Founder Profile: Infogrid’s William Cowell de Gruchy on the Importance of Smart Buildings 

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At JLL Spark, we are excited about the possibilities that the Internet of Things (IoT) brings to commercial real estate. Our portfolio company, Infogrid, is a trailblazer in harnessing the IoT to create smart, efficient buildings that prioritize sustainability, occupant health, and well-being. Its platform utilizes unobtrusive sensor technology to gather data, harnessing AI to analyze and act on the insights, allowing facilities managers to manage their buildings with greater insight and foresight.

JLL is actively exploring the deployment of Infogrid across our property portfolio to meet and exceed sustainability goals. Traditionally, facility management has been somewhat of a reactive task, mainly dealing with issues as they arise. Infogrid’s technology allows for proactive management, saving time and money, while providing a better environment for tenants and staff. Let’s take a deeper look at how the founder and CEO, William Cowell de Gruchy, identified a crucial need and developed Infogrid, the AI powered platform built to change the industry with building intelligence. 

From the beginning

Innovation and enterprise are deeply ingrained in Will. His journey began when he served as an officer in the British Army where he saw firsthand how inefficiency and lack of actionable data hindered effective decision making. The next phase of his career brought him to commercial due diligence where he saw time and time again the inefficiencies in operation, compliance issues, and sustainability concerns caused by a woeful lack of real time data. This sparked the idea that became Infogrid. 

Will founded Infogrid with the vision to make any building a “smart building,” whether it be a commercial skyscraper or a school. His belief was that better management of buildings through data could dramatically enhance efficiency, sustainability, and comfort for users, all while reducing costs for owners and managers. Little did he know that the rise of remote working and an increased focus on health and safety amid the pandemic would underscore the need for intelligent, data driven buildings. 

Fast forward to today

Infogrid’s smart-building platform is transforming the world of facilities management. By forging partnerships with industry leaders like JLL, Will and his team have brought their smart building vision to life. Their product’s impact, along with its continued market traction, has established Infogrid as a leader in the smart building space. The company’s platform powers everything from automated temperature controls to real time air quality monitoring in buildings all around the world. 

“Infogrid’s mission is to empower building owners and facility managers to make smarter, data driven decisions that enhance the wellbeing of occupants and the efficiency of their buildings. We envision a future where every building is a smart building, maximizing comfort, safety, sustainability, and cost efficiency,” says Will. 

As a leading advisor in the real estate market, we see immense potential in the adoption of smart building technology. Infogrid’s platform aligns perfectly with the growing trend towards healthier, more connected buildings that can be adapted and optimized in real time. In addition to a better building experience, Infogrid also provides a way to dramatically reduce costs and energy usage, which are prominent themes for property owners and occupiers alike. We are proud to back founders like Will who share our vision of changing CRE for a better world. 

Written by Andre Bothma, Growth Principal at JLL Spark

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