• Dedicated digital technologies arm COIMA Human Technology launches with smart neighbourhood pilots in Porta Nuova
• COIMA partners with Italian government through CDP Venture Capital to support innovation in the HabiTech proptech accelerator
• New programne of investment in technology enterprises kicks off with COIMA acquiring stake in Tecma Solutions
Milan, 14 June 2022 – The COIMA Group has launched a €10m first phase of an ongoing investment programme to develop and support the roll-out of advanced digital technologies in real estate and infrastructure.
The first phase sees COIMA launch its new wholly owned company, COIMA Human Technology, which is embarking on a ‘smart neighbourhood’ pilot programme aimed at using digital technologies, including the Internet of Things, to build stronger communities, helping to boost inclusivity, engagement and drive positive social impact.
The pilot is located in COIMA’s Porta Nuova regeneration development in Milan, where initiatives include the development of IOT infrastructure and a Portanuova Milano neighborhood app. This initial pilot comprises over €8m in investment and is aimed at integrating physical and digital spaces to activate the local community and build better social and environmental outcomes. Plans are in place to eventually roll out further smart neighbourhood programmes in COIMA’s Porta Romana development.
Alongside the launch of COIMA HT, COIMA is also partnering with Italian government through CDP Venture Capital SGR to support HabiTech, an accelerator for proptech start-ups in Milan. As one of the partners and promoters of HabiTech, COIMA will provide a range of support to innovators in the accelerator, including:
- Hosting Habitech in COIMA’s headquarters in Milan, immersing start-ups in the accelerator programme within a real world real estate environment in which they will test their prototypes, gaining feedback from the field in real time in collaboration with partners and sponsors of the accelerator;
- Providing over 1,000 hours of mentorship and tutoring activities per year through COIMA HT and the other specialised companies of the COIMA Group, delivering relevant real estate industry insight, expertise and training to help support the development of proptech innovations;
- Testing the proptech solutions of the start-ups within the Porta Nuova district management technological platform as an experimental urban laboratory
The accelerator will initially have a total budget of €5.75m, with COIMA providing direct and indirect participation investment of €750,000 with the possibility of incremental co-investments.
To round off the first phase of its digitization plan, COIMA has also acquired a stake in Tecma Solutions, which provides technology solutions to real estate. This is the first deal in a new digital technologies investment programme that will see COIMA invest in innovative technology companies that are aligned with its own priorities, including decarbonisation, creating strong sustainable communities, and building engagement with stakeholders through cutting-edge digital solutions that integrate technologies including Blockchain and the Metaverse.
Manfredi Catella, founder of the COIMA Group, says: “The launch the €10m first phase of our digitization programme is a milestone for the Coima group. The start up of COIMA HT ad well as the collaboration with the Italian Government launching Habitech the first national proptech accelerator in partnership with CDP Venture Capital, and our progamme of investment in innovative technology companies, like TecmaSolutions, establish a coordinated and synergetic innovation plan. By harnessing the power of proptech and other digital technologies we will aim to accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy, with tech-enabled real estate leading the race to net zero, while also building strong and sustainable communities in ‘smart’ urban neighbourhoods. The objective is to pilot, test and develop proptech solutions that are scalable and replicable, so they can be applied to in other neighbourhoods around the world. We now look forward to working with our partners and stakeholders to integrate digital technologies into real estate to help improve social and environmental outcomes.”
