Investor Highlight: Moderne Ventures

Good morning, Daily Stack subscribers. Today, we’re looking at Moderne Ventures, a real-estate-centric VC firm breathing new life into the industry with a portfolio of savvy investments.

As a millennial, I’ve officially reached the stage where landlord fatigue and the ability to ingest interior design content on social media have created a strong desire to own a home. At this particular moment in the economy, however, it’s a seller's market. According to data from the National Association of Realtors, the median home price is up 17-24% across the country, due to relocations, spatial upgrades, and inventory at a historic low.

Then there are the studies showing that 64% of millennials who bought a home during the pandemic regret the decision. Pair that statistic with the skepticism our generation holds towards traditional banks & the housing market (hello, 2008) and you get an industry that just might be ready for a millennial makeover. Cue Moderne Ventures.

In the firm's own words:

Moderne Ventures is “an early-stage venture fund focused on technology companies that are innovating within real estate, mortgage, finance, insurance, hospitality, and home services - multi-trillion dollar industries that makeup well over 20% of the US GDP and are ripe for innovation.”

Constance Freedman founded Moderne Ventures after serving as head of Strategic Investments for the National Association of Realtors. Her team of 9 includes two entrepreneurs-in-residence and a 700-person network of industry professionals, accessible to founders for investments, advice, and mentorship.

Let’s check out a few of its recent investments with our first-ever Millennial Intrigue Scale:

****Grading System: 1-4 houses, with 1 meaning, “No thanks, I’ll rent” & 4 meaning “Where do I sign?” 🏠 –🏠-🏠 🏠 🏠****

EasyKnock is a sale-leaseback program. Perfect for millennials who regret the purchase decision, the company will buy your house and lease it back to you, freeing up cash to pay off debt or start a business. 

Intrigue: 🏠 🏠

Why: Call me skeptical, but any deal that results in getting money fast feels funny. Still, perhaps freeing up cash, especially if you or your family need it, could serve a good purpose for a person.

ICON prints houses, literally. This robotics construction company uses a gigantic 3-D printer and an adaptive concrete alternative material to build beautifully efficient houses. For any Grand Designs fans out there, you know the foundation can be the trickiest part, but this company makes the process as smooth as soft-serve ice cream. 

Intrigue:🏠-🏠 🏠 🏠

Why: This idea feels like the future of building because it is less costly in terms of materials and labor and is still architecturally interesting. The company can even achieve the illustrious curved edges so costly in traditional construction yet so popular among millennials.
 

LeaseLock offers insurance policies as an alternative to a security deposit for renters and landlords, making the application process more easily accessible for renters and guaranteeing landlords a better deal if rent checks fail to appear.

Intrigue: 🏠 🏠 

Why: Insurance is intrinsically unsexy. However, as a renter, the upside is affordability at the start of a lease and not having several thousands of dollars sitting in someone else's bank account. For landlords, it feels like a good deal, too.

To find out more about Moderne Ventures investments, click here.