Upgrade Estate develops student housing and residential concepts that are not only financially viable, but also create social impact. “Our mission is to bring people together. For us, real estate is the setting that makes that possible. We want everyone who walks into our buildings to leave with a smile.”

To make that possible, a solid financial foundation is essential. “Real estate and energy infrastructure require significant capital,” he explains. “That’s why we’ve chosen a model that actively connects and engages investors. For each project, we set up a separate property company in which real estate investors become shareholders. This approach encourages them to look at their impact investment in a more holistic way, rather than focusing on a single entity. It doesn’t just spread risk, but also responsibility, and a sense of shared achievement. Today, we see others adopting this model as well. For me, that’s a clear sign that its social impact extends beyond our own organisation, and that makes me genuinely happy.”

One moment that particularly inspired him was a breakfast with economist Kate Raworth, organised by The Shift. “The idea of the doughnut economy really fascinates me. That’s why we’ve made our business model circular, with a buy-back system in place.”

A web of regulation and rising awareness

The transition doesn’t come without obstacles. “Regulatory overload is one of the bigger challenges,” Koenraad says. “Our society is heavily regulated, and sometimes that’s necessary, but it can also hold back innovation. There’s a real web of rules that makes many processes unnecessarily complex. We need to create room to develop new models, within frameworks that actually allow for that.”

Sustainable finance starts with insight and awareness. “Invest in knowledge,” Koenraad says. “Understand what sustainability really means and involve all your stakeholders. It needs to be a voluntary choice, supported by everyone and fully embedded in how you operate. There is still far too much lack of understanding, even at the top.

What advice would you give to other organisations looking to work on system change?

“Invest in a forest. The cycle is at least 80 to 100 years. When you walk through it, you can feel what the long term really means. And the long term doesn’t have to be boring.”