Agora is one of the most comprehensive real estate investment management platforms on the market. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Agora co-founder and CEO Bar Mor to learn more about the company.
Bar Mor’s Background
What is Bar Mor’s background? Mor said:
“I grew up in Israel and, after high school, served in the 8200 Intelligence Unit, an Israeli Intelligence Corps, where I honed my skills in research, analytics, and product development. After my service, I studied computer science at Reichman University in Israel, which provided a solid technical foundation. I also broadened my horizons through a student exchange program in Germany at Technische Universität Darmstadt, a renowned university for technology. In addition, my family operates a major real estate company, responsible for constructing thousands of residential, commercial, and retail properties across the country. Growing up in this environment, combined with my education, the intersection of real estate and technology felt natural to me. This unique blend of experiences fueled my passion for entrepreneurship and ultimately inspired me to co-found Agora.”
“The idea for Agora came from my firsthand experiences in the real estate industry. My two co-founders, Lior Dolinksi and Noam Kahan, and I recognized the inefficiencies and fragmented systems that were hindering growth and investor satisfaction. Driven by our passion for real estate and technology, we set out to create a platform that would streamline investment management processes and provide a seamless experience for both firms and investors. The three of us served in the army together and combined our unique skills and backgrounds to build Agora. Drawing on significant real estate experience from my family’s business, I further enriched our understanding of the industry’s needs and challenges.”
Favorite Memory
What has been Mor’s favorite memory working for the company so far? Mor reflected:
“My favorite memory is celebrating our Series A funding round. At that time, our company was still relatively small, with around 30 to 40 people, but we had already achieved significant milestones that gave us confidence in our trajectory. Celebrating this achievement with the team that had worked tirelessly to reach this point was incredibly rewarding. The sense of camaraderie and shared accomplishment was powerful. It was a moment to reflect on our journey, celebrate our hard work, and look forward to many more years of growth and fulfillment. Building a strong company culture and seeing each team member thrive made this milestone especially meaningful.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Mor explained:
“Agora is a comprehensive real estate investment management platform that is revolutionizing the industry by providing much-needed tech solutions for real estate investment management. Real estate firms and investors struggle with inefficient workflows, lack of transparency, manual processes, and disjointed solutions.”
“Agora offers a wide range of services, from CRM to data rooms, investor onboarding automation, tools for financial transactions, and expert CPAs dedicated to bookkeeping and tax needs. This empowers real estate entrepreneurs with the efficient workflows and seamless operations they deserve. Using Agora, they are empowered to scale their business effortlessly while fostering strong investor relations and efficient and accurate financial operations.”
Challenges Faced
What challenges have Mor and the team faced in building the company? Mor acknowledged:
“We’ve faced numerous challenges, especially over the past year and a half, given the current macroeconomic situation. Real estate companies are struggling with high interest rates and limited capital, which makes investing in technology difficult. Despite these challenges, we have continued to work closely with our clients, demonstrating the critical value of our product. Agora’s ability to enhance efficiency and save costs makes it an essential tool for our clients, even in tough times. Growing rapidly in this challenging market is a testament to the power and value of our product.”
Evolution Of Agora’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Mor noted:
“Since launching, Agora’s technology has significantly evolved to meet the growing needs of real estate investment firms. Initially focused on providing a comprehensive investment management platform, Agora has expanded into vertical SaaS by offering financial and accounting products. These include advanced tax services, bookkeeping services, and international payments. This expansion allows us to integrate all aspects of investment management and financial administration into a single, seamless platform. By doing so, we ensure that our clients benefit from streamlined operations, enhanced accuracy, and improved efficiency, making it easier for them to manage and grow their investments.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Mor cited:
“Since our founding in 2019, Agora has experienced remarkable growth:
— We now support over 100,000 investors.
— Our team has expanded from 60 employees in January 2023 to over 140 in December 2024.
— Agora’s platform manages over $210 billion in assets under management (AUM) across every asset class, including multifamily, residential, industrial, malls, office, agriculture, and debt and equity funds.
— We have expanded into vertical SaaS by offering accounting and financial services to meet the growing needs of real estate investment firms. We now offer services such as tax, bookkeeping, and international payments, integrating all aspects of investment management and financial administration into a single, seamless platform.
— We have been recognized among G2’s Top 100 Fastest Growing Products and received multiple industry awards for leadership, usability, and customer satisfaction.’
Customer Success Stories
After asking Mor about the company’s success stories, he highlighted:
“One notable success story is from Metonic, a private real estate company in the Midwest, which increased investor engagement by 70% and cut the time spent on back-office work tenfold using Agora’s platform. Gel-fund, a group of residential private equity funds in Philadelphia, saved $90,000 annually by leveraging Agora’s tax and bookkeeping services. Katz Capital, a real estate private equity service based in Florida, significantly streamlined its fundraising and investor communications processes with Agora. Additionally, Equity Multiple, a CRE investment and technology firm, expedited the tax filing process by three months using Agora’s Tax Services while increasing the delivery of K-1s by 50%. These success stories illustrate how Agora’s platform empowers real estate firms to achieve greater efficiency and improve investor relations.
For more detailed case studies, you can visit Agora’s case studies page.
Funding
When asking Mor about the company’s funding details, he revealed:
“Agora has successfully raised a total of $64 million in funding, reflecting strong investor confidence in our vision and capabilities. Our most recent round of funding was in May 2024, when we raised $34 million in our Series B round from Aleph and two other investors. This latest round of funding will help us accelerate our growth, enhance our technology, and expand into new markets.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Mor assessed:
“The Total Addressable Market (TAM) for real estate investment software is growing significantly. According to recent reports, the global real estate software market was valued at approximately USD 10.89 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 25.39 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.8% from 2023 to 2030 (Grand View Research).”
“Agora is targeting a substantially larger TAM, estimated at over $100B, due to its vertical SaaS approach, which broadens the scope beyond traditional real estate software. This growth is driven by the continuous launch of innovative products designed to address the inefficiencies and fragmented systems prevalent in the real estate industry. By expanding its offerings beyond real estate investment software to include services such as tax management, bookkeeping, and international payments, Agora aims to capture a significant share of a more extensive market. Our innovative approach, combined with a focus on vertical SaaS and ongoing expansion into new products and regions, positions Agora to drive efficiency and growth for real estate investment firms worldwide.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Mor affirmed:
“Agora provides the market’s leading all-in-one real estate investment experience. Its easy-to-use and customizable software simplifies investment management and allows our clients to focus on growth.”
“Unlike competitors, it’s not only software but also provides a comprehensive solution for real estate investment firms with domestic and international payments and dedicated CPA services that save time and money.”
“Agora’s customization capabilities and overall ease of use are unmatched. Its modern, intuitive design provides the best look and feel for real estate investment firms and investors.”
“We have a highly trained, dedicated support and success team. Every client has an account manager who knows their business intimately.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future company goals? Mor pointed out:
“Our future goals include expanding our vertical SaaS offerings, developing new products, and entering new markets. We aim to continue innovating and providing comprehensive solutions that meet the evolving needs of real estate investment firms through the following initiatives:
- Expanding our vertical SaaS offerings: We aim to deepen our product portfolio by developing new solutions that cater to the operational and financial needs of real estate investment firms.
- Entering new markets: We plan to expand our presence into new geographical markets, continuing to bring our innovative platform to more real estate investment firms globally.
- Enhancing technology: We will continue to invest in our technology to ensure that our platform remains the most advanced and user-friendly solution available. This includes ongoing improvements to our existing features and the development of new tools to meet the evolving needs of our clients.
- Fostering innovation: We are committed to staying at the forefront of industry trends and continuously innovating to provide our clients with cutting-edge solutions that drive efficiency and growth.
- Building the best real estate investment experience: Our ultimate goal is to create the most comprehensive and seamless real estate investment experience in the market, enabling our clients to scale their businesses effortlessly and foster strong investor relations.”
Additional Thoughts
Any other topics you would like to discuss? Mor concluded:
“I’d love to talk about the people and culture at Agora. Building a company is not just about overcoming challenges and delivering value to customers; it’s also about fostering a fulfilling and supportive environment. It’s incredibly rewarding to see our team grow and thrive. Our culture is a significant part of our success, and I’m extremely proud of the community we’ve built at Agora. Our values are the cornerstone of this culture:
— Strive for excellence: We are committed to professionalism in everything we do. We think, plan, and execute to the best of our abilities, and then iterate to consistently improve.
— Be kind, always: We treat each other, our customers, and our partners with integrity, respect, and kindness. We are here to do good in the world
— Build trust: Trust is the foundation of all relationships. Especially in real estate, whether it’s relationships or data, trust is sacred.
— Own it: We own our work and are committed to the success of the entire team. We hold ourselves accountable for our work and our mistakes, and for communicating and collaborating effectively from start to finish.
— Love the customer: We live and breathe real estate investment. Every solution is meticulously crafted to remove friction, and every interaction is designed to elevate the customer experience.
— Dream big: We’re driven by realistic optimism. We believe everything is possible and are constantly pushing boundaries.
These values drive our daily interactions and long-term strategies, ensuring that we maintain a strong, cohesive, and motivated team dedicated to achieving our vision.”
