As UKREiiF 2025 wrapped up in Leeds, it left behind more than just inspiration—it laid a foundation for transformative action. With the government setting down a target to deliver 1.5 million new homes, during this Parliament, this year’s event couldn’t have come at a more pivotal time.

The themes of Sustainability with Substance, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Investment for Innovation and Impact, and Placemaking and Regeneration resonated deeply with attendees, sparking conversations that bridged sectors and disciplines.

At the heart of this momentum was the PropTech Innovation Challenge, a bold initiative backed by Geovation and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Designed to accelerate scalable housing solutions through digital innovation, the challenge is a direct response to the systemic barriers that continue to slow housing delivery across the UK.

Infrastructure: The Enabler of Scalable Progress

A recurring theme throughout UKREiiF was the critical role of infrastructure—not just as a backdrop to development, but as a driver of it. From WiredScore’s focus on industrial connectivity to case studies in urban regeneration, the message was clear: infrastructure is the backbone of sustainable growth.

The PropTech Innovation Challenge embraces this reality. By improving access to infrastructure data and enabling smarter coordination, it supports more resilient, future-ready developments. This is especially vital for SME developers, who often lack the resources to navigate infrastructure uncertainty.

A Holistic Approach to Innovation

While each problem statement in the PropTech Innovation Challenge targets a specific barrier, their combined impact is what makes the initiative so powerful. Together, they address the full lifecycle of housing development—from identifying land, to navigating planning, to ensuring infrastructure readiness. This holistic approach is essential for achieving the scale and speed required to meet national housing targets.

Moreover, the challenge aligns seamlessly with UKREiiF’s broader mission: to foster collaboration between the public and private sectors, catalyse regional growth, and deliver community benefits through innovation. The event’s focus on digital connectivity, investment for impact, and regeneration underscores the importance of integrated solutions—exactly what the PropTech challenge is designed to deliver.

A Challenge Rooted in Real-World Complexity

What sets the PropTech Innovation Challenge apart is its foundation in extensive stakeholder engagement. Through interviews, workshops, and research, three core problem statements were developed—each targeting a critical bottleneck in the housing pipeline:

1. Land Suitability and Ownership Transparency

Transforming fragmented land ownership data into open, interoperable resources can empower SME developers, local authorities, and communities to identify viable sites more efficiently and equitably.

2. Small Site Viability and SME Capacity

Streamlining planning and viability processes can reduce costs, mitigate risk, and unlock the potential of over 320,000 small sites across England and Wales—revitalising SME participation in the housing sector.

3. Infrastructure Insights and Development Risk

Radical transparency in infrastructure data can de-risk projects, improve planning accuracy, and support innovative design approaches—turning a traditional risk factor into a strategic asset.

For more information and to apply, visit PropTech Innovation Challenge. Closes midnight 15 June (BST)