Hanover, May 2, 2024: Since its successful premiere in 2022, the Real Estate Arena has established itself as a leading platform that is specifically tailored to the medium-sized real estate and construction industry as well as B and C cities. This year, Germany's other real estate trade fair is launching with a focus on digital innovation. Several discussions in the conference program will focus on the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The Real Estate Arena is also the largest platform for PropTechs this year.

blackprint & PropTech at the REA

Europe's largest competition for the startup sector in the real estate industry - the REAL PropTech Pitches by blackprint - will be held at the Real Estate Arena this year. The participating PropTechs will compete in eleven categories along the real estate lifecycle for the most important innovation prize in the construction and real estate industry, the PropTech Germany Award 2024. Orla Nolan, Managing Partner of blackprint: "These pitches offer the biggest innovation and PropTech overview in Germany. Here, the most relevant digital solution providers will present their solutions for the acute challenges of our industry bundled together on two parallel stages over two days. Anyone who is striving for a sustainable, decarbonized, digital and future-proof world of construction and the built world and wants to make their company fit for the future is invited to find the right solution for their specific challenges." More than 90 percent of PropTechs are currently focusing their solutions on the topic of sustainability or the optimization of ESG aspects, often supported by platform technologies, AI and big data applications.

The WoWi Quarter - a new format for the housing industry

This year's Real Estate Arena will focus on a special innovation: the WoWi Quarter. The initiative of the vdw Lower Saxony/Bremen and the GdW - aims to bring together players from the housing industry and thus strengthen discussion and cooperation in the sector. "The WoWi-Quartier is a logical development of the trade fair concept, which was designed for networking and collaboration from the outset. Together with our partners, we are shaping the Real Estate Arena, and thus also the WoWi Quarter," says Real Estate Arena Project Manager Hartwig von Saß.

Technological innovations in the House of the Future

At the center of the quarter is the GdW's House of the Future, surrounded by technology partners and other housing companies. The three timber modules from Geiger are an example of the rapid assembly and high efficiency of serial housing construction. Integrated technological innovations that make living more comfortable, secure and energy-efficient can be experienced here in compact form. The advanced installations include locking systems that can be controlled via the cloud and state-of-the-art heat pumps from Bosch. Heat optimization runs via an intelligent system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to learn and control optimal heating conditions. In addition, water-saving fittings from Grohe are installed in the bathroom, the design of which has been adapted so that they are not a luxury item but can also be used in social housing. The aim here is to combine sustainability with accessibility. The digital house board in the house of the future is another innovation that is intended to replace the outdated notices in the stairwell. It provides real-time information on important aspects of the residential building, such as the operating status of the broken elevator or the energy production status of the photovoltaic system.

First mover and first-time exhibitor

This year, the digital tenant service portal Spiri.Bo is the theme sponsor for the topic of digitalization at the Real Estate Arena. Spiri.Bo combines traditional management topics with fast tenant communication and an additional range of housing-related services. "It's no coincidence that Spiri.Bo by meravis has been a first mover in the Real Estate Arena since it was founded. We share the philosophy of wanting to bring together different areas of the real estate industry and want to showcase forward-looking digital answers and solutions," says meravis CEO Matthias Herter about the partnership. With exhibitors from the very beginning such as meravis, as well as new participants such as Telekom, Kone and Schüco, the Real Estate Arena 2024 once again promises an exciting mix of target groups and new synergies.

For the first time, the talque app will also be used, which displays the entire conference program on a smartphone - and at the same time enables a new dimension of digital networking for all Real Estate Arena participants. While exhibitors were previously able to connect with visitors, the use of talque also allows visitors to network with each other digitally and meet directly on site. The organizers are thus fulfilling a wish that participants expressed several times in the satisfaction surveys after the Real Estate Arena 2023.