UCL Centre for Sustainability and Realtech Innovation (CSRI) powered by PGIM
Bringing together academia and industry to create impactful, sustainable solutions in real assets, powered by PGIM.
About The CSRI
The UCL Centre for Sustainability and RealTech Innovation (CSRI), in partnership with PGIM to drive meaningful progress at the intersection of sustainability, technology, and the built environment.
By bringing together startups, SMEs, researchers, students and global industry leaders, UCL CSRI creates the conditions for real collaboration. Through thought leadership events, hackathons, accelerator programmes, and executive education, we translate bold ideas into scalable, investable solutions.
40+ Events Held
18 Startups Supported
Our mission is to foster meaningful collaborations through thought leadership events, hackathons, and workshops that encourage knowledge sharing, innovative problem-solving, and real-world applications. These activities form part of a broader effort to scout and develop ventures for PGIM’s incubation pipeline, while also nurturing a vibrant, inclusive community of innovators and entrepreneurs.
UCL CSRI also works closely with UCL’s Centre for Digital Innovation (CDI), The Bartlett, UCL Estates, The Hatchery, and UCL Business (UCLB), ensuring deep integration with UCL’s broader research and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
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Our Activities and Programmes
UCL CSRI runs a growing portfolio of programmes designed for entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry professionals at every stage.
Real Futures: Catalyst Converge — Flagship Accelerator
Our flagship accelerator supports experienced founders ready to scale in sustainability and RealTech. Participants receive tailored mentorship from industry leaders, access to PGIM’s investor networks, and support for pilot programmes and investment readiness.
Applications are open to startups working at the frontier of sustainable real estate and technology.
Events and Thought Leadership
Panels, roundtables, and debates tackling the most pressing questions in the sector — from decarbonisation pathways and AI applications in real estate, to sustainable construction and green finance. Open to academics, industry professionals, and community members.
Hackathons
Fast-paced, interdisciplinary problem-solving sessions where diverse teams develop innovative responses to real-world challenges in sustainability and RealTech. Past hackathons have brought together engineers, architects, data scientists, and finance professionals.
Workshops
Skill-building sessions focused on practical application: AI and ML for real estate, green financing frameworks, and scaling operations for early-stage ventures.
The Bartlett Invents
A showcase and competition for bold, original ideas at the intersection of architecture, urban planning, and sustainability. Run in partnership with The Bartlett, UCL’s global faculty of the built environment.
Computer Science Innovation Challenge
This challenge supports early-stage ideas from UCL’s CS and Engineering community, offering £3,000 in funding, mentorship, and industry access. Themes include AI, sustainability, fintech, and real estate. No commercial experience required.
Executive Education
A short course designed for senior professionals navigating the impact of AI on real estate strategy, operations, and investment decisions. Delivered in collaboration with Acuity Data and in partnership with PGIM.
PGIM Scholarships
PGIM funds four fully-funded MSc scholarships annually through the Windsor Fellowship, supporting underrepresented talent entering computer science and related fields. This reflects our shared commitment to diversifying the pipeline of future innovators.
Work With Us
UCL CSRI is actively building a diverse community of innovators, researchers, and industry leaders. Whether you’re a founder looking to scale, a researcher seeking to turn their work in to real-world application, or an organisation wanting to invest in the future of real estate, there’s a place for you here.
- Apply to Real Futures: Catalyst Converge for mentorship, investor access, and pilot opportunities.
- Participate in hackathons and workshops to develop and test your ideas with expert support.
- Connect with PGIM’s global network and incubation pipeline.
- Partner with us to translate innovative research into real-world solutions in sustainability, RealTech, and AI/ML.
- Collaborate across UCL’s Bartlett, Engineering, and CDI faculties through our interdisciplinary network.
- Explore PhD and Postdoc opportunities in CSRI’s core focus areas.
- Sponsor projects, contribute mentorship, or co-host thought leadership events aligned with your strategic priorities.
- Gain early access to CSRI’s portfolio of emerging ventures in the PGIM incubation pipeline.
- Shape the sector’s innovation agenda alongside UCL’s world-class faculty.
- Take part in hackathons, summer projects, and internships with real industry exposure.
- Access mentorship from senior leaders across real estate, sustainability, and technology.
- Build skills at the frontier of AI, green finance, and sustainable built environments.
- We support PhD and Postdoc research in sustainability, RealTech, AI, and related areas.
→ For current opportunities and funding options, contact us directly at thecsri@ucl.ac.uk.
Join the CSRI Community
Stay connected with the CSRI ecosystem. Sign up to receive updates on upcoming events, new programmes, and opportunities to collaborate.
Community Sign UpOur People
Centre Director
Associate Professor and Scientific Director
Marketing Lead
Funding and Partnerships
UCL CSRI is powered by PGIM, one of the world’s largest real estate investment managers, with over 50 years of data, research, and operational expertise across global markets.
Through RealAssetX — PGIM’s global innovation initiative — UCL CSRI connects with leading universities and technology companies worldwide to develop the next generation of tools for decarbonisation, operational efficiency, and sustainable investment.
By partnering with leading universities and technology companies, RealAssetX is building an ecosystem to develop new technologies that don't exist today — leveraging forward-thinking research and development to drive transformation within the real asset industry.
Upcoming Events
Stay up to date with UCL CSRI’s events programme. From intimate roundtables to large-scale hackathons and accelerator showcases.
Stay in the loopExplore Related UCL Programmes
Our work connects with a range of UCL graduate programmes for those looking to build deep expertise in the fields we operate across.
