Onboard Informatics, a provider of location-based information to real estate firms like Century 21 Real Estate and Redfin, has launched a program to provide discounts and free consulting to select startups who could use the firm’s data to grow their business.
Startup firms who apply and are accepted to the Onboard Informatics “Startup Wars” program will receive free consulting and discounts of up to 75 percent off the regular price of the firm’s products, which include demographic information, neighborhood boundary data, school ratings and reviews, local amenities information, sales data, lifestyle search and home value estimates.
The firm plans to accept a few startups each quarter into the program for a maximum of six at any one time, said Jacqueline Berg, marketing director for Onboard Informatics. The companies will receive the large product discounts and consulting until they launch. Onboard Informatics will then reduce the discount and transition the companies to regular customers, she said.
Startups can apply to the program from a page on Onboard Informatics’ site here. Companies will be selected for the program based on a review of their history, advisory board and business model.
Berg says her firm was inspired to build the program by “Start-Up Alley” at Inman News’ Real Estate Connect San Francisco in July.
“We saw an energy there that we haven’t seen in the industry in a while,” she said.
“We know firsthand the challenges a startup faces in its inception and we are excited to find new ways to help the new crop of visionaries improve the real estate transaction,” said Marc Siden, CEO of Onboard Informatics, in a statement.
Other real estate-related firms have launched programs to help startups gain a foothold in the industry.
In July, Inman News named the first 13 members of its inaugural “Inman Incubator” program, designed to cultivate innovative real estate startups with yearlong mentoring, promotion and connections.
In June, real estate giant Realogy held its “Realogy FWD” innovation summit, where Floored, maker of 3-D home imagery technology, won a grand prize of $25,000 from among the 15 real estate companies that presented.
Last year, the National Association of Realtors announced a “tech accelerator” program, REach, overseen by Second Century Ventures, NAR’s strategic investment arm. The seven companies selected for the program’s first year will reportedly pay up to $25,000 to participate and gain exposure and guidance from a group of more than 140 mentors and feedback from about 500 Realtor product testers.