From Zero to Seed
Launching a better experience
As the founder of Modwell, Jonathan Reisman adapted to think and operate like a venture capitalist. Building a PropTech company from the ground up required a blend of creative vision and pragmatic, investment-minded decision-making. Crafting a compelling narrative that resonated with investors and limited partners became a cornerstone of the company’s success.
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Building your MVP
Growing in the market
Every presentation Jonathan’s team delivered had to tell a transformative story—highlighting Modwell’s potential to redefine the real estate sector while addressing market needs and projecting returns. These efforts focused on structuring pitches that showcased the innovative technology while articulating how the approach and business model could generate significant value for investors and early stakeholders.
Crafting your pitch
Thinking like a VC
Securing Pilot Deals
To drive Modwell’s strategic growth, Jonathan assembled a Board of Advisors with expertise spanning key verticals, including Leslie Grandy (former Amazon executive), Blake Lewin (Head of Gaming at Verizon), and Shannon Pruitt (marketing and media partnerships expert). (To name a few) .
Their insights helped navigate complex market challenges and refine strategies. The team’s acceptance into the Modern Ventures 2023 Passport Program was a pivotal milestone, providing invaluable guidance on scaling, positioning, and establishing strategic partnerships.
Through this network, Jonathan’s team secured pilot programs with Modern Ventures LPs, including industry leaders such as Toll Brothers, Christie’s International, and Luxury Portfolio. These collaborations expanded Modwell’s reach to 37 U.S. markets, select international regions, and enabled partnerships like Christie’s International to scale globally, serving over 10,000 Master’s Circle agents.
Raising capital
Securing $720,000 in pre-seed funding for Modwell’s scalable platform marked a critical milestone. Setting the right valuation required Jonathan and his team to evaluate the company’s capabilities, growth potential, and positioning within the PropTech landscape. Lessons learned during this phase informed the transition from pre-seed to seed funding, refining approaches to equity and valuation for long-term growth.
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The Proptech landsacpe
5 years of learnings
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Developed seven pilot programs with Modern Ventures LPs, including Toll Brothers, Christie’s International, Luxury Portfolio, eXp Luxury, PODS, Aldar (Middle East), and Harrison Street (student housing portfolio).
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Scaled Modwell’s partnership with Christie’s International to serve 10,000 Master’s Circle agents worldwide in utilizing our 3D listings service to unlock the potential of any property.
5 years of brand building
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Directed all marketing, PR, and brand awareness initiatives for Modwell, including speaking events and earned media coverage. ​​​​
Emerging opportunities
A brand first real estate model
As the immersive media space evolved, Modwell Identified that brands, rather than traditional real estate clients, were best positioned to drive and fund interactive and shoppable 3D experiences in real estate.
While brokers and agents recognized the value of immersive tools, consumer brands embraced the opportunity to engage customers in fully interactive environments where products and spaces could be explored, personalized, and purchased in real time.
Recognizing this shift, Jonathan's team began exploring partnerships with big-box retailers who could benefit from blending immersive experiences with shoppable content, creating a seamless fusion of digital real estate and retail.
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One early exploration in this direction was with Target, where Jonathan's team was tasked with building out a proof of concept specifically tailored for the back-to-college season. This initiative aimed to provide college students with an engaging, interactive platform to design their dorm rooms or apartments, selecting from a curated range of products and furniture pieces that could be customized and visualized in a 3D space.
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Although the initiative didn’t evolve into a live product, it underscored the immense potential of a brand-led digital real estate ecosystem.
Moderne Ventures Summit
