The net zero target is a huge challenge for owners of large property portfolios. The ETH spin-off OPTIML AG provides a data-driven platform that helps property managers and investors optimise their performance in terms of both profitability and sustainability.
Context
Around half of buildings in Switzerland are owned by institutional investors with large property portfolios. These buildings’ energy consumption is critical to achieving net zero by 2050, since buildings are responsible for around 40% of Switzerland’s overall energy use and a third of its climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions. Renovation decisions by major property owners will be an important factor in how quickly Switzerland and other countries can transition to a sustainable property industry.
Technology
The OPTIML service has been available to managers of large property portfolios since late 2022. That was when Evan Petkov, Jordi Campos and Nico Dehnert founded the company as a spin-off of ETH Zurich. At the heart of its business model is a software platform that uses AI to recommend decarbonisation and investment strategies for sustainable management of property portfolios and renovation plans for individual buildings that factor in both profitability targets and regulatory conditions. Users enter an address and the tool then compiles and evaluates the data available for that location. This data is used to produce a portfolio analysis and environmentally and economically sustainable renovation strategies.
Maturity
One-and-a-half years after its founding, OPTIML had more than 30 clients, including the property company Swiss Prime Site and the consultancy pom+. Platform users pay an annual licence fee based on the total floor area of their portfolio. A first funding round raised CHF 1.6 million to establish a development and product team. Another funding round took place in mid-2024 so that the company could accelerate software development, extend product features and expand geographically. Its target markets are Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the UK, with plans to gradually move into other EU countries. OPTIML intends to focus on management of international property portfolios.
‘In mid-2024, we received the ZIA PropTech of the Year Award, the highest accolade for start-ups in the European property sector.’ Evan Petkov, CEO and co-founder of OPTIML AG
**This profile is taken from the 2nd edition of the Cleantech Startup Overview, published in 2024. Read the full report here.
