Join us for an engaging conversation with Wan-Li Zhu, the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Suffolk Technologies, as he shares insights from his extensive background in venture capital and his motivation for launching Suffolk Tech. Suffolk Technologies, the venture capital affiliate of Suffolk Construction, is at the forefront of driving innovation in the construction industry.

In this episode, Wan-Li discusses why the construction sector has been slow to adopt technology and how Suffolk Technologies plays a pivotal role in changing this dynamic. He explains how Suffolk Tech differentiates itself in the VC ecosystem, leveraging its unique position to raise capital, source deals, and work closely with portfolio companies.

We also dive into some of Suffolk Tech's recent investments, exploring the trends and themes that Wan-Li finds most exciting, including where technology and investment trends are heading over the next 5-10 years across established and emerging markets.

Tune in to gain valuable insights from Wan-Li Zhu on the future of technology in construction and the global opportunities that lie ahead.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Catherine Buell, a distinguished Loeb Fellow at Harvard University, known for her impactful work in urban planning and development. Catherine shares details about her role at Amazon, where she has played a pivotal role in developing the Housing Equity Fund. Amazon's Housing Equity Fund deployed significant funding for community development and affordable housing initiatives.

In this episode, we’ll explore Catherine’s background and her journey to Amazon. She provides insights on the fund structure and funding deployment criteria, including a focus on BIPOC developer participation. Catherine will explain why this model was successful during COVID and how it could be altered today to address the ongoing affordable housing crisis.

Tune in for Catherine’s expert insights and practical guidance on leading the future of inclusive and sustainable urban development.

Join us for a compelling conversation with Dan McKenna, an esteemed architect and educator, as we explore his work with Nightingale Housing. Nightingale is addressing critical issues in housing affordability and sustainability in Australia, striving to create socially, financially, and environmentally sustainable urban communities.

In this episode, Dan will provide insights into Nightingale's unique business model, organizational structure, and the supporting technologies that drive their success. We’ll also discuss the potential for replicating this innovative housing model in other geographies.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Dan’s experience and vision for the future of sustainable housing.

Join us for an engaging discussion with Joe Sumberg and Nicolette Jaze from Galvanize Climate Solutions. Joe is Managing Partner and Head of Real Estate and Nicolette is the Head of ESG & Sustainability for the Real Estate strategy.

In this episode, we'll explore:

• Their climate-oriented investment thesis
• Their mission to decarbonize buildings through innovative technology
• Galvanize's unique value creation strategy, governance practices, and the distinctive elements that set them apart in the market
• Valuable advice for early to mid-career professionals on how to approach sustainability in real estate and create opportunities for impact through their work
• And much more!

Tune in for expert insights and practical guidance on leading the future of climate-conscious real estate.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Zach Aarons, Co-Founder & General Partner at MetaProp, the world’s leading venture capital firm focused on the PropTech industry. With over a decade of experience, Zach is one of the most active early-stage PropTech investor in the U.S. His diverse background spans real estate development, commercial asset management, property marketing, and commercial leasing.

In this episode, we'll explore:

• Zach's journey to founding MetaProp
• How MetaProp differentiates itself in the investment landscape
• Key insights into real estate trends and opportunities over the next 5-10 years in developing and emerging markets
• And much more!

Don't miss Zach's expert insights and practical advice for making an impact in real estate technology.

Welcome to Season 2 of Harvard Real Estate Review's podcast series titled "Blueprints and Breakthroughs," where we interview innovators and industry experts to discuss the future of real estate by covering themes and ideas that sit at the intersection of real estate, design and technology - themes that will govern and revolutionize the industry over the next few decades.

Co-hosts: Samika Jain (Harvard GSD MRE) and William Sutter (Harvard GSD MRE)

As COVID vaccines rolls out in countries around the world, we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel, looking forward to having the pandemic behind us in the near future. While remote work is still the norm for now, many are yearning for a return to normalcy with in-person collaborations and interactions at offices.

With the lessons we’ve learned from COVID about the importance of healthy indoor spaces, we begin to envision what the post-COVID offices will look like, as well as how we can use technology, methodology, and strategy to make workplaces healthier, more productive, and more comfortable.

The following questions emerge: Who will return to offices first? At what point? Who will remain remote? What should entrepreneurs and investors know about opportunities in workplace real estate as some companies consider returning to back to physical offices? How can Fortune 500 CEOs plan for potential office return in 2021 while improving productivity and bottom-line?

This episode features a cross-disciplinary conversation between the following industry experts:

· Zach Aarons (Co-Founder/Partner @ MetaProp.vc)

· David Gerster (VP/Investor @ JLL Spark Venture Fund)

· John Macomber (Senior Lecturer @ Harvard Business School)

· Dan Ryan (CEO/Co-Founder @ VergeSense)

The conversation was moderated by Iryna Papalamava (MBA’18), previously a Director and Principal at Boston Consulting Group Digital Ventures (BCGDV), and currently a Chief Operating Officer at Guardian Direct. This podcast series emerged out of her article entitled “Picking Winners and Losers in PropTech,” a comprehensive guide for investing in real estate tech published in HRER Issue #8.

The HRER podcast series is produced by Dixi Wu (MArch / MDes REBE ’22) and George Zhang (MArch ’21), Editors Emeriti of the Harvard Real Estate Review and Executive Editors of HRER #8.

PropTech has been the buzzword in the real estate industry for the past few years. People are looking for ways to disrupt this traditional industry whether through revolutionizing ways of living, changing mode of operation, or coming up with new models of investments. Post the 2008 financial crisis, disruptions now known as Housing and Homebuilding 2.0 - such as prefabrication, 3D printing, and smart home - came to the forefront of the industry. As people always say, with crises and challenges comes opportunities. Since the COVID pandemic, willingly or unwillingly, our social norm and way of living is changing faster than ever. In this episode, we will take a closer look at the macroscopic housing and real estate trends and how investors and businesses adapt to these changes.

This episode features a cross-disciplinary conversation between the following panelists and experts:

· Chris Herbert (Managing Director at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies)

· David Gerster (VP and Investor at JLL Spark Venture Fund)

· Nicholas Donahue, (CEO and Founder at Atmos)

The conversation was moderated by Iryna Papalamava (MBA’18), previously a Director and Principal at Boston Consulting Group Digital Ventures (BCGDV), and currently a Chief Operating Officer at Guardian Direct. This podcast series emerged out of her article entitled “Picking Winners and Losers in PropTech,” a comprehensive guide for investing in real estate tech published in HRER Issue #8.

The HRER podcast series is produced by Dixi Wu (MArch / MDes REBE ’22) and George Zhang (MArch ’21), Editors Emeriti of the Harvard Real Estate Review and Executive Editors of HRER #8.