Latest news with #Bridgit
Herald Sun
25-04-2025
- Business
- Herald Sun
Top five property startups to watch: PropHero, Coposit cap raising millions
Proptech start-ups are on the rise amid the nation's cost of living crisis, securing some of the largest funding rounds and increasingly nabbing investor interest. Proptech firms were in the top five start-up sectors investors were looking at, according to a first quarter report by Cut Through Ventures. The sector had jumped 11 places since the final quarter of last year, overtaking start-ups focused on agriculture, space and aviation, fintech, digital marketplaces, gaming, robotics and software. Artificial intelligence topped the ranks of the most sought after start-ups followed by healthtech, biotech and medtech and logistics and supply chain start-ups. A total of $993m was deployed across the first quarter, with funding deals made across 78 venture rounds and 22 accelerator rounds. That near-$1bn sum outpaces 2024, 2023 and 2020, and matched the pace of 2022 but sits well below the major funding sums seen in Covid's peak in 2021. Alan Water, a venture lead at HSBC, one of the report's partners, said Australia had become an increasingly attractive market to the US 'We are also seeing more US investors looking to Australia, including crossover funds and mid-market private equity sponsors,' he said. Proptech and real estate start-ups took in $44m in the first quarter of this year, with some start-ups taking home the largest raises in the country. Here are five proptech start-ups to watch in 2025. PropHero Imagine being able to swipe left on a potential investment property you don't like and then being able to trust that the platform won't show you a similar property again. That's the idea behind a Sydney start-up that uses AI to pair investors with properties that suit their preferences and budget. PropHero, dubbed the Tinder for property, raised a $25m series A round earlier this year led by Bailador Technology Investments. The start-up, leveraging millions of data points and pulls information from more than 18,000 Australian suburbs to find the right investment match. It also operates in Spain, Ireland and the Indonesian tourist mecca of Bali. Coposit The second largest raise in the sector came from Coposit, which brought in a $14m series A round, The start-up, founded by brothers Chris and Dan Ferris lets investors purchase off-the-plan homes with deposits as little as $10,000 and holds the deposit funds in a trust. Coposit works with around 50 developers and partnered with Australia's largest bank, Commonwealth Bank. One recent development it worked with was NPA Projects and the upcoming Yves Towers in the Gold Coast, comprising 146 apartments across 26 levels by Mermaid Beach. Bridgit This Sydney-based short-term loan start-up founded by a first generation Ukrainian Australian entrepreneur wants to take over the so-called downsize market. Bridgit, which was founded in 2021, is attempting to take over the so-called downsizer market – one that's beginning to grow as new tax initiatives provide older Australians with an incentive to move into smaller properties. The company also wants to be a financial saving grace for those with inherited wealth, who might be asset rich but without the capital needed to shift out of their current home or invest in other ventures. Aaron Bassin founded the business three years ago after stints with MoneyMe, KPMG, Deloitte and Morgan Stanley. The 32-year-old founder said he has always had an eye on the housing market, and that home ownership was a dinner table conversation growing up. Investors are increasingly getting behind the idea, with Bridgit raising $14.6m in a round led by OIF Ventures in June last year. Bridgit's average loan size for people looking to buy another place before selling is $1m, and is typically assessed in between 30 and 40 minutes. Mr Bassin said the whole process was typically wrapped up within four months. Sydney-based Downsizer has found ground among homeowners who were strapped for cash but had mountains of equity within their home. It uses that equity as collateral allowing them to buy off-the-plan apartments and penthouses. The start-up was founded by Mark Macduffie, Damian Morgan and Michael Kelly in March, 2022. Since then it has raised near $6m from investors and claims to have helped sell more than $150m worth of property using its zero cash deposit method. Over 6500 buyers interested in downsizing have registered on its platform where it lists more than $4.7bn worth of new property for sale. Downsizer was banking on data that estimates about 1.9m homeowners are planning to downsize. Buy Airspace Sometimes the only way to build is up. That's the philosophy behind Warren Livesey's Buy Airspace, a relatively new and niche platform that scours cities for buildings that have space for an apartment or penthouse to be built on top. And Sydney unit owners are increasingly cashing in on the method, making money from the air above their apartment blocks, which goes into strata to fund long overdue renovations, build out swimming pools and for further development. Mr Livesey is one of the nation's biggest advocates of airspace development and he claims that in Sydney alone the industry is valued at more than $150bn, with potential to build homes on top of 90,000 strata buildings, he said, adding that the average strata rooftop is about 300sq m. 'All in all in Sydney, there's about 30 million square metres of unused roof space in our urban areas that could be used for housing,' Mr Livesey said. Originally published as Five property start-ups to watch in 2025 as PropHero raises $25m
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Five stories you might have missed
