KOIA Newsletter: A glimpse into PropTech, FinTech, Climate Tech, and UX/UI news ??

PropTech: Accurate Real Estate Investor Reporting is Key ??

In their latest article, FintechNews highlights how crucial accurate reporting is for General Partners (GPs) in the real estate investment sector.?

Here are the six steps you can’t oversee when building your prop tech’s company strategy in 2024:

• Always remember about compliance: Ensure all reports meet legal and regulatory standards, particularly those set by the SEC, to avoid severe penalties and protect against fraud.
• Empower investors: Accurate reporting allows investors to make informed decisions, clarify investment performance, and identify risks and opportunities.
• Build strong relationships: Consistent, reliable updates demonstrate control and foster trust, leading to increased loyalty and potential for more investments.
• Promote transparency: Detailed financial statements, market analysis, and clear performance metrics show investors you have nothing to hide.
• Manage risks effectively: Precise and timely information helps investors understand and mitigate risks in their real estate investments.
• Improve financial performance: Accurate reporting helps identify inefficiencies, track progress, and plan for the future, benefiting both GPs and investors.

The bottom line: Accurate reporting is not just a technical requirement—it's a critical component of success in the real estate investment industry.

Find all the insights in the article.

FinTech: Smarter Contracts have entered the EU scene ??

The European Commission has made a significant move in the fintech space by approving Smarter Contracts as a licensed data intermediary service provider across the European Union. Here's what you need to know:

• New license: Smarter Contracts can now facilitate secure and compliant data exchanges between individuals and organizations using its Pulse Permissions Protocol?.
• European Data Governance Act (DGA): Introduced in September 2023, this act aims to unlock the potential of the data economy by fostering greater transparency and security.
• Neutrality requirement: As a data intermediary, Smarter Contracts must maintain complete neutrality and cannot use shared data for commercial purposes.
• First UK-based company: Smarter Contracts is the first UK-based company to be recognized as an official data intermediary under the DGA.
• Supporting the EU's data economy: This positions the company to play a crucial role in enabling secure and efficient data sharing between businesses and individuals.

Key takeaway: This development marks a significant step in creating a more transparent and secure data-sharing environment in the EU, with potential implications for fintech companies operating in the region.

Climate Tech: Unicorn drought as funding continues to drop ??

The climate tech sector is experiencing some challenges in terms of funding and growth. And the fresh data provided by CB Insights confirms that.

Here are some stats gathered on the tech funding in Q2’24:

• Funding decline: Climate tech funding dropped to $4.9B in Q2'24, the lowest quarterly total since Q2'20, with a 20% decrease quarter-over-quarter.
• Unicorn drought: Q2'24 saw no new climate tech unicorns, marking the second straight quarter without any companies reaching $1B+ valuations.
• Shifting deal sizes: Late-stage deal sizes are declining (median $38M in 2024 YTD, down 16% vs. 2023), while early-stage deals are showing strength (median size up 39% YTD).
• Mega-rounds trend down: Climate tech mega-rounds ($100M+) dropped from 17 in Q1'24 to 9 in Q2'24.
• Regional variations: Asia experienced a significant funding drop, with China suffering the sharpest decline (-90% QoQ) among the highlighted countries.

Key takeaway: While the climate tech sector is facing funding challenges, investors are still willing to place bets on strong early-stage opportunities, indicating a shift in investment strategies.

10 UX/UI Trends for 2024 you might want to follow ??

At KOIA, we love UX and UI and all new trends in that department. Here are ten attention-worthy moves your website and app could benefit from, suggested by Wix :?

• Advanced cursor interactions: Cursors are becoming sophisticated design elements, enhancing user engagement and functionality.
• Personalized experiences: Hyper-personalization is intensifying, with designers aiming to create meaningful, tailored experiences.
• Data visualization: Presenting data in visually appealing and personal ways is becoming crucial for user engagement and trust.
• Dark mode: This feature is becoming more standard, offering both aesthetic appeal and reduced eye strain.
• Micro-interactions: Small visual movements are now essential for creating engaging and dynamic user experiences.
• 3D designs: A resurgence of 3D elements is expected, with more accessible tools for designers.
• Clean interfaces with a twist: Minimalistic designs are incorporating small, unexpected elements to generate interest.
• AI-driven content: Machine learning algorithms are being used to adapt content to individual user needs and preferences.
• The metaverse: Virtual spaces are blurring the lines between physical and digital worlds, offering new ways for user interaction.
• Responsive design: With the proliferation of device types, creating fluid interfaces that adapt to any screen size is more critical than ever.

Key takeaway: UX/UI design in 2024 is all about creating personalized, engaging, and adaptive experiences across various platforms and technologies.

From our side, we’d also like to highlight the importance of consistency and ensuring that the user encounters a consistent design and experience across all the touchpoints with your brand, including the website, promotional materials, or social media appearance.

Read more about WIX’s trend selection here: https://www.wix.com/blog/ux-design-trends

The tech scene continues to be dynamic, with some sectors facing big challenges, such as the funding crunch in Climate Tech, and others are seeing exciting innovations, like the advancements in data governance and UX design.

One thing is clear, though - transparency, personalization, and adaptability are key themes across PropTech, FinTech, Climate Tech, and UX/UI. And this doesn’t seem to change.