Why we invested in AskVinny: The AI property manager scaling portfolios 100x without additional headcount

Property management for landlords lags behind on innovation 

Property management is a billion-pound industry stuck in the past, with outdated processes that drain time, money, and energy. Managers are overwhelmed with manual, repetitive tasks that prevent them from focusing on strategic initiatives that could increase profitability. The current system leaves landlords and tenants frustrated with high costs and subpar service, while property management businesses struggle to stay profitable as they scale.

Vinny is tackling this head-on by automating the most labor-intensive aspects of property management. The reality is stark: 87% of tasks in this industry are repetitive and low-skill, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities for growth. Vinny's AI-powered platform is designed to change that, freeing up managers to focus on what really matters—driving revenue and improving the tenant experience. 

AskVinny helps you scale properties without the headcount

AskVinny offers an AI-powered solution to streamline property management and home repairs, all through a simple interface on WhatsApp. Designed to assist interactions between tenants and landlords, AskVinny automates up to 90% of the work involved in managing and maintaining rental properties. Tenants can report, quote, and resolve home issues quickly through just a few messages. For landlords, the platform automates tasks such as troubleshooting, job coordination, and compliance management, reducing repair costs by over 50% - while eliminating the need for agent fees altogether. AskVinny can help you scale your portfolio 100x, without scaling your team. 

AskVinny’s platform diagnoses issues using conversational AI, and only when human intervention is absolutely necessary, it facilitates expert video calls. If remote fixes are not possible, Vinny books contractors directly using its dynamic quotation engine, ensuring seamless repair services from diagnosis to completion - making the process faster, more reliable, and cost-effective.

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Experienced Founders in PropTech and AI

AskVinny is led by an experienced founding team with deep expertise in property management and AI-driven product development. They met 7 years ago, and were early employees at Bulb (renewable energy supplier), and have worked together ever since.

Johnny Siu (CEO) previously led tenancy services at Goodlord and has significant experience in property tech, having worked on various products at Lavanda. His expertise in the rental market provides valuable insight into the challenges landlords face.

Rory Buchanan (CTO) brings technical expertise from his work at Deel, Trustpilot, and Bulb, with extensive knowledge of AI-based home services and product development. 

Antler’s investment thesis

Working with Johnny and Rory has been a real pleasure—they are absolutely obsessed with solving the inefficiencies in property management. From the first conversation, it was clear that they’re deeply passionate about transforming this industry. Their dedication to understanding every nuance of the problem and iterating on solutions is second to none.

What truly sets them apart is their relentless bias towards execution. They’re not just visionaries; they’re doers. In a short time, they’ve built and refined a product that’s already making a significant impact. But what’s even more exciting is their long-term vision. They see Vinny as more than just a property management tool—it’s a strategic wedge into the broader home market. With Johnny and Rory at the helm, we’re confident they’ll continue to execute brilliantly on their vision and disrupt the industry in a big way.

In the few months since Antler invested, AskVinny has quickly gained traction. They currently manage more than 1,200 properties, and have secured commercial agreements for an additional 2,500 units, with £13k in monthly recurring revenue. The user response has been overwhelmingly positive, with an NPS above 80. This traction has helped the founders already secure follow-on investment from prominent UK prop-tech angels and leading venture capital firms. Antler is proud to be AskVinny’s day zero supporter, and we look forward to seeing them continue their blistering progress.

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