The traditional boundaries between real estate, infrastructure, and venture capital are increasingly blurring. What used to be a sector anchored almost entirely in physical assets is being reshaped by technology in ways that are practical, structural, and long overdue.
Real estate has never been just about buildings. It is about how people live, work, move, and use space. What is changing now is the role technology plays in supporting that reality. More capital is flowing into proptech, AI, and infrastructure-led startups not because it is fashionable, but because these tools are becoming essential to how assets are managed and scaled.
Alexander Kopylkov is one example of this shift. Best known for his work in large-scale real estate development, he has expanded his focus over time, becoming an active global investor in technology. His interests now span AI, developer tools, infrastructure, healthcare, and deep-tech platforms. It is less a pivot than a continuation of how he thinks about long-term value.
What this reflects is a broader change in investor mindset. Owning physical assets alone no longer feels sufficient. Data, software, and automation are increasingly seen as part of the built environment itself, influencing performance, resilience, and competitiveness in very tangible ways.
The data supports this view. The Center for Real Estate Technology and Innovation reports that global proptech venture investment reached around $15.1 billion in 2024, a notable increase year on year. Much of that capital has gone into technologies focused on energy efficiency, asset optimisation, and operational resilience.
That momentum has continued into 2025. In the first quarter alone, more than $2 billion was invested in real estate technology, with a clear emphasis on AI-driven infrastructure and climate-related solutions.
This is not just a financial trend. It signals a shift in how real estate itself is understood. Buildings are no longer treated as static assets. They function as energy systems, logistics nodes, healthcare environments, and digital workplaces. Increasingly, they are also data-rich by default.
Kopylkov often frames this through experience. “Real estate teaches discipline,” he says. “It forces you to think about scale, capital, and long-term risk. Technology adds leverage. The future sits where the two meet.”
That thinking is becoming more common among real estate-backed investors entering technology. For founders, this matters. Capital is increasingly coming from people who care about durability as much as innovation, and who look beyond growth speed to see how a product fits into existing systems.
As Kopylkov puts it, software that ignores physical constraints rarely holds up over time. The strongest platforms tend to align with how people actually live, work, and build.
Even as technology becomes more embedded in property and infrastructure, its effectiveness still depends on the environments it supports. Buildings may rely more on data and automation, but they remain shaped by human behaviour, regulation, and daily use. The most lasting innovation acknowledges that tension rather than trying to eliminate it.
Industry analysts agree that this transition is still unfolding. The shift is incomplete, but the direction is clear. Real estate venture funds are expanding, proptech ecosystems are maturing, and interest in technology tied to physical assets continues to grow.
For investors and entrepreneurs alike, the message is straightforward. The future of real estate will be shaped by both software and structure. Those who understand how the two reinforce each other will be better positioned for what comes next.
