Aaron Block
New York
VC @MetaPropNYC. Author (PropTech101.com), certified coach, speaker. Global real estate, technology, innovation (#PropTech) insights. @YPO. Dad.
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Articles by Aaron Block
How one iron foundry fostered a competitive edge by incorporating SCADA and ERP
Learning Objectives Understand how Ferroloy, a foundry headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, automated its data collection processes to establish a connected, integrated factory. Grasp steps needed to automate in ways that help connect systems and processes. SCADA and ERP insights Investing in digital transformation initiatives can help industrial plants remain competitive.
What makes an HMI excel on the plant floor
Learning Objectives Understand what role human-machine interfaces (HMIs) in different facilities. Learn how HMIs are used in different ways to overcome challenges. Learn what general principles and concepts make HMIs the same regardless of industry. HMI insights When it comes to human-machine interface (HMI) design, there are basic concepts to keep in mind, but no one-size-fits-all solution.
PLCs remain essential in modern automation
Since programmable logic controllers (PLCs) ushered in Industry 3.0 over 50 years ago, they have remained one of the cornerstones of automation. PLCs are industrial computers used to control various electro-mechanical processes in manufacturing facilities and automation environments.
Cybersecurity and IT/OT convergence: How to prepare your team
Figure 2: Complexity of design scales with size, third-party interfaces and types of equipment employed in the ICS. Courtesy: Hargrove Controls + Automation Cyberattacks have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. While information technology (IT)/operational technology (OT) convergence remains a hot topic, the conversation about cybersecurity for industrial control systems (ICS) has fallen on deaf ears in some cases.
What OT teams can learn from IT teams
Information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) teams have historically been separated over the years — and for good reason. Their priorities are different. Their approaches and processes are different. They inhabit different worlds of digital and physical results. However, the worlds are colliding from strategic initiatives related to Industry 4.0 or digital transformation. This gives even more impetus to discover what they can learn from one another.
How manufacturers can improve cybersecurity
Learning Objectives Industry 4.0’s rise in manufacturers means cybersecurity risks have increased. Hardening physical systems and staying vigilant are two good ways to reduce cybersecurity risks. Implementing a comprehensive information security management system can help manufacturers account for physical, digital and legal risks.
Five levels of cybersecurity in an automated network
As manufacturers continue to adopt Industry 4.0 and IIoT technology, cybersecurity is becoming more and more critical with each passing day. Successfully protecting a network requires not only constant vigilance but strategies for securing an organization at every level. However, even with the best preparation, there is always a chance of attack. Consider the three laws of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) security: Nothing is 100% secure. All software can be hacked.
Six ways to optimize SCADA system alarming
As the world of automation continues to embrace Industry 4.0 technology and smart manufacturing, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems are becoming more complex. With added complexity comes more potential for processes or machinery to fall out of spec. Because of this, modern systems require constant monitoring while in operation, which is why having a well-maintained alarm system is so essential.
The Pandemic Pushed Insurtech Funding to an All-Time High
Related Expertise: Insurance, Digital Transformation, Risk Management March 31, 2021 By Aaron Block, Jürgen Bohrmann, Mikolaj Boltuc, Guglielmo de Stefano, Jean-Werner de T'Serclaes, Nick Gagnon, Or Klier, Rahel Lebefromm, Gareth Ng, and Pauline Wray Globally, insurtechs raised $7.5 billion last year, as COVID-19 accelerated the need for digital transformation in insurance. By one obvious measure, 2020 was a disastrous year for the insurance industry.
[Opinion] Proptech investors still have good reason for optimism
Like most businesses, the property technology (proptech) industry has slowed considerably during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, when the economy (not Wall Street, which is often a historically false indicator of overall economic health) returns to an upward trajectory, proptech investors may be in a good position to return to action.
InsurTech Enters the ’20s with Sustained Success
Related Expertise:Insurance, Technology & Digital February 24, 2020 By Aaron Block , Juergen Bohrmann , Mikolaj Boltuc , Guglielmo de Stefano , Jean-Werner de T'Serclaes , Nick Gagnon , Or Klier , Rahel Lebefromm , Gareth Ng , Teresa Schreiber , and Pauline Wray There has never been a better time for an entrepreneur to create and scale a startup.
2017: A PropTech Year in Review
In summing up 2017, it was a big year for the global PropTech community. Some of my favorite highlights included PropTech IPOs/exits for Redfin, Qube, Real Matters, and ForRent; high profile equity rounds for PropTech leaders like WeWork, Cadre, Compstak, Honest Buildings, Convene, Common, Compass (All NY based) and Nested, and new venture fund announcements from FifthWall, Aurum, PiLabs and Navitas. Additionally, 2017 was also one heck of a year for MetaProp NYC and our portfolio companies.
40 Reasons To Attend The 2017 MIPIM PropTech Summit
Like PropTech? Here’s 40 Reasons You Can’t Miss the 2017 MIPIM PropTech Summit! We are in the midst of next great revolution of technology and there is no better time to be in PropTech than right now. With PropTech accelerating at a breakneck pace, with billions of dollars being funneled into hundreds of startups, it's hard to keep up with the change that is occurring each and every day.
In Memoriam: Celebrating The Life Of Lawyer Trinh Huynh
(4/28/2017, (9:15 a.m.): Please note the UPDATE below, information about how to contribute to the Trinh Huynh Hope Fund. “Never had I imagined / Living without your smile / Feeling and knowing you hear me / It keeps me alive, alive.” — Mariah Carey Last week, in a senseless act of violence, Trinh Huynh, an in-house attorney for UPS, was gunned down during rush hour in Midtown Atlanta. This incident is hardly isolated. It is part of a disturbing, noticeable pattern.
Partnerships are the key to MetaProp NYC story
New York City has steadily and increasingly become the home for technology related real estate ventures. Tapping into the rapidly growing interest in technological innovation taking place locally and globally, MetaProp NYC, the world’s premier real estate technology (“RETech” or “PropTech”) nexus, was created in spring 2015 to provide the highest level of support and growth for real estate technology startups through its fund, accelerator and advisory businesses.
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