Gemma-Louise Wright

Property Wheel

What does your company do?

We are a PropTech news platform that covers Sub-Saharan Africa. We are predominantly in the commercial real estate space covering JSE-listed REITs and real estate companies, as well as property development. We provide a wide range of info including the industry's latest news and events, but we have worked hard on partnering with like-minded associations and organisations in the sector to provide a voice and a hub for young professionals within this space. While the platform has been in operation for over ten years, I was brought on board when my two silent business partners purchased it before Covid-19 hit.

What is your biggest success?

We have gained traction over the past three years with our stats almost tripling across all of our platforms. We have won SAPOA's Property News Website of the Year: Journalism Awards for Excellence (2022 and 2023) as well as being recognised as one of twelve SA PropTechs changing real estate investment and management (AU-Startups). We have also partnered with some of the industry's top companies and blue-chip companies. Besides the industry recognition, we have organically grown as a platform that has been recognised as a voice for young professionals and black professionals entering or in the industry. We are also the only female-founded and managed real estate news platform in South Africa (our competitors are all male) and we have a 55%/45% female to male follower ratio.

What has been your biggest hurdle?

Funding remains one of our biggest hurdles. While we are making a profit and covering our costs, we require additional funding to grow the business to its next level.