We met Peter Adduci , A mministrator D elegate di TECMA, which has us illustrated The company’s new projects and new technologies exclusively dedicated to the R eal E state

How did this project come about in real estate and home design? Tecma was founded in 2012, bringing technology to the real estate industry at a time when talking about proptech was pioneering. Today it is a tech company that develops software, hardware, digital architecture, marketing and communication for the Real Estate Business to increase the marginality of real estate investments and accelerate sales and leases. Through of 10 years of investment in research and development, the Company has developed a digital platform that integrates software, hardware and digital contents. The Business Suite Software allows, through the different features of its 15 applications, to manage the entire customer journey of the potential buyer/lessee of a property, from the first contact, going through the online configuration of spaces to reserving, buying or renting the property directly online. The platform is white label in that it is modeled after the go-to-market strategy of the real estate initiative that we define for our client (builder, developer, broker, asset manager, investment fund). For as long as we have been in the industry, we have always promoted the concept of “home”as a product to be bought “turnkey,”with fixed furnishings, fixtures, and cabinets assembled and ready to use. Think of the car industry:the customer, after inquiring online, making a configuration, choosing the color and different options, can take a test drive and then finish the purchase process, either online or at the dealership. The car, once delivered, is ready to be used. The latest frontier of technological evolution in real estate is. Home Configurator , a direct digital collaboration system between real estate operators and the main players in Italian home design to create a phygital, unique user experience for the end customer, whether buying or renting a new home. In addition to the possibility of choosing the property that best meets their housing needs, the public will be able to configure interiors with furnishings and finishes that reflect their lifestyle, hooking up the latest products from constantly updated interior design brand partners, visualizing the final result and prices of customizations and variants, as well as exclusive fittings and packs designed by architects and interior designers with the contribution of all the companies in partnership with TECMA.

Where in the world is this technology active and in how many languages? The technology to date is available in the Italian market and is being tested in the U.S. market. In addition to Italian, it is available in English, French, German, and Spanish. The BSS is, if desired, customizable, and the process is “paperless”based on the level of configuration required by the client and the specific regulations that govern the process of buying a home in the relevant territory.

What differences are there between major foreign countries and Italy in the management of this technology? There are similar technologies abroad but what characterizes our tool is its integration into a complete system of offerings to our clients. TECMA offers the client whether an investor, developer or broker an integrated system of Technologies and Digital Content exclusively designed for Business Development in Real Estate, configurable for the specific real estate initiative. A complete system of software, hardware and content for the complete enhancement of a real estate project to accelerate sales and maximize return on investment. What further distinguishes us from competitors is our ability and having developed, over the past 10 years, proprietary technologies and libraries for generating virtual snapshots. We have virtually replicated the chemical/physical behavior of materials and finishes, building components as well as furnishings. This is a boundless wealth of specific know-how and technological tools for enhancing real estate assets that we now use to create unique virtual experiences.

How much did it cost to develop this technology and how do you make money? Who are your customers? In total over the past 3 years, the company has invested 9 million euros in R&D activities including the study, design and implementation of the Home Configurator software and digital tools. Our clients are investors, developers, real estate brokers who use the tool in the business of enhancing and selling their real estate products. Interior and home design companies rely on us for our comprehensive system, which works on the integration of processes and the real estate product supply chain, both direct and indirect. To date, this technology is on sale together with our digital platforms, provides a bundle between user licenses, hardware and digital content development.

How did you choose your partners and how limiting can it be to have fixed partners? Do you plan to open up to other partners? We initially defined 10 significant product categories for the digital enhancement of a real estate asset, effective in creating unique virtual experiences for home buyers or renters:ceramic surfaces, parquet flooring, bathroom area, doors, home automation, kitchen, cabinets, bathroom furniture, outdoor and lighting. In these categories we have defined 3 clusters of market positioning, and within this segmentation we have chosen the most prestigious Made in Italy brands. To date, more than 30 brands have joined the initiative. We manage to meet all the needs of the market and end consumers, both for products from less than 5,000 euros/sqm up to 20,000 euros/sqm and even beyond. People who buy homes with our platforms 95% of the time also buy the furniture and finishes offered on our systems.

