Tech Nest: The Proptech Podcast Navigating M&A in the Proptech Industry with Ben Lerner, Managing Director of Lerner Associates
Join me as I chat with Ben Lerner, Managing Director of Lerner Associates, about M&A in the proptech industry. Ben shares his unique insights from his background in tech and real estate, focusing on the importance of licenses and the evolving dynamics of user licensing. We discuss the differences between M&A and venture capital markets, highlighting the active M&A scene despite tougher capital raising.
Ben advises founders to prioritize metrics, build relationships with potential acquirers, and remain open to opportunities. He emphasizes customer retention and profitability as key for potential buyers and the importance of a clear scorecard that showcases business value. We also touch on balancing in-person and remote work, owning core technology, and the crucial role of human interaction in real estate. Tune in for Ben's expert advice on navigating the proptech M&A landscape.
More about Ben and Lerner Associates
Lerner Associates is a purely proptech focused M&A advisory firm working with founders/owners/leaders of real estate tech companies looking to sell their company or to raise growth capital. We also work buy-side.
Ben is the Managing Director of Lerner Associates, a London-based boutique M&A Advisory practice, he set up in 2019. Lerner Associates focuses purely on PropTech transactions, global and cross-border, across the spectrum of investment management, corporate, commercial, residential, multifamily, agency, workplace, facilities management, construction and real estate data solutions.
Ben has over 20 years of experience working in the real estate software space, both strategically and operationally as a seasoned proptech executive, and more latterly within corporate development, M&A and investment. From prior to selling his family business, Qube Global Software, to MRI Software, and throughout his time with MRI and beyond, Ben has been actively involved in M&A on deal sourcing, structuring, due diligence and general advisory.