Meet Pont: The Proptech
bridge worth crossing

Pont - meaning bridge - lives up to its name by seamlessly linking places and people, the physical and the digital. With a robust inventory and booking system, a fully white-labeled app tailored to each brand, and AI-driven tools enhancing efficiency, Pont is helping operators not just manage their spaces, but transform them. We sat down with CEO Manuel Conti to explore the story behind Pont, and how it’s reshaping the future of workspace management.

Pitch us Pont in 30 seconds.

Wow, that’s a challenge. At Pont, we bridge places and people - we help them grow together. That’s really