Wreno’s end-to-end proptech solution aims to solve labor supply issues in home evaluation, renovation, and maintenance trades.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#PropTech—Wreno, a cutting-edge proptech platform that trains and connects workers and trade partners with institutional real estate companies, today announced that it has raised $5 million in seed funding led by Lerer Hippeau with participation from Fifth Wall, Owl Ventures, NFX, among others. The round’s angel participation also includes senior management from top single-family home institutions, as well as founders such as Vikas Choudhary from Porter and Alexey Dubov and Sam Ruben from Mighty Buildings. The company has raised a total of $6.1 million to date.

This investment will allow the company to continue to scale into new markets across the US, leverage new technologies, develop new service offerings for customers, and further enhance the platform’s existing machine learning capabilities.

Wreno was founded in 2021 by Charlotte Schell and Mark Barton, two former Zillow employees with extensive experience in business and real estate. Currently based in Arizona, the company works with some of the country’s largest institutional real estate companies across five states already, connecting them with skilled workers and trade partners to help maintain, repair, renovate, and evaluate tens of thousands of homes.

Currently, the US repair and maintenance workforce is declining at an unprecedented rate, despite the fact that by 2030 the top ten institutional homeowners alone are expected to spend $3.2 billion dollars a year on renovation, routine maintenance, and home evaluations. The shortage of the workforce has resulted in costly delays and unfulfilled projects, representing a significant pain point for institutional homeowners.

Wreno is addressing this underserved market by skilling new labor supply and leveraging machine learning along with end-to-end software solutions to provide faster and more accurate home evaluations and data collection at scale. The platform also optimizes fragmented local trade businesses to provide adjacent repair, maintenance, and renovation services.

“The average US home is 37 years old today. With an aging workforce, the labor supply in this industry shrunk by 38% since 2018. As a result, every 1 out of 3 jobs in home maintenance and management are getting delayed. It was clear to us that increasing utilization of existing workers and skilled trades is no longer enough,” says Wreno co-founder Charlotte Schell. “With a unique business model, we are opening previously inaccessible job opportunities to fresh labor supply, while also utilizing technology to allow more people to complete tasks that would normally be considered ‘skilled’ or ‘semi-skilled.’ We are the first technology company that tackles this societal issue from the root.”

“The rapidly-growing iBuyer, REIT, and proptech markets have been constrained by labor. Wreno’s end-to-end platform opens up labor supply for those companies while bringing efficiencies and improved customer experience to the market,” says Isabelle Phelps, Partner at Lerer Hippeau. “Wreno upskills gig workers and uses technology to provide faster and better estimations and services, pulling together the right mix of software and vendors to support repair and maintenance for businesses at scale.”

About Wreno

Wreno is an end-to-end home evaluation and maintenance service platform for iBuyers, REITs, and prop tech companies. Using the latest in ML and computer vision, Wreno upskills gig workers to provide faster and more accurate home estimations and data collection at scale, while also optimizing fragmented local trade businesses to provide much needed repair and maintenance services. Wreno’s full suite of technology also allows real estate companies to more efficiently recruit, onboard, train, and deploy their own internal home evaluation professionals and vendors at scale. www.wreno.io

About Lerer Hippeau

Lerer Hippeau is an early-stage venture capital fund based in New York City. The firm’s portfolio contains more than 350 leading consumer and enterprise companies, including Guideline, MIRROR, Blockdaemon, K Health, Allbirds, ZenBusiness, and Thrive, among others. The Lerer Hippeau team is made up of experienced operators who invest early and stay in founders’ corners forever. https://www.lererhippeau.com/

Contacts

Charlotte Schell

650.308.8083 | charlotte@wreno.io

RICHMOND, British Columbia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Fine Choice Foods, a market-leading producer of quality Asian-inspired foods, announced the opening of its second manufacturing facility, also located in Richmond, with a recent in-person celebration. The event included remarks from Honourable Lana Popham, BC Minister of Agriculture and Food; Mayor Malcolm Brodie, Mayor of the City of Richmond, BC; and Jason Longden, CEO of Fine Choice Foods. The new facility will produce spring rolls equal to the length of more than 700 football fields on a weekly basis, creating more than 70 new jobs as part of the company’s continued growth.

