There’s a lot of noise in the proptech, data and ESG space right now. So, we took advantage of the new year re-set and sat down with Utopi’s CRO, Jonathan Thomas, to talk candidly about what 2026 will look like for the business: what Utopi actually does, what it doesn’t, and where Utopi — and the market — is heading next:
1. Jonathan, let’s start with that new year re-set, in three words what can we expect to see from Utopi in 2026?
Impact, growth, modularisation… and more on this in time!
2. And now 2026 is upon us, how are you and your team kicking off the new year?
2025 was a busy year for us, but a really strong year commercially with some exciting new clients coming on board like iQ Student , Fusion and Greystar. So, this year it’s all about excellent delivery, adding value to clients, delivering impact, expanding with existing clients, and opening doors into new asset classes too. There is no rest at Utopi!
3. Okay, let’s dig into clients – when someone asks you “what does Utopi do?”, how do you usually answer?
Honestly, I usually pause — because the short answer doesn’t do it justice. At its core, Utopi helps real estate owners and operators understand how their buildings actually perform day to day. We collect real-time environmental and energy data from buildings and turn that into insights people can act on — whether that’s reducing waste, improving resident comfort, or meeting ESG and reporting requirements.
The sector oftens struggles for accurate and timely data on its assets. What matters to me is that we don’t just generate data for the sake of it, we think how we can help our clients and use our 35 billion (and rising) data points and provide actionable insights. The value is in helping teams make better decisions, faster, across their portfolios.
4. The ESG and sustainability space is crowded. What gap did you see that made Utopi necessary?
A big one: visibility. Most real estate teams are making decisions based on averages, estimates, or historical data. That’s no longer good enough — especially with energy costs rising and regulation tightening.
What Utopi brings is granularity and insight. We give operators a clear, real-time picture of what’s happening inside their buildings — not just annually or quarterly, but right now. That changes the conversation from “why did this happen?” to “what can we do today to improve it?”
5. There’s sometimes confusion about what category Utopi fits into. What are people getting wrong?
The biggest misconception is that we only do energy controls – we cover so much more – or that we’re a Building Management System — and we’re not. We’re a data intelligence layer that sits above a BMS. We sit alongside best-in-class systems and pull together the data that matters for sustainability, efficiency and reporting. Trying to be everything to everyone rarely works — partnering with the right names does.
We find sometimes we get put in one category, and the truth is we cover a lot and can add value in a lot of places; and that all comes down to quality data.
6. That brings us neatly to partnerships. Why is working with companies like Lavanda so important?
Partnerships are key, especially in an industry which is changing at this speed. They enhance capabilities even further, and in the context of Lavanda, they do PMS brilliantly — and we don’t want to reinvent that wheel. Our partnership means operators can combine operational data with ESG and building performance insights in one ecosystem.
That’s powerful. It allows teams to connect granular, room-level data with day-to-day decision-making — without ripping out or duplicating existing systems. It’s a much more pragmatic, scalable way to drive change. And that’s why we’ve integrated with other brilliant businesses like Deepki and Measurabl – to name a few.
7. So just to be clear – what does Utopi deliberately not do?
We don’t control buildings – we manage and control energy consumption – and nor do we operate in the parcel delivery realm, and we don’t try to own every workflow. We’re not here to replace on-site teams, PMS platforms, or BMS systems.
Our focus is on clarity and insight. We help people understand risk, understand asset performance, and opportunity — and then empower them to act using The Utopi Platform often enhancing the value of the asset in the process. That’s where we believe the real value lies.
8. Let’s talk about what’s new. Why did you introduce Utopi Lite at The Class Conference?
We realised that not everyone is ready to jump straight into a full PropTech stack — but they still need a starting point. Utopi Lite lowers the barrier to entry, it’s subscription free for 12 months. It gives organisations frictionless visibility into their performance and benchmarking without friction.
For many teams, it’s a confidence builder. Once they understand their baseline and the potential for improvement, they can decide how far and how fast they want to go, deploy capital to the assets in greatest need and ultimately build performance strategies that make sense for their asset mix.
9. And UtopAI – what problem is that solving for the industry?
Data overload. Most people don’t need more dashboards — they need help actionan able insights and an understanding what actually matters.
UtopAI uses explainable AI to surface insights, trends and anomalies in plain language. It’s not a black box. It’s there to support decision-making, not replace it. Think of it as a knowledgeable colleague who’s constantly watching the data and flagging what needs attention.
1o. You’ve also introduced a Risk Module. Why focus on risk now?
Because risk, especially in 2026 in the time of the UK Renter’s Rights Bill and Awaab’s Law, is real — and it’s growing. Energy volatility, regulatory exposure, damp and mould risk; it’s underperforming assets and these aren’t theoretical issues anymore. Also, we are a purpose led business and being able to address issues that impact the lives of residents matters to us.
The Utopi Risk Module helps teams identify emerging problems early in the cycle, prioritise capital, and understand the potential impact across a portfolio. It’s about being proactive rather than reactive — which, frankly, is where the industry needs to go.
11. Utopi is doing more work with the public sector and universities. Why is that such a priority?
Universities and public sector estates are incredibly complex — and in the UK many are struggling financially due to a lack of investment in ageing and a vast reduction in international students coming to the UK, so money is tight. The sector deserves solutions that streamline operations and allow them to concentrate on filling beds and curating unforgettable experiences for students.We’ve been working with organisations like CUBO and ASRA, and institutions such as UCL and University of Aberystwyth, and we’re excited for the opportunity to showcase the value of Utopi to the public sector as much as possible in 2026.
We are guest speakers at the ASRA Hour January 28th, so make sure to tune in if you’re reading this!
12. Finally, when you look ahead to 2026 – what excites you most about where Utopi is heading?
What excites me is relevance and intentionality. We’re building tools that people genuinely need — not just because regulation says so, but because the economics, the environment and expectations have changed. Any by doing so we are making a positive impact for our clients, their residents and the environment.
The outlook in 2026 for Utopi is modular, integrated and intelligent — supporting better decisions across private and public sectors alike. If we can help make sustainability practical, measurable and commercially viable, then we’re doing our job. But we have some exciting new product innovations being launched at UKREEiF in May, so keep an eye out.