At this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW), conversations across real estate and proptech largely centered on housing. From policy leaders shaping cities to startups reimagining the transaction, meaningful change is happening at every level of the ecosystem.
The Infinityy team was proud to present and participate in SXSW 2026 and is pleased to highlight some of the most inspiring conversations from the annual event.
Lisa Nickerson Joins Breaking Ground: Women Leading Real Estate Innovation Panel
Infinityy CEO Lisa Nickerson joined a dynamic group of leaders at Proptech House for “Breaking Ground: Women Leading Real Estate Innovation.” The panel brought together voices from across construction, real estate, and technology, including leaders from Procore Technologies, Suffolk Technologies, Suffolk Construction, Nareit, and emerging platforms shaping what’s next.
The discussion underscored a critical truth: while technology is rapidly transforming the built environment, the foundation of real estate remains deeply human.
- Several themes stood out: Relationships remain the core of real estate: The most impactful technology does not replace human connection. It strengthens it.
- AI is moving from tool to teammate: The next phase of innovation is not just about digitizing workflows, but about enabling systems that actively assist, execute, and drive outcomes.
- Real solutions win: PropTech gains traction when it solves everyday operational challenges, reduces administrative burden, improves efficiency, and allows professionals to focus on higher-value work.
- Adoption is everything: Technology must integrate seamlessly into existing workflows and clearly demonstrate value to earn industry trust.
It was a conversation that set the tone for the days ahead and reflected the leaders driving meaningful change across the industry.
Lisa Nickerson Presenting at Breaking Ground: Women Leading Real Estate Innovation Panel
Proptech leaders share insights on AI adoption in the built environment
Where Policy Meets Progress
In a compelling session on the State of Housing, Kirk Watson, Mayor of Austin, joined Damian Eales of Realtor.com to unpack what is actually working on the ground.
The conversation moved beyond headlines and into real, replicable strategies:
- Supply is the strategy: Austin is taking a clear-eyed approach, prioritizing housing supply as the most effective lever to improve affordability and support long-term economic resilience.
- Reducing friction reduces cost: By cutting permitting timelines by more than half, the city is lowering barriers to development, making it faster and ultimately more cost-effective to build.
- Incentives over mandates: The next phase of growth is focused on encouraging development through funding and zoning incentives rather than adding new layers of regulation.
What emerged was a pragmatic blueprint: when cities move with intention, housing outcomes can shift meaningfully.
Innovation on the Startup Stage
The momentum carried into the PropTech Startup Showdown, hosted by the National Association of REALTORS® and Realtor.com’s Tech & Innovation team. Six early-stage companies took the stage, pitching ideas that spanned fintech, AI, and agent-centric platforms, each focused on solving real pain points across the real estate lifecycle.
These were not abstract concepts. They were solutions built for today’s market realities, from access to capital to smarter, more efficient workflows for agents and consumers alike. A standout moment was seeing Laurel Djoukeng of KeyPath take home the 2026 win.
From Policy to Product—The Future Is Connected
What made these moments so powerful was not just the ideas themselves, but the throughline between them. Policy is unlocking supply. Technology is unlocking access. Together, these innovators are reshaping what is possible in housing.
At Infinityy, we are building solutions that help agents create a more connected, transparent, and scalable real estate experience. Housing innovation requires alignment between cities, platforms, and the people on the ground making deals happen every day.
Infinityy is committed to staying part of that conversation and helping move it forward.