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Announcement of £1.2m PropTech Innovation Challenge winners is milestone in accelerating housing delivery

The development phase for digital solutions tackling land data, small site viability, and infrastructure barriers can now begin

Press Office

| 4 minute read
The 12 winning teams of the £1.2 million PropTech Innovation Challenge have been announced, marking a major milestone in the government’s mission to deliver 1.5 million homes during this Parliament. The Challenge, a collaboration between Geovation, an Ordnance Survey (OS) initiative, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) Digital Planning Programme, aims to identify and support scalable digital solutions that directly support the government's commitment.

The winning teams of the PropTech Innovation Challenge are:

  • 1st Planner Ltd
  • Advanced Infrastructure Technology Ltd
  • Alchera Technologies
  • City Science
  • Coplug
  • LANDCLAN
  • Libra
  • Neuron
  • PlanningHub
  • RCKa
  • RenKap
  • Xylo

The winning proposals span cutting-edge technologies — from AI-powered land data platforms and infrastructure mapping tools, to digital planning assistants and small site viability engines. Together, they offer the potential to accelerate housing delivery, reduce development risk, and improve outcomes for communities and local authorities. Each team will receive up to £100,000 to develop their innovations by March 2026, working alongside local authority and developer partners.

"The PropTech Innovation Challenge demonstrates how targeted innovation can help tackle some of the most pressing challenges in planning and housing. The breadth and quality of solutions proposed reflect the sector's appetite for change and readiness to co-create scalable solutions that deliver real impact for the 1.5 million homes mission."

Joanna Averley, Chief Planner at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The milestone follows a rigorous evaluation process involving representatives from MHCLG, Department for Business and Trade, Environment Agency, HM Land Registry, Homes England, 10 Downing Street, and others. From 116 expressions of interest, over 80 full applications, and 225 partners — including SME developers, universities, and local planning authorities — 20 finalists were shortlisted and assessed on feasibility, innovation, and impact.

Nick Bolton, Chief Executive at OS, said:

"The PropTech Innovation Challenge has shown what’s possible when government, industry, and innovators come together with a shared purpose. The winning proposals demonstrate the power of location data and digital technologies to unlock housing delivery at scale - bringing transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity to the planning system. At Geovation, we’re proud to support this new wave of PropTech innovation and help create the conditions for smarter, faster, and more sustainable development across the country."

The winning teams were revealed at a launch event, organised by Geovation, the home of location and property innovation, bringing together PropTech innovators, government representatives, and sector leaders to celebrate progress and set the stage for the development phase. Joanna Averley, Chief Planner at MHCLG, delivered a keynote address highlighting the transformative role of PropTech in modernising planning and accelerating housing delivery.

The event gave the winning teams the opportunity to present their solutions and demonstrate how they will tackle real-world housing challenges and work collaboratively with pilot partners. It also provided networking opportunities for potential new partners — including developers, local authorities, housing associations, and technology providers — to connect with innovators and explore future collaboration.

Each of the winning teams will now enter a development phase focused on delivering measurable impact, supported by access to OS and Planning Data platform datasets and live testing environments across England. Geovation will provide technical guidance and sector connections throughout, while this phase also serves as a key opportunity to deepen collaboration across the housing and planning ecosystem.

Following development, successful solutions will be considered for wider adoption and scaling across the sector.

The PropTech Innovation Challenge builds on the momentum of MHCLG's Digital Planning Programme and PropTech Innovation Fund, which have delivered over 114 pilot projects across 77 councils. It represents a broadened approach to testing and validating how PropTech can serve as a catalyst for the government's home-building ambition through digital and scalable solutions.

The Challenge demonstrates sector-wide readiness to co-create impactful solutions, with a focus on three strategic priorities shaped through extensive consultation with housing, planning, and technology stakeholders:

  • Making land data work for everyone – improving transparency and usability of land ownership data.
  • Unlocking small sites potential – reducing planning risk and cost for smaller developments.
  • Providing infrastructure certainty – increasing clarity around infrastructure connections to support feasibility and investment.

These priorities are especially relevant for SME developers, who delivered 39% of all homes in 1990 but only 12% in 2017, despite playing a crucial role in meeting the 1.5 million homes ambition.

For more information about the PropTech Innovation Challenge, winning solutions, and exploring testbed opportunities, visit PropTech Innovation Challenge.

By Press Office

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