In partnership with
🚀 Unfinished Business: How 2016 Insights Are Shaping PropTech’s Future Today
I was in Tokyo this past October, reconnecting with Yusuke Takahashi, PhD. Sitting in a quiet café close to the Imperial Palace, I reflected on how his 2016 report for Movoto laid out a blueprint for transforming how we approached seller transactions. His insights were visionary, yet we never fully realized their potential. Our execution, limited by budgets and divided focus, addressed only a fraction of his recommendations.
Yusuke, Max in Akhibhara Electric Town, Tokyo, Japan Oct. 2024
2016: A Vision Ahead of Its Time
Yusuke’s report highlighted critical inefficiencies in our processes and presented bold solutions. His ideas included:
Omnichannel Integration: Streamlining Salesforce, Outlook, and call systems into a single, cohesive platform.
Automation: Freeing operators from repetitive tasks through AI-driven workflows.
Lead Prioritization: Leveraging technology to identify hot leads in real-time, maximizing conversion rates.
At the time, we focused on one core area: improving lead conversions through operator training and lead delivery. While this produced modest gains, the broader vision of seamless integration and automation remained unrealized. The complexity of implementation and competing priorities made it difficult to advance beyond incremental improvements.
Yusuke’s report was thoughtful and grounded in his unique expertise. A computer scientist specializing in databases—specifically knowledgebases—his work bridged the real world with cyberspace, a critical skill for creating seamless, intuitive digital systems. Computer scientists in this field have a natural strength in product development and user experience, and Yusuke is a prime example of why it works.
His academic foundation, a Ph.D. from Japan’s prestigious Keio University, provided him with the tools to design systems at the intersection of complexity and usability. Beyond academia, he came out of the 6th Cohort of 500 Startups (now 500 Global), where he combined technical expertise with entrepreneurial problem-solving.
Movoto HQ San Mateo, CA. circa 2017
Why It Matters Today
Fast forward to 2024, and the industry has evolved to meet the future Yusuke envisioned. AI-powered tools can now deliver the efficiency, personalization, and scalability we could only dream of in 2016. Revisiting his insights now feels like uncovering a roadmap perfectly aligned with today's tools.
Key areas where his ideas remain relevant include:
Streamlined Communication: Unified tools can save time, reduce errors, and improve agent/operator workflows.
Personalized Outreach: AI can tailor communication to individual leads, outperforming manual efforts.
Scalable Systems: What worked in smaller markets like Fresno, CA, can now expand across many markets with AI’s ability to handle complexity.
Cost-Saving Automation: Automating repetitive tasks frees up resources for higher-value work.
A Second Chance
Sitting with Yusuke in Tokyo, I realized how much potential was left. But more importantly, I saw the opportunity ahead. With Yusuke as a board advisor, we’re discussing how to bring these ideas to life for the next generation of PropTech companies.
This isn’t just about completing unfinished business—it’s about reimagining what’s possible. With today’s tools and Yusuke’s clarity, we’re poised to create faster, more intelligent, and more impactful systems than ever before.
Example of ‘The Process’ circa 2016
Long Angle: A Vetted Community for High-Net-Worth Entrepreneurs and Executives
Private, vetted community offering confidential discussions and education
Entrepreneurs and executives, 30–55 years old, with $5M to $100M net worth
Preferential access to top-tier alternative investments
Closing Thoughts
Revisiting Yusuke’s vision reminds us of the value of focus, foresight, and the right timing. While we couldn’t fully realize his ideas in 2016, we have the resources, tools, and alignment today to make them happen.
Some opportunities are too good to fade away.
This time, we’re ready to finish what we started—and take it even further.
xoxo,
Maximillian Diez
GP, Twenty Five Ventures
P.S. Stay with me on this journey.
If nothing else, thanks for reading.