“The local food system is a critical economic driver and we’re pleased to be able to support Fine Choice Food and the opportunities they are providing for the residents of British Columbia,” said Honourable Lana Popham, BC Minister of Agriculture and Food. “By using 3.5 million lbs of locally grown vegetables each year, along with a number of other regionally sourced products, the company’s support for this community and its farmers benefits everyone as they continue to expand their presence in both Canada and the United States.”

The new facility, an existing warehouse transformed into a 50,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art CFIA federally approved food processing facility, signifies a meaningful financial investment in Fine Choice Foods’ infrastructure, immediately creating significant value for local farmers and suppliers as well as valuable jobs for British Columbians during a challenging economic environment.

“The impact of this expansion is tremendous and we’re extremely proud to support the growth of Fine Choice Foods,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie, Mayor of the City of Richmond. “The creation of more than 70 new jobs creates a significant economic impact in the region we believe will continue to grow, and we’re honored to be part of it.”

The event featured traditional Chinese lion dancing, a tour of the new facility, an official ribbon cutting, and samples of SUMM! products, including spring rolls, dumplings, and apple pie rolls.

“The opening of this new facility is an important milestone for Fine Choice Foods and critical to our continued success,” said Jason Longden, CEO of Fine Choice Foods. “We’re extremely proud of our growth over the past several decades and more importantly, proud to be able to honor the legacy of the Lui family and the SUMM! brand they created more than 30 years ago.”

About Fine Choice Foods

Located in Richmond, BC, Fine Choice Foods is a market-leading producer of quality Asian-inspired foods for the North American market. Founded by the Lui family in 1986, Fine Choice Foods specializes in spring rolls, gyoza dumplings, and the original apple pie roll under the SUMM! brand. Starting as a small store on Cambie Street in Vancouver employing three people, the company has grown to a staff of more than 350, serving consumers throughout Canada and parts of the United States from two state-of-the-art facilities. For more information, please visit www.SUMMFOODS.com.

Contacts

Jeremy Milner

BackBay Communications

(401) 862-9422

jeremy.milner@backbaycommunications.com

VANCOUVER, British Columbia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Keltic Canada Development (Keltic) is proud to announce it will be breaking ground on its newest health-innovation project. Building off recent and successful landmark projects like The Paramount in Richmond, Keltic is proud to team-up with Masimo, a leading global medical innovator with a history of breakthroughs in healthcare technology. Together, they are excited to announce their plans for the new multi-level facility.

The project site, located at 220 Prior Street, is on the northwest corner of the future St. Paul’s Hospital site. Previously, the site was occupied by a warehouse built in 1945, which was owned by European Specialty’s Importer Ltd. between 1957 and 2017. Located on the shoreline of the eastern half of the false creek, this point of intersection has historical significance and is considered a buoy. This innovative project will be the first building in the Healthcare Precinct in the FLATS district. The property* is 100,000 square feet and will feature clinical research, product development, and retail spaces.

With a focus on developing solutions to the most challenging issues in healthcare, Masimo is the ideal fit for this project that will become a cornerstone of research and innovation in B.C. and Canada.

“We’re proud to see that our reputation as a leader in the life sciences sector has helped lead Masimo to expand their operations in B.C.,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation. “Our StrongerBC Economic Plan is focused on preparing British Columbians for the careers of the future – including the 170 good-paying jobs Masimo is announcing here today.”

“Our team is thrilled to finally be breaking ground. We are excited to work with Masimo and to be a part of such a positive project for the medical industry in Vancouver,” remarked Rachel Li Lei, Managing Director, CEO Keltic Canada Development. “We are committed to strengthening and providing Canadians with facilities that promote a healthy standard of living within their communities.”

For more information on Keltic, visit www.kelticdevelopment.com.

About Keltic Canada Development

Keltic is a Canadian-owned, diversified real estate development company, headquartered in Vancouver B.C. Their numerous projects include residential, industrial, and mixed-use developments. Keltic is supported by its solid financial strength and world-class management team, with a clear focus on long-term strategic growth in Greater Vancouver, B.C.