A mural of four music legends was unveiled in Peterborough this week. It was not the only artwork in the news, as upgrades to the city's iconic archway at Thorpe Meadows got underway. Meanwhile, a heritage railway with a taste for fame hopes to get back in the spotlight after starring opposite 007 in the 1980s. Here is more on these stories and others you might have missed. The name's Valley Railway. Nene Valley Railway. There are hopes a heritage railway which featured in the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy and scores of other productions could land another starring role. Chairman of Nene Valley Railway Michael Purcell said a return to the silver screen could help ease the railway's "unprecedented financial pressures" as the city council promises to set up a film office to promote Peterborough as a movie location. The railway will feature in its promotional video. An artificial intelligence chatbot named Bridgit has been rolled out to carers in Peterborough. It was discussed at a council meeting this week and described as evidence the authority is "not running away" from technology, but "running towards it". Bridgit is hosted by the Caring Together Charity. Users can send it questions via WhatsApp. A mural celebrating the two occasions The Beatles performed in the city was unveiled. Artist Nathan Murdoch said the reaction to the painting on the side of a Poundland store at the Hereward Cross shopping centre has been "amazing". The Fab Four played at The Embassy Theatre in 1962 and 1963, lodging at the Bull Hotel in Westgate. The Peterborough Arch at Thorpe Meadows is being restored after it was found to have suffered extensive damage in 2022. Nene Park says it will be given new footings and raised slightly off the ground to try to prevent water damage. It aims to return the arch later this year. A contraption that skims litter from water was floated in the River Nene. The 'seabin' does not just extract debris, but also microplastics which cannot be seen by the naked eye. Peterborough United slipped to their 10th away defeat of the League One season as they lost 2-1 at Charlton Athletic. Posh conceded the winner in the 89th minute having been reduced to 10 men following the sending off of defender Manny Fernandez. The loss leaves Darren Ferguson's side just three points above the relegation zone. Peterborough Sports got back to winning ways with a last-gasp winner against Oxford City in the National League North. The Turbines won 2-1 with Dan Jarvis scoring the winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Peterborough Phantoms lost to playoff rivals Hull Seahawks at the Bretton Rink on Sunday. Phantoms have now lost three of their last four games and are sixth in the National Ice Hockey League standings. The Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Labour's Dr Nik Johnson, said he did not have the energy to keep going. He said he would not stand for re-election in May. Meanwhile, Peterborough City Council's cabinet signed off on their final budget proposals, which include cutting Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery's opening hours. They said they would draw up detailed proposals for the city's library stock after carrying out a needs assessment. Bretton Library could be reduced in size after plans to cut it down to make way for a dementia resource centre were recommended to the council for approval. Campaigners have suggested it would no longer be fit for purpose if floor space was reduced. A £3.5m regeneration of Lincoln Road can get underway after the council awarded the contract to its usual delivery partner, Milestone Infrastructure. It will involve widening pavements and installing a new pedestrian crossing on a stretch between Searjeant Street and Alma Road. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Cathedral 'overwhelmed' as appeal hits £150,000 Gaming centre to expand despite gambling concerns
BBC News
13-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
AI chatbot Bridgit rolled out to Cambridgeshire's carers
An artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot has been rolled out to carers to provide a "one stop shop" for information and platform - called Bridgit - is hosted by the Caring Together Charity and can be contacted through its website or via is designed to fit around the lives of carers, who in theory will get instant answers to questions, advice addressed directly to them - and links to relevant Thulbourn, Labour cabinet member for regeneration on Peterborough City Council, told a meeting on Tuesday that the rollout of Bridgit showed the authority was "not running away from [AI]" but "running towards it". Caring Together, which works across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Norfolk, said Bridgit was intended to "complement – not replace – the in-person services available in your area".It said the system drew on "trusted sources from around the UK" including the NHS, Age UK and Carers name was inspired by its goal of "bridging gaps" in care support. Users can click on a combination of issues they would like help with, such as mobility, carer role affecting work and stress - and receive bespoke advice, videos, events and lists of local and national organisations which can provide further support. It was developed in partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council. Shabina Qayyum, a GP in the city and cabinet member for adults and health, said the council said the rollout of Bridgit was "going very well in terms of the outcomes, uptake and feedback".The council said local primary care networks and voluntary organisations such as Family Voice were now piloting its use as well. 'Holistic approach' The council said in meeting documents that the digital AI programme was aimed at increasing the "independence and wellbeing of service users and carers, reducing their reliance on formal care and support".They say that taking a "holistic and person-centred approach" to meeting needs would "reduce costs, while also being favourable to users".Council documents also said the number of overdue care reviews in Peterborough had risen. "We are implementing an AI tool to help with writing up reviews to allow staff more time for review visits," the papers meanwhile, collects data from those who use it, which Caring Together said is encrypted and stored securely through either Amazon AWS or Microsoft can also write notes on how they are doing and track this over time on the platform and as well as listing their conditions and medications for themselves or the people in their care. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
