New capital for proptech as Amro launches the VC branch

Coadjute is Amro Partners’ first investment after launching its VC business, targeting user experience and ESG startups

Rental construction and student housing operator Amro Partners has launched a venture capital arm to support startups in real estate and finance.

Amro’s first investment concerns the Coadjute residential real estate transaction platform.

The startup promises to double the speed of UK property sales by connecting everyone involved in the process – estate agents, transport agents, mortgage brokers and lenders – and synchronizing their data.

Using blockchain technology, Coadjute said it allows all parties involved in a real estate transaction to securely share information and documents through their existing software, thereby reducing costs, reducing the risk of failure and speeding up the process of buying and selling homes.

Amro plans to make 10 investments over the next 12 months in companies that “have a huge impact on the built environment sector”. Key themes include carbon reduction and sequestration, waste management, financial inclusion and user experience.

Working as a co-investor and strategic advisor, Amro said he would provide “in-depth industry knowledge” and the ability to try early versions of products at his properties.

For Coadjute, Amro’s investment – an undisclosed sum in the startup’s pre-series A cycle – marks one more step towards a planned launch this summer.

Ami Kotecha, Head of Venture Capital Investments at Amro Partners, said: “Customer and end-user experience is a key theme of our venture capital investment strategy, and our investment in Coadjute embodies this commitment.

“There are around a million transactions in the UK housing market each year, with a house being the most important asset for many people. A large majority of these transactions are carried out using semi-automated and duplicated processes that make buying or selling goods expensive and fraught with pitfalls and risks. “

Amro Partners is an investor and operator in the rental construction and dedicated student housing sectors.

With a portfolio of seven projects in the UK and five in Spain, the company describes itself as a business led by three defining characteristics: achieving net zero carbon by 2030; inclusiveness and diversity; and openness and resilience through a data-driven strategy.