*Renderings of the 9-storey building are available upon request.

Contacts

Media
Max Jakubke

PUBLiSH Partners

778-772-7336

max@publishpartners.co

Bold, calming blue-green hue represents consumers’ desire for stability in uncertain world

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As the outside world grapples with rising uncertainty, Canadians are yearning for increased serenity and stability inside their homes. This trend has spurred SICO™ paint brand by PPG to select Melt Water (6156-63) – a grounded, refreshing teal that combines the healing powers of water and nature with balance and tranquility – as its 2023 Colour of the Year.

Melt Water is a robust and refined bluish-greenish tone that intertwines bold blue and calming green to create a captivating colour symbolic of deep water. Its adaptable blue-jeweled hue sets a soothing, serene mood in spaces, while its emerald nuances evoke feelings of equilibrium. Paired together, these two undertones create an ultra-rich, uber-trendy colour that blends well with contemporary designs or adds a refined pop of colour to traditional decor.

“On the other side of the pandemic, people are looking for a mental reset and want to infuse their homes with invigorating colours that help give them a boost as well as refuge in today’s unpredictable world,” said Martin Fuchs, PPG senior marketing manager, Sico paint brand. “Melt Water accomplishes just that with its energizing yet grounding vibe. It’s symbolic of a newfound outlook and works exceptionally well in any space – both interior and exterior.”

To incorporate trending teal into the home, Sico paint brand offers these tips:

• Paint Melt Water on all four walls, paired with deeper-toned woods and off-white trim.
• For a more luxurious feel, Melt Water can go glam when accessorized with golden accents and bright white trim.
• Enjoy the understated elegance of a teal accent wall or serve up a statement by featuring Melt Water on kitchen cabinetry.
• Even the most modest spaces can benefit from the teal treatment. If short on square footage but big on style, use this rich hue as a bold contrast to a neutral palette, making a petite room feel plush.
• As an exterior, use a blue-green hue to punctuate a home’s personality, adding immediate curb appeal when featured on a front door.

Among the other popular 2023 colours unveiled by Sico paint brand are equally bold and soothing deep greenish-gray, forest green, muted terracotta and coppery brown hues. The brand’s Ancient Lava (6208-73), Boreal Forest (6167-83), Brown Tobacco (6189-52) and Faux Leather (6068-83) all pair beautifully with Melt Water.

All of Sico paint brand’s 2023 colours are one-coat paint colours available in recently introduced SICO PRESTIGE™ paint, which Fuchs described as one of the brand’s best paints ever. The breakthrough, ultra-resilient interior paint-plus-primer is designed to maximize colour and quality while minimizing the effort required to apply and maintain the paint. The palette is also available in one-coat protection Sico Super Premium Exterior paint.

To find Melt Water and the rest of the 2023 trends colours at a nearby store, visit sico.ca. Consumers can try out the new colours in advance on a photo of their own home by using Sico paint brand’s online Deco Colour Lab® and see the transformation in just a few clicks.

Since 1937, the Sico paint brand has provided Canadian do-it-yourself consumers with a complete line of high-quality interior and exterior paints. The brand is recognized as the market leader and can be found on the shelves of more than 1,300 retailers, including Rona, Lowe’s, Kent and other premium paint retailers.

PPG’s architectural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada is an industry leader in residential and commercial coatings, delivering the latest technologies and operational advancements through its strong portfolio of brands. It manufactures and sells interior and exterior paints, stains, caulks, repair products, adhesives and sealants for homeowners and professionals. Its distribution network includes more than 15,000 touchpoints through company-owned stores, independent dealer locations and major home improvement centers across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.ppgpaints.com.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD®

At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for nearly 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 75 countries and reported net sales of $16.8 billion in 2021. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial, and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

The PPG Logo and We protect and beautify the world are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

Sico and Sico Prestige are trademarks of PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc.

CATEGORY Architectural Coatings Americas and Asia Pacific

Contacts

Kaitlyn Craig

PPG Architectural Coatings

1-412-377-7456

kcraig@ppg.com

Gail Bergman

GBPR

1-905-886-1340

gbergman@gailbergmanpr.com
www.sico.ca