Payment and contract security:profile creation, document signing and payments? User registration is the same as for any online operator. The purchase process is as simple as that of a hotel reservation, online subscription, or online store. Clearly, all the specificities and peculiarities of the real estate industry have been implemented. Brokers can, in addition to narrating the project through virtual architecture tools, manage appointments and quotes directly from the platform. Once configured in the back end of the platform, the final client who is buying a house (independently or supported by the real estate agent) will be able to customize the elements of the estimate by updating it themselves, and then be able to print, share and sign it, all conveniently online. We use different payment systems, the most widely used on the market;in addition, the platform integrates Cyber Security systems that ensure maximum reliability and integration to safeguard the data.

Data management:how is it done and what do you do with it? The data are anonymized and stored electronically in a Database;at this time we use Oracle Database, a product of one of the world’s leading IT companies, Oracle for that matter. The information is structured and stored through gateways and automatic procedures that, thanks to a dedicated supervision and monitoring infrastructure, ensure that the data is saved in a kind of safe, safeguarding the privacy of all users. The data center allows different applications, for our clients on individual initiatives or at an aggregate level (with our enterprise platform) to understand which types (two-room, three-room, etc.) are most viewed and on which floor;how many proposals are made, which apartments are still vacant. Basically, it is possible to monitor the economic and financial trends of individual initiatives. For operators managing multiple projects simultaneously, all information is available at the aggregate corporate level. A business intelligence to support real estate development, whether this is oriented toward sales or asset management and then renting. The aggregate of information from the multiple initiatives managed through all of our Software Business Suites active in the market, allow you to have the preferences, and more, of real time real estate demand.

Since this is a digital revolution, does it risk cutting off any professional figures? The digital revolution is undoubtedly bringing changes to the employment landscape of all professional sectors. We believe that it will be increasingly important to invest in the training of increasingly high-profile professionals and that, in this context, digital transformation will bring forth new opportunities and new professions. Some positions that require skills that can be automated or digitized will have to mature new skills and evolve. In parallel, we are seeing the creation of new professions and job opportunities that require advanced digital skills. If we look at history, the emergence of photography did not take jobs away from painters, but evolved them into new forms of artistic expression. Similarly, introduction of Autocad did not “steal”work from architects and designers, but rather amplified their potential. Applications based on artificial intelligence, machine learning, software development, cybersecurity, data analysis, and digital marketing will also be an additional tool to serve professionals and practitioners. These tools are experiencing strong growth, and the demand for professionals specializing in these areas is steadily increasing. Let us try to give you a concrete example of the integration of next-generation digital tools and human labor. We have recently nominated “PETIT”for the Venice Film Biennale 2023, a short film mix of art and technology comparable to those of the Majors of the international film industry. The latest hi-tech techniques, methodologies and solutions were used to make the short film. It is a story of emotions, with an auteur script and set design set in the fascinating Parisian backdrop. Twelve professionals were involved in the production, working for more than 3,000 hours producing about 7,500 frames. In the initial stages of pre-production and character concept, TECMA made use of text-to-image generative Artificial Intelligence tools such as generative brainstorming tools. However, the use of software tools was only one element of a complex artistic equation that developed through the use of new cinematic languages aimed at innovating the way of communication, creating an immersive story not only digitally, but also emotionally, in which to immerse oneself and feel at one with the protagonist. This know-how is applied by TECMA on a daily basis in the realization of its digital tools that allow a strong immersive interaction between the user and the real estate product, strengthening the identity bonds between “consumer”and “brand.”TECMA officially positions its technologies and artistic capabilities in the film industry, with a great multidisciplinarity:art direction, character design, animations, sound design, sound effects, 3D modeling, rendering and directing, for a totally immersive experience.

In what other sectors could you test this technology? The banking sector comes to mind, for example…. The software platform was created to integrate with various systems, whether these Enterprise Resource Planning systems on the market, such as Microsoft, SAP, SalesForce;or other management systems developed ad hoc by our clients. Integration is ensured by careful research and use of the best information technology infrastructure on the market. Clearly, as you have guessed, there are many other services that can complete the offer and make life easier for potential buyers, mortgage is certainly one of them. So we are working on several fronts, to cover the needs during the buying process, during post-sale and apartment configuration, to get one day even to cover the entire life of the real estate product.