How SA’s AIRE is using AI to modernise Africa’s real estate market

South African startup AIRE – which stands for “Artificial Intelligence in Real Estate” – is a real estate startup combining advanced technology and deep local expertise across Africa and the Middle East. 

Founded in 2023 by experienced real estate consultants and tech innovators who saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between traditional advisory and AI-powered solutions for the Middle East and Africa, AIRE operates four service lines.

AIRE Software is an AI-powered tool that delivers feasibility and Highest & Best Use studies in just five days, enabling developers and investors to make faster, data-driven site and project decisions; while AIRE Consulting provides tailored real estate advisory services including market research, financial modeling, planning support, and portfolio strategy.

AIRE Valuations, delivers independent, standards-compliant valuations informed by rigorous market data and local expertise, supporting reporting, lending, transactions, and insurance; and AIRE Hospitality offers strategic support to hospitality developers and operators.

“When it came to our Software, we saw two major gaps,” AIRE’s CEO Simon Ardonceau told Disrupt Africa. “Traditional feasibility and highest-and-best-use studies are slow and costly, often taking 4-6 weeks and delaying critical investment decisions. Access to reliable, localised market intelligence remains limited in many African and Middle Eastern cities, leaving developers and investors without accurate, on-the-ground data.”

AIRE bridges this gap with proprietary software that combines big data, AI, and automation to deliver comprehensive, market-specific feasibility studies and highest-and-best-use analyses in just five days, across all major asset classes. 

“This means faster decisions, lower costs, and local relevance that traditional firms and global players cannot easily match,” Ardonceau said.

AIRE is privately owned and funded. 

“A major milestone in our growth has been the successful rollout of AIRE Software in Nairobi, Morocco, and Mauritius, with expansion now underway in Senegal, Ivory Coast, and soon the Middle East, positioning us to replicate this model in other high-growth markets.” said Ardonceau.

“The response has been very strong. Our consulting and valuation divisions continue to secure repeat mandates from developers, institutional investors, and operators across Africa and the Middle East, thanks to our specialised expertise and local market intelligence. Many clients are now adopting AIRE Software as a faster, more cost-effective alternative to traditional feasibility and highest & best use studies.”

AIRE’s Hospitality line is also growing steadily, supporting new branded residences, hotel concepts, and operator selection mandates. 

“Overall, the combined strength of our four service lines is helping us build long-term partnerships and expand into new high-growth markets,” said Ardonceau.

AIRE’s revenue comes from four streams – fees for AI-powered feasibility and Highest & Best Use studies through AIRE Software; project-based consulting mandates; independent valuation assignments; and hospitality advisory engagements.

“While we are early-stage on the software side, our consulting, hospitality and valuations arms provide a strong foundation of recurring business,” said Ardonceau.