On October 16, 2025, a select group of leaders will gather for STRATA, a summit cohosted with the MIT Center for Real Estate
What comes after the built world we inherited?
To open the day, Steve Weikal, Industry Chair of the Real Estate Transformation Lab at MIT’s Center for Real Estate and Managing Partner of MET Fund II, will frame the conversation. A longtime voice at the intersection of innovation and real estate, Steve has helped define what’s next for cities, infrastructure, and the spaces we inhabit.
We spoke with Steve about the transitions ahead, and the opportunities they present.
Why STRATA, and why now?
“STRATA isn’t just another real estate conference. It’s a forum where perspectives collide – real estate leaders, technologists, futurists, civic innovators. That kind of cross-pollination is rare. And it’s exactly what we need right now to start envisioning how dramatically the built world will transform in the coming decade.”
The Built Environment Transition
“We see three powerful forces reshaping the landscape:
- The unprecedented impacts of climate change
- Breakthroughs in science and technology
- Sweeping socio-geographic shifts
The convergence of these meta-trends will fundamentally reorder how and where we live, work, and play. It’s nothing less than a global transformation.”
Why MIT’s Center for Real Estate?
“The Center sits at the intersection of real estate, planning, architecture, technology, science, and innovation – truly unparalleled in academia. But just as important, MIT has a tradition of partnering with industry in deeply practical ways. This collaboration ensures research doesn’t just stay in journals, but that it shapes strategy, policy, and investment.”
Technology’s Role in a Living, Breathing Built World
“Prof. Dennis Frenchman once said: ‘Buildings should be more like ecosystems than machines. They should respond to their inhabitants’ needs before those needs are even consciously recognized.’
Thanks to advances in AI and data systems, this isn’t science fiction anymore. Tomorrow’s buildings will be intelligent ecosystems – learning, adapting, and evolving in sync with the people inside them. That shift will redefine not only design, but how we experience the built environment itself.”
Startups to Watch at STRATA
“Some of the most compelling ideas today are coming from early-stage ventures, and STRATA will showcase several leading examples:
- Active Surfaces: Thin-film solar that is lightweight, low-cost, and nearly as efficient as traditional silicon.
- GaiaAI: Using LiDAR, AI, and robotics to transform how we measure, manage and monetize timberland.
Digital Rights Management: Enabling property owners to secure and monetize the digital layer in and around their buildings – the foundation of emerging AR and mixed reality ecosystems.”
About Steve Weikal
Steve Weikal is a lecturer, researcher, and thought leader driving innovation in real estate. At MIT, he chairs the Real Estate Transformation Lab and teaches the Proptech Ventures course. As Managing Partner of MET Fund II, he invests in early-stage startups advancing the built environment transition.
Previously, Steve led industry relations at MIT’s Center for Real Estate, produced the MIT World Real Estate Forum, and founded MIT Real Disruption, a landmark conference series on real estate technology. His insights have been featured in USA Today, The Boston Globe, TechInsider, and at global forums including ULI, CoreNet, and CREtech.
Steve holds dual master’s degrees from MIT (Real Estate Development and City Planning) and a JD from Suffolk University Law School.
The Invitation
The built environment is at a tipping point. Climate, technology, and society are rewriting the rules and with them, the opportunities.
On October 16, 2025, at the Boston Marriott Cambridge, STRATA will bring together the leaders at the forefront of this transformation. And it begins with Steve Weikal’s call to rethink the built world itself.
STRATA:
Where the Built World Meets What’s Next
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