They are arguably, the year’s very best entrepreneurial minds: Seven companies chosen to be part of the fourth class of NAR REach, a vertical tech accelerator helping launch companies into the real estate, financial services, banking, home services and insurance industries.
The Reach program, according to its website, is dedicated to “Helping companies connect with one of the largest industries in the world: real estate.” In addition to providing early-to-mid-stage companies access to the expertise, influence and key relationships that only can NAR provide. By doing so, the startups will see themselves launched into the trillion dollar real estate arena.
Welcome Second Century Ventures (SCV)
Second Century Ventures is an early-stage technology fund backed by the National Association of Realtors. The caveat: SCV systematically launches its portfolio companies into the world’s largest industries including real estate, financial services, and banking. Thus, SCV sees its role as a catalyst for new technologies, new opportunities, and new talent.
The goal of Reach and SCV is to accelerate brands that stand to break into the real estate industry and beyond.
Best of the best
PR Newswire points out that the companies in this year’s class have raised over $30 million in funding to date. As you can imagine, competition for the program was stiff; for the fourth consecutive year over a hundred companies applied to REach. If past performance is a measuring stick, the seven organizations, explains PRN, can expect significant results, as past classes “Have doubled, on average, their customer base and collectively raised over $40 million in financing both during and after completing the program.”
And what a program it is: Throughout the eight-month program these companies will be provided mentorship from top real estate moguls, venture capitalists, and other tech entrepreneurs along with extensive education to help them navigate the complex real estate marketplace.
This year’s class includes:
Zenergyst makes real estate transactions easy with a fully integrated broker management and transaction system.
VA Loan Captain provides real estate agents with a comprehensive set of personalized tools allowing them to attract military and veteran home buyers.
Trust Stamp uses over 200 public records and social data to provide reliable ID verification in one minute or less for real estate agents meeting new prospects or clients.
Flipt enables brokers and agents to win more listings by connecting with millions of home sellers at the earliest stages of their selling decision.
Sindeo has rebuilt the home financing experience from the ground up, making it simpler and more transparent, helping real estate pros qualify more clients and close more deals.
HomeDiary allows homeowners and buyers to dream and visualize updates to their homes using an interactive 3-D rendering..
Homeselfe helps brokers and agents engage more prospects and close more deals by helping their clients lower utility bills by 30 percent while increasing home value.
What is the common denominator?
So what makes these companies different from all the other hoodie-wearing, startup wannabe’s looking to increase their Facebook and Twitter presence? How about that they all have something in common:
Empowering agents to improve the consumer experience and making small but meaningful iterations on existing tools so agents can better serve (and thus improve the process from lead generation to closing).
A subtle commonality that merits observation and clearly did, which is why these newbie’s stand apart from other candidates.
This diverse group of companies selected will receive access to unparalleled insight from the National Association of Realtors. The fact that these companies were chosen is only the beginning.
The real test is what these young upstarts will do with their training and this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
#NARREach
