Nominations are open for the 2026 Best of Proptech Awards. Nominations will be accepted Sep. 3 through Oct. 1, and winners will be announced Oct. 27.
For the first time, Inman has merged its Best of Proptech and Best of AI honors into a single program. The result is the industry’s most complete recognition of property technology, with 25 categories spanning fintech, construction, transactions, AI and company impact, including seven new categories introduced this year.
The awards spotlight the founders, companies and investors changing how homes are built, financed, bought, sold and managed, from digital mortgages and modular construction to autonomous AI agents that carry a transaction from idea to close.
“Technology and AI are changing every part of the real estate transaction. Bringing Best of Proptech and Best of AI together gives us a much clearer picture of the people and companies building what comes next. These awards are designed to recognize the products and leaders making a meaningful impact on the real estate industry,” Inman CEO Tom Bohn said.
Rather than one AI award, the program separates AI recognition by use case, with categories for autonomous workflows, valuation and decision tools, marketing and content creation, conversational AI, and responsible deployment.
The 2026 Best of Proptech Awards categories are:
Fintech, ownership and affordability
- Mortgage and Lending Innovation: digital mortgage origination, underwriting automation and lending infrastructure
- Alternative Homeownership and Equity Models: equity sharing, rent-to-own and co-ownership products
- Down Payment and Affordability Access Tools (New): down payment assistance, affordability calculators and access-focused fintech
- Housing Affordability Innovation (New): cost-reducing construction, alternative financing pathways and access models with measurable impact
- Venture Capital and Proptech Investment: investors and funds backing the next generation of proptech
Construction, sustainability and risk
- Housing and Construction Innovation: modular construction, advanced manufacturing and architectural technology
- Sustainability and Climate Resilience: green building, energy-efficient technology, resilient construction methods and climate risk and insurance tools
- Smart Building and PropTech Infrastructure: sensor-led automation, IoT and digital twin and virtual modeling technology
Transactions, data and operations
- Transaction and Brokerage Innovation: platforms modernizing the deal itself, from contract to close
- Title, Escrow and Closing Technology (New): digital closing, e-signature, title automation and escrow innovation
- Data and Intelligence Platforms: analytics, property intelligence and market data infrastructure
- SaaS and Agent Productivity Tools: CRM, marketing automation and day-to-day brokerage software
- Property Management and Multifamily Tech: leasing automation, tenant communication and maintenance workflow tools
- Consumer Experience and Marketplace Innovation: search, discovery and transaction experiences for the end consumer
- Cybersecurity and Data Protection in Real Estate (New): solutions protecting transaction data, consumer information and industry systems
AI-specific recognition
- Agentic AI and Autonomous Workflows: AI that completes multi-step tasks with minimal human handoff, including leasing bots and transaction paperwork agents
- AI-Powered Insights and Decision Tools: assistive AI for valuation, forecasting, lead scoring and underwriting support
- AI in Marketing and Content Creation: generative AI for listing copy, imagery, video and campaign production
- Conversational AI and Virtual Assistants (New): chatbots, voice AI and always-on assistants for consumers and agents
- Responsible and Ethical AI Award (New): transparency, fairness and responsible-use practices in AI deployment
People and company impact
- Proptech Founder/Visionary of the Year: entrepreneurs and thought leaders shaping the future of property technology
- AI Visionary of the Year: the individual behind the year’s most consequential AI contribution to real estate
- Proptech Startup of the Year (New): recognition for an early-stage company, separate from the founder award
- Best AI-Native Startup: companies built AI-first from day one, not legacy tools adding AI features
- Best Overall Proptech + AI Company of the Year: the program’s top honor, selected from the winners across all other categories
