Dan Drogman Selected As ‘One To Watch’ By LDC In Its Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Pioneers 2023 Award Scheme

Smart Spaces announces that its chief executive and co-founder, Dan Drogman, has been named by LDC as ‘One to Watch’ at its annual Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Pioneers 2023 awards scheme.

Created by a trusted investment partner LDC-part of Lloyds Banking Group, and supported by The Times newspaper, The LDC Top 50 champions the business pioneers who are pushing for growth and building successful medium-sized businesses. This year’s nominations–which totaled almost 500-were of an exceptionally high caliber and the competition was fierce, showcasing the drive and determination that unites business pioneers across the UK.

Features in the LDC Top 50

The pioneers featured in the LDC Top 50 are growing their businesses at home and overseas

The pioneers featured in the LDC Top 50 are growing their businesses at home and overseas, making a positive contribution to society and driving progress against their sustainability goals. They hail from every corner of the UK and span every sector of the economy. Together, they employ more than 6,700 people and turn over more than £1.2bn.

Since it was founded in 2010, Smart Spaces has grown significantly to become a pioneering developer of smart building software for the global commercial real estate sector.

Key success highlights

• Operations worldwide, with projects in 26 countries and over 60 million sqft of global office space now managed through its software platform;

• A strong foothold in the UK with prestigious customers including AXA, CBRE, The Crown Estate, Jones Lang LaSalle, Hines, Land Security Group, Lewis Silkin, and Santander. Smart Spaces’ software is used in some of the most celebrated developments in London–for example, 22 Bishopsgate, Bankside Yards, Paddington Square and 1 Berkley Street–but further afield in Manchester (The Noma neighborhood) and Leeds (Wellington Place). 

• New offices opened in Prague this year to target mainland Europe, along with New York to support USA expansion given North America is a key growth priority;

• Major new operating system developments which include three primary enhancements as below:

1. 1. Integration with Apple Wallet. This makes it quicker and more convenient to utilize the Smart Spaces app to gain access to a building as the credential required for door entry is 'saved' in Apple Wallet. Working with partner, HID, achieving authorization from Apple to do this is a major coup for a company the size of Smart Spaces.
   2. Integration with charge point. This enables people to quickly find the closest EV charging stations for their cars-direct from the app.
   3. Integration with KONE lifts. Again, this is a major success for Smart Spaces given KONE is a world titan in lift and escalator manufacturing. As soon as a person arrives and ‘badges in’ at a turnstile gate using their smartphone, a lift to the correct floor is immediately called. This means a user avoids having to press buttons or wait longer for a lift to arrive than is absolutely necessary. Journey times are improved and worker productivity boosted as people get to their floors faster. The combined KONE and Smart Spaces solution also offers other benefits. For office workers who use a wheelchair or have other health conditions or impairments, the system can be set to recognize them, with the lifts programmed to allow more time for entry and exit. Voice command is also an option.

Potential for future growth

The Ones to Watch are pioneers making great strides and growing their businesses

John Garner, Managing Partner at LDC, said, “We started The LDC Top 50 six years ago to champion the remarkable success stories of medium-sized businesses, the unsung heroes of the British economy. Since then, we’ve received more than 3,000 nominations and celebrated more than 500 business pioneers through the program, surpassing all our expectations. The stories behind this year’s Ones to Watch really captured our attention and I’d like to congratulate them on their achievements so far. We’ve no doubt that this is only the beginning for each and every one of them.”

The Ones to Watch are pioneers making great strides and growing their businesses. They are excelling in their industries and making a positive impact on customers and employees, yet still show so much potential for future growth.

Author's quote

Dan Drogman, says, “Our ambition is to be the world’s pioneering smart building operating system for commercial real estate. Our software platform and app enhance the experience and productivity of hybrid workers and people visiting buildings, with CRE owners, FM service providers, and tenants able to improve the operational engineering and energy efficiency of offices."

"Winning a One to Watch award from LDC is a super endorsement of what we’ve achieved and it’s a real honor personally. But in reality, the award should also be for the tremendously talented team I work with, without whom our growth would just not have been realized.”