Wordpress Header ec85e3 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception
In-person

Power Tech and AI Forum & Reception

The Future of Tech-Enabled Dealmaking

October 19 2026 @ 4:00PM – 7:00PM New York, NY

Investors, owners, developers, and advisors attend complimentary. Select the Real Estate Executives Pass below to claim your access.

Register

Speakers

Zach Aarons 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

zach aarons

Co-Founder & General Partner

Metaprop

×

Zach Aarons

Co-Founder & General Partner, Metaprop

Zach Aarons is an award-winning PropTech investor, best-selling author, professor, and speaker who has been a pioneering thought leader at the forefront of real estate technology for over a decade. In 2010, while working as a Project Manager for internationally renowned large-scale mixed-use real estate developer Millennium Partners, Zach began investing in early-stage PropTech companies, quickly becoming the most active angel investor in the space with over 50 portfolio companies. In 2015, Zach parlayed his experiences in the real estate and technology sectors to found MetaProp, devoting his career to the mission of utilizing technology to make real estate more affordable, accessible, sustainable, and resilient. Since founding MetaProp, Zach and his team have invested in 175 PropTech companies.

Prior to founding MetaProp and working at Millennium Partners, Zach served as a Senior Associate for ENIAC Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund based in New York City and San Francisco. He has served as a technology entrepreneur, founding the online/offline tourism company Travelgoat. Zach began his career as an Analyst for boutique investment bank Solomon Partners, working on mergers and acquisitions as well as financial restructuring.

Within the community, Zach serves on the Technology Committee for the Real Estate Board of New York and previously served on the Technology and Real Estate Council for the Urban Land Institute. He has previously served on numerous Non Profit Boards, including The Tenement Museum and Flamenco Vivo.

He currently serves on the Investment Committee for Van Wickle Ventures, the student run venture capital fund at Brown University. Zach is an Assistant Adjunct Professor at the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation at Columbia University. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with an A.B. from Brown University in Ancient Studies and earned an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Zach co-authored the Amazon bestseller PropTech 101 which has now been published in three languages. He has been featured in dozens of international publications and media, including The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The Real Deal, Curbed, Commercial Observer, Propmodo, The Information, TechCrunch, Bisnow, Forbes, The Real Estate Weekly, Crain’s, and Cheddar. He is a frequent speaker at global PropTech events including the Urban Land Institute, MIPIM, Realcomm, Argus Connect, SuperReturn International, the Columbia/Goodwin Real Estate Capital Markets Conference, The Real Deal Summit, Blueprint, and the Citi Global Property CEO Conference. In 2017, Zach was honored as “Investor of the Year” at the Global PropTech Awards and is frequently listed in Business Insider’s Seed 100 as one of the 100 top seed investors in the United States.

Canay Deniz 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

canay deniz

CEO & Co-Founder

Ren

×

Canay Deniz

CEO & Co-Founder

Canay Deniz is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ren, the AI-powered relationship intelligence platform that helps brokers at JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, and more act on the moments that matter in their networks before their competitors do. Prior to Ren, Canay was the US MD at Teralytics, a data analytics company specializing in machine learning. He holds a master’s degree in industrial engineering from ETH Zurich.

Mark Domino 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

mark domino

Director of Digital

The Durst Organization

Nicholas Durst 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

Nick durst

Principal & Director of Operations

The Durst Organization

×

Nick Durst

Principal & Director of Operations

Nick Durst is a Principal and Director of Operations at The Durst Organization. He is a member of the fourth generation of family leaders at the company.

As Principal and Director of Operations, Nick works closely with the Chief Operating Officer and the entire Operations department to oversee Durst’s 16 million-square-foot portfolio. Nick joined the company in 2019 and spent seven years on the Transactions team underwriting and facilitating active management of assets, financings, acquisitions, dispositions, and development deals. Nick also contributes to the management of Durst Ventures, a strategic investment portfolio seeking innovative solutions to building and operating buildings more efficiently and delivering a higher level of service to tenants and residents.

