Hurdlr, a business expenses and income-tracking app, was voted the most innovative startup at Realogy FWD, Realogy’s annual startup competition.
The honor won Hurdlr a $25,000 check along with a spot in the ZapStore, the vendor marketplace baked into Realogy’s technology platform Zap.
Agentology, a lead generation and qualification service, was runner-up, and 360-degree virtual home tour provider Transported placed third.
Back-end tasks like accounting “are not very sexy, but they’re needed,” said Hurdlr CEO Raj Bhaskar, winning applause from event attendees.
The app makes it easy for agents to track business expenses and can show profitability for every closed deal.
It uses “real-time income tax calculation” that supports all 50 states and D.C., connecting with around 15,000 banks to track a user’s deposits and expenses. One feature flags transactions that might be tax deductible.
“Our profit dash mobile app tracks agents’ financials … and provides proactive guidance to help them hit their GCI [gross commission income] and net income goals,” Bhaskar said during his presentation earlier in the day.
“The key thing to track is your expenses and your taxes so you can run a truly profitable business,” he said. “Well, we automate all of that.”
The three finalists were selected by judges from a pool of 15 startups, which pitched industry movers and shakers on their products at the Microsoft Technology Center in New York City.
Hurdlr won the most votes in a poll of attendees.
Alex Perriello, chairman emeritus of Realogy Franchise Group, made a brief appearance at the event.
“The sophistication level of what was presented today was far, far better than it was five years ago,” he said on stage. “Each year it’s gotten better and better.”
He noted that a few past contestants focused on putting real estate agents out of business, but that most are now tackling more specific problems.
