RRE investments in the real estate tech space. Funded Hightower, Floored, The Square Foot, ManagedByQ, and Breather.
     
     
7. Rich Sarkis of Reonomy and Michael Mandel of CompStak
   
   
   • Big shots taking on the goliath, publicly traded deathstar CoStar.  Michael’s CompStack democratized leasing “comps” and Rich’s Reonomy just completed a massive Series B with investors like Bain Capital.
     
     
8. Michael Rudin of Rudin Management
   
   
   • 4th gen Exec who helps spearhead the 20m sqft portfolio's tech investments.  Incubating their own DiBoss building operations platform.
     
     
9. Dave Eisenberg of Floored and Red Swan Ventures.
   
   
   • Widely recognized as one of the smartest entrepreneurs in the space.  The authority on interactive 3D graphics and space test fit technology.  Also investor in Hightower and other technologies through VC Red Swan Ventures.
     
     
10. Bill Field of LeFrak Investments, Ryan Melohn of Expansion VC, Michael Milstein of Millstein Properties, Grand Central Tech incubator, and Circle Ventures, and Ryan Freedman of Corigin Ventures
    
    
    • Not as well known as the Kushners and Rudins but still very influential strategic investors.  These gentlemen invest real estate family money and help new technologies access pilots within their vast portfolios.  Local portfolio companies include Honest Buildings, Radiator Labs and LogCheck.
      
      
11. Ryan Baxter of REBNY and Sarah Malcolm of ICSC 
    
    
    • You can't ignore the influence of real estate associations in the future of our industry.  Ryan Baxter is a lobbyist and liaison to the real estate tech community for industry association powerhouse REBNY.  He's recognized as a Crain’s NY 40 under 40. Sarah Malcolm runs digital strategy for the global retail real estate association ICSC and maintains tight relationships with the local venture, start-up, media and real estate communities.
      
      
12. Erik Levy of DMGI, Brad Svrluga of Primary Ventures,  and Jordan Nof of Tusk Ventures
    
    
    • Erik leads investments for the deepest investor in the real estate tech data space.  Holdings include Trepp, SiteCompli, and Real Capital Analytics.   Brad has been an early champion of real estate tech and investor in local startups Reonomy, Fieldlens, and TheSquareFoot. Jordan served as a director at Blackstone and now leads investments at Tusk Ventures.
      
      
13. Riggs Kubiak of Honest Buildings
    
    
    • Ex-Tishman Speyer executive who invented the real estate market’s leading procurement and workflow platform
      
      
14. Caren Maio of Nestio
    
    
    • Top female founder in today’s crop of real estate technologists.  Created NY’s leading residential listings system for residential real estate professionals.
      
      
15. Ashkán Zandieh of CRE:Tech and Falkon
    
    
    • Founder of CRE:Tech research and consulting and property research app Falkon.  One of the original advocates for real estate tech in New York City.