Prior to joining The Durst Organization, Nick was a Senior Associate at GLG in Austin, Texas assisting private equity and venture capital clients with investment diligence work. Nick holds a BA in Political Science from UNC Chapel Hill and an MS in Real Estate Finance from NYU.

Benjamin Levine 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

benjamin levine

Vice Chair & Principal

The Douglaston Companies

×

Benjamin Levine

Vice Chair & Principal, The Douglaston Companies

Benjamin Levine is Vice Chair and Principal of The Douglaston Companies, where he helps guide strategy, governance, and leadership across the firm’s integrated development, construction, and property
management businesses: Douglaston Development, Levine Builders, and Clinton Management. He remains closely involved in the firm’s
acquisition and capital markets activity, with a particular focus on
evaluating new opportunities and shaping how the company invests.
He helps lead one of New York’s most active real estate organizations,
with a portfolio spanning market-rate, mixed-income, and affordable communities across the city.

Since joining the company in 2008 as a Project Manager overseeing developments throughout the boroughs, Mr. Levine has secured more
than $2 billion in project underwriting. He was part of the team that syndicated the debt and equity capital for 601 West 29th Street, a
more than $600 million, 938-unit luxury mixed-use residential development in the Hudson Yards area.

Mr. Levine is a member of the Real Estate Board of New York’s Technology Committee and a member and former chair of Jewish National Fund Future in New York.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Levine worked as an analyst in Credit Suisse’s real estate finance and securitization group in New York and
London.

Mr. Levine holds a B.A. in Urban Studies with a minor in Urban Real
Estate and Development from the University of Pennsylvania.

Joseph Sipala 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

Joseph Sipala

Managing Director

JLL

Abhinav Somani 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

Abhinav “Abe” somani

Founder, Cadastral

Head of Real Estate, Legora

Mark Stutzman 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

mark stutzman

Global Chief Technology Officer

Fisher Brothers

×

Mark Stutzman

Global Chief Technology Officer, Fisher Brothers

Mark Stutzman is Global Chief Technology Officer at Fisher Brothers and Chief Operating & Technology Officer at AREA15, where he leads technology strategy, operational innovation and digital transformation across the organizations. An experienced entrepreneur, product executive and technologist, he brings more than two decades of experience developing digital platforms, building technology-driven businesses and applying emerging tools to complex operational challenges. At AREA15, Stutzman oversees the technology and operating infrastructure behind the immersive entertainment district while supporting its continued growth and expansion.

Cher Chang 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

MODERATOR

Cher chang

Founder &CEO, Literock Capital

Partner & Head of Capital Markets, JLJ Capital

×

Cher Chang

Founder & CEO, Literock Capital; Partner & Head of Capital Markets, JLJ Capital

Cher Chang is Partner and Head of Capital Markets at JLJ Capital, a New York-based investment firm focused on real estate debt, where she co-manages the firm’s private credit fund, and CEO of Literock Capital, a capital advisory and investment firm. Over 20 years, she has structured complex, full-stack real estate investments and advised institutional investors, family offices, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals on capital deployment across market cycles. She previously served as Head of Global Capital Markets at Hongkun USA, part of a global real estate development and investment firm with approximately $8 billion in assets, and Head of Asia Division at the Carlton Group. She is also an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, where she teaches Global Real Estate, Infrastructure & Sustainability, and AI in Real Estate.

Don Laughlin 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

MODERATOR

don laughlin

Director of Technology

Real Estate Board of New York

×

Don Laughlin

Director of Technology, Real Estate Board of New York

Don Laughlin is the Director of Technology at the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) the premier association serving New York City’s real estate industry since 1896. Don oversees REBNY’s Technology Council and drives strategy across AI integration, data syndication, cybersecurity, and automation for REBNY. The Technology Council serves as a central forum for advancing PropTech conversations and aligning innovation with the needs of New York City’s real estate community. At REBNY, Don leads strategy and architects secure, interoperable systems that enable scalable, member-focused solutions, positioning REBNY at the forefront of technology-driven transformation in the industry.

Leading Dealmakers Unpack Today’s Market-Defining Transactions and the Tech that Drives Them

Kick off NYC Real Estate Week with Commercial Observer’s 2026 Power Tech & AI Forum: The Future of Tech-Enabled Dealmaking. This event brings the principals shaping real estate into one room with the technology changing how their deals get done. Investors, owners, developers, lenders, and the brokers who represent them sit alongside the tech leaders driving sourcing, underwriting, leasing, and closing.

Featuring limited panels and an executive reception with Power Tech & AI honorees, the executives behind headline transactions break down where technology created the edge, who the players are, and what it takes to get a deal across the finish line.

You’ll leave with a clear read on which tools are moving transactions, which are noise, and how the most active firms in the market are putting artificial intelligence to work across the full deal cycle. 

Power Tech and AI Forum & Reception

The Future of Tech-Enabled Dealmaking

Monday, October 19, 2026
10 Grand Central
155 E 44th St
New York, NY 10017
…

Investors, owners, developers, and advisors attend complimentary. Select the Real Estate Executives Pass below to claim your access.

Register Now
background 1 1 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

Attend Complimentary: Real Estate Executives Pass

For owners, operators, developers, brokers, advisors, legal professionals and consultants

REGISTER
background 1 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

Tech Pass

For leading AI, tech and transformational solutions brands

REGISTER

Agenda

Empowering Deal Acceleration: Inside the Tech-enabled Transactions Shaping Today’s Market
Working Smarter: AI’s Measurable Impact Inside Real Estate’s Leading Firms
Buying in a Data-Driven Market: The New Investment & Acquisition Playbook
The Broker’s Edge: Technology, Data & The Future of Dealmaking
The DealTech Stack: What Today’s Savviest Dealmakers Actually Use

About 10 Grand Central:

Where office meets elegance. With over 18,000 square feet of hospitality-inspired indoor and outdoor amenities across two levels, 10 Grand Central creates a refreshingly new work aesthetic and reimagines the workplace as an experiential destination. Sophisticated design, cutting-edge technology, and a host of thoughtful details combine to create a modern atmosphere and welcoming vibe for everything from special events to impromptu meetups.

Presenting Sponsor

Legora Legora Wordmark Green 6 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

legora

Legora is the fastest-growing collaborative AI workspace for real estate owners, occupiers, law firms, and brokers. The Company provides AI solutions for complex tasks such as underwriting flows, due diligence, acquisitions/dispositions, ongoing asset management, lease administration, brokerage, capital markets, research, title/survey, legal drafting and regulatory compliance, and much more. Through the acquisition of Cadastral (Real Estate AI), Legora is the productivity tool of choice by global real estate, private equity, and asset management firms.

Host Sponsor

the marx realty logo trophy 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

Marx Realty

Program Sponsors

Ren Logo black background 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

ren systems

Ren’s AI-powered relationship intelligence enables brokers at JLL, Savills, Cresa, and top commercial real estate firms to generate meaningful touchpoints with clients and prospects. By analyzing millions of paywalled news and data sources in realtime, Ren surfaces signals, meeting prep, and warm introductions to ensure users never miss the moments that matter.

IDP Horizontal Logo Color Digital 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

id plans

ID Plans is a portfolio intelligence suite for commercial real estate designed to take
spaces from vacant to occupied to renewed. The company was founded in 1999 and
uses a nationwide field staff, 3D cameras, and aerial drones to create full space profiles
for retail, office, industrial, manufacturing, and government buildings. ID Cloud is a
centralized commercial property management operating system that powers the ID
Plans product ecosystem, which is a fully integrated set of solutions for end-to-end
tenant management, exterior asset management, virtual property tours, proactive
maintenance intelligence, and more. Learn more at www.idplans.com.

Association Partners

MetaProp logo full color horizontal 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

metaprop

Founded in 2015, MetaProp’s investment team has invested in over 150 technology companies across the real estate value chain.

The firm manages funds for both financial and strategic real estate investors that represent a pilot- and test-ready sandbox of 20+ billion square feet across every real estate asset type and global market.

REBNY 2022 Logo black 1 2026 Power Tech and AI Forum and Reception

real estate board of new york