Blueprints and Breakthroughs - Harvard Real Estate Review

Scott Paton, Managing Partner at CrossHarbor Capital Partners, joins Blueprints & Breakthroughs to discuss risk, long-term ownership, and investing in experience-driven real estate. Drawing on a career across high-yield banking, private equity, mezzanine investing, and fundraising, Scott explains CrossHarbor’s emphasis on disciplined underwriting, creative structuring, and downside protection.The conversation centres on CrossHarbor’s evolution in Big Sky, Montana – from Yellowstone Club’s restructuring to a broader destination strategy spanning resort land, hospitality, workforce housing, and infrastructure. Scott also discusses the K-economy, private-resort demand, and CrossHarbor’s partnership with Singer Vehicle Design at Willow Springs International Raceway, where the firm is preserving an iconic motorsport venue while enhancing its operations and member experience.Scott Paton is a Managing Partner and Head of Business Development and Investor Relations at CrossHarbor Capital Partners, a Boston-based private real estate investment firm with a three-decade track record investing across traditional and alternative property sectors, and across equity and credit strategies. Before joining CrossHarbor in 2023, Scott was Managing Director of Private Equity Coverage at William Blair and other growth focused investment banks. He was also a co-founding partner of CapVest and MezzVest, a London-based private equity and mezzanine firm.

Jan Smidek, Partner at JMA Ventures, joins Blueprints & Breakthroughs to discuss investing in hospitality, leisure, and other experience-driven real estate. Drawing on a career that began in data-driven economic consulting and has since spanned acquisitions, development, and operations, Jan explains why investors must distinguish model precision from accuracy and why capital structure can matter as much as asset quality.The conversation spans the bifurcation between luxury and midscale hospitality, contrarian opportunities in markets facing capital-flight narratives, and the practical applications of AI in hotel revenue management and asset management. Jan also unpacks the nearly two-decade evolution of Homewood Mountain Resort in Lake Tahoe, including its transition toward a four-season, mountain-and-lake hospitality platform in partnership with Discovery Land Company.Jan Smidek is a Partner at JMA Ventures, a San Francisco-based real estate investment and development firm focused on hospitality, leisure, and mixed-use assets. He joined JMA in 2009, has overseen more than $750 million in transactions, and lectures on real estate at UC Berkeley.

David Smith, Deputy CEO of Echelon Data Centres, joins Blueprints & Breakthroughs to discuss the data centre investment thesis and unpack how Echelon is building powered hyperscaler campuses across Ireland, the UK, Italy, and Spain. Drawing on nearly a decade at Starwood Capital before joining Echelon, David explains how Echelon grew from an Irish office developer into one of Europe’s leading digital infrastructure players, and why integrating energy assets has become central to both growth and regulation. The conversation spans demand from hyperscalers, Ireland’s grid constraints, sovereign AI and data in Europe, and Echelon’s new joint venture with Iberdrola in Spain.David Smith is Deputy CEO of Echelon Data Centres, a leading owner and operator of large-scale data centre infrastructure headquartered in Ireland. Before joining Echelon, initially as Chief Investment Officer, he spent nearly a decade at Starwood Capital Group, where he helped build and lead the firm’s European data centre investment strategy after earlier roles in Citi’s credit risk and commercial real estate financing teams in Dublin and London.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Raj Singh, Managing Partner at JLL Spark, the corporate venture capital arm of JLL. With over 20 years of experience in venture capital, technology, and strategic leadership, Raj shares his career journey and his mission to drive innovation in the real estate industry through PropTech investments.We explore why real estate has lagged in tech adoption and whether this creates unique opportunities or challenges for startups. Raj delves into how JLL Spark is carving its niche in the VC ecosystem by leveraging its integration with the broader JLL platform to support deal sourcing and portfolio companies.Raj shares his insights on the most exciting PropTech trends over the next decade, including the global evolution of technology investment across markets like MENA and APAC.Tune in to hear Raj Singh’s expert insights on the future of technology in real estate and how to make a meaningful impact in this dynamic space.

Join us for an engaging conversation with Wan-Li Zhu, the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Suffolk Technologies, as he shares insights from his extensive background in venture capital and his motivation for launching Suffolk Tech. Suffolk Technologies, the venture capital affiliate of Suffolk Construction, is at the forefront of driving innovation in the construction industry.In this episode, Wan-Li discusses why the construction sector has been slow to adopt technology and how Suffolk Technologies plays a pivotal role in changing this dynamic. He explains how Suffolk Tech differentiates itself in the VC ecosystem, leveraging its unique position to raise capital, source deals, and work closely with portfolio companies.We also dive into some of Suffolk Tech's recent investments, exploring the trends and themes that Wan-Li finds most exciting, including where technology and investment trends are heading over the next 5-10 years across established and emerging markets.Tune in to gain valuable insights from Wan-Li Zhu on the future of technology in construction and the global opportunities that lie ahead.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Catherine Buell, a distinguished Loeb Fellow at Harvard University, known for her impactful work in urban planning and development. Catherine shares details about her role at Amazon, where she has played a pivotal role in developing the Housing Equity Fund. Amazon's Housing Equity Fund deployed significant funding for community development and affordable housing initiatives.In this episode, we’ll explore Catherine’s background and her journey to Amazon. She provides insights on the fund structure and funding deployment criteria, including a focus on BIPOC developer participation. Catherine will explain why this model was successful during COVID and how it could be altered today to address the ongoing affordable housing crisis.Tune in for Catherine’s expert insights and practical guidance on leading the future of inclusive and sustainable urban development.

Join us for a compelling conversation with Dan McKenna, an esteemed architect and educator, as we explore his work with Nightingale Housing. Nightingale is addressing critical issues in housing affordability and sustainability in Australia, striving to create socially, financially, and environmentally sustainable urban communities.In this episode, Dan will provide insights into Nightingale's unique business model, organizational structure, and the supporting technologies that drive their success. We’ll also discuss the potential for replicating this innovative housing model in other geographies.Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Dan’s experience and vision for the future of sustainable housing.

Join us for an engaging discussion with Joe Sumberg and Nicolette Jaze from Galvanize Climate Solutions. Joe is Managing Partner and Head of Real Estate and Nicolette is the Head of ESG & Sustainability for the Real Estate strategy. In this episode, we'll explore:Their climate-oriented investment thesis Their mission to decarbonize buildings through innovative technologyGalvanize's unique value creation strategy, governance practices, and the distinctive elements that set them apart in the marketValuable advice for early to mid-career professionals on how to approach sustainability in real estate and create opportunities for impact through their workAnd much more! Tune in for expert insights and practical guidance on leading the future of climate-conscious real estate.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Zach Aarons, Co-Founder & General Partner at MetaProp, the world’s leading venture capital firm focused on the PropTech industry. With over a decade of experience, Zach is one of the most active early-stage PropTech investor in the U.S. His diverse background spans real estate development, commercial asset management, property marketing, and commercial leasing.In this episode, we'll explore:Zach's journey to founding MetaPropHow MetaProp differentiates itself in the investment landscapeKey insights into real estate trends and opportunities over the next 5-10 years in developing and emerging marketsAnd much more!Don't miss Zach's expert insights and practical advice for making an impact in real estate technology.

Welcome to Season 2 of Harvard Real Estate Review's podcast series titled "Blueprints and Breakthroughs," where we interview innovators and industry experts to discuss the future of real estate by covering themes and ideas that sit at the intersection of real estate, design and technology - themes that will govern and revolutionize the industry over the next few decades. Co-hosts: Samika Jain (Harvard GSD MRE) and William Sutter (Harvard GSD MRE)