Glasgow-based tech firm PropEco, which provides an innovative platform assessing the long-term value and sustainability of properties, has secured £275,000 in seed funding.
The funding will accelerate PropEco’s mission to equip property professionals, lenders, and insurers with advanced data and analytics to better manage the impacts of rapidly evolving social and environmental trends, including climate change. With plans to expand its team and speed up product development, the company aims to lay the groundwork for international growth over the next year.
The lead investor in this funding round is Symvan Capital, a London-based venture capital firm known for supporting early-stage, high-growth tech companies. The University of Strathclyde’s Inspire Entrepreneurs Fund also participated.
PropEco focuses on three core areas—transition climate change risks, physical climate change risks, and wellbeing impacts—to offer a comprehensive understanding of the long-term value and viability of properties and their locations.
The company’s AI-powered platform continuously analyses data from thousands of sources, many of which are proprietary, to deliver detailed assessments of factors such as changing flood risk, air quality, and green retrofit potential. This drives various products and services, including an API, a portfolio assessment service, browser-based risk assessment tools and property reports.
By providing these unique insights in an accessible, cost-effective manner, PropEco offers its clients significant benefits, such as time and cost savings, improved risk management, enhanced regulatory compliance, and increased customer retention.
Founder and CEO Chris Hardman, a serial entrepreneur with a background in cleantech innovation, said: “Symvan Capital and the University of Strathclyde’s decision to invest in PropEco underscores the growing importance of integrating environmental and social factors into financial and property decisions.
“With increasing awareness of the risks that trends such as climate change pose to the built environment, PropEco is well-positioned to capitalise on growing market demand and establish itself as a leader in the emerging field of climate-conscious property technology.”
He continued: “Traditional methods of assessing risk in both commercial and residential property are not equipped to address the complexities of fast-changing environmental and social conditions. We’re dealing with systemic challenges that require a data-driven approach, delivering property-specific insights for smarter, more resilient decisions.”
Symvan Capital, founded in 2013, specialises in companies that provide business-to-business (B2B) software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions. Its investment strategy aligns with government-backed schemes such as the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), offering tax benefits to investors.
Investment Manager Allen Xu said: “We are excited to support PropEco in its mission to positively impact how the property sector approaches climate risk. At Symvan Capital, we recognise the importance of integrating advanced analytics into decision-making processes, with accelerating climate change highlighting the urgent need for this.
“PropEco’s innovative platform addresses key data challenges in a fast-evolving market, while also helping to shape a more resilient and sustainable future for the property sector. This aligns with our commitment to backing pioneering founders like Chris, who are passionate about tackling current issues with vision, expertise, and perseverance.”
Anne Henderson, Interim Head of Investment at the University of Strathclyde, commented: “As a socially progressive, values-driven institution, the University of Strathclyde is proud to support PropEco through our Strathclyde Inspire Entrepreneurs Fund, alongside our investment partner. Strathclyde is committed to backing entrepreneurs and innovative companies that make a positive impact.”
