Nearly 9 out of 10 large companies in Romania plan to maintain their current office footprint in 2026, signalling a shift from expansion to optimization, according to a Colliers survey of 101 companies.

The real estate industry has spent years talking about smart buildings, but the next shift is already underway. In an interview with Property Forum, Delphine Clément, Global Head of Verticals at Siemens Smart Infrastructure Buildings, explains why autonomy, powered by AI, real-time data and integrated systems, is set to redefine how buildings are operated, valued and experienced.

First, a new digital real estate listing platform developed in Romania, launched locally this autumn with a modern approach to property exploration and selection. The platform integrates technology, smart filters and a lifestyle-oriented presentation system that helps buyers and renters understand the full context of a property, from travel times to key city landmarks and technical characteristics.

Although rental deposit alternatives have long been standard across many Western European markets – as in Switzerland, where the "Mietkaution" model is widely established – in Poland, such solutions are still relatively new. Bingo-Rent is the first Polish fintech working to change this by introducing a rental deposit surety service.

DL Invest Group, a commercial real estate investor and developer in CEE, has entered into a joint venture partnership with Boosteroid, a cloud gaming and cloud solutions provider specialising in cloud and data centre technologies.

The evolution of Poland’s rental market is giving rise to new services that support both tenants and landlords in building mutually beneficial relationships. A good example of this trend is Bingo-Rent – a fintech company developing a solution that eliminates the need for a traditional cash deposit. This innovation makes renting simpler and more accessible for everyone – both tenants and property owners.

At SEE Property Forum 2025, the conversation around the future of real estate took a bold turn — from smart buildings to smart relationships. Industry leaders agreed that while data, automation, and ESG strategies are reshaping commercial real estate, true innovation begins with understanding people. The discussion, moderated by Vessela Valtcheva-McGee of GBCI Europe, explored how developers, investors, and service providers are using technology not just to optimise buildings, but to redefine how tenants experience and value them.

Hungary’s leading proptech event, the PropTech Hungary Conference, will be held for the sixth time on May 22nd. This professional gathering brings together top experts, innovators, and decision-makers from the fields of proptech, real estate, construction, BIM, and contech for a full day of exchange and discussion. Property Forum is supporting the event as a professional partner.

Drees & Sommer has released its Innovation Scouting Report 2024 this week. This year, in terms of technology trends and relevance, Trend Radar1 has placed AI first with 23.4%, big data analytics second with 15.3%, and Internet of Things (IoT) third with 11.9%, followed closely by cloud computing and digital twin.

Verv, a company active in the field of energy-efficient climate control technology, announced the appointment of James Dearsley, a long-term friend and speaker of Property Forum events, as its new Chief Executive Officer for the EMEA region. This appointment comes at a pivotal time for Verv as it extends its innovative energy-efficient climate control technologies to North America, having been selected as one of only three companies globally for the LA Clean Tech Incubator Market Access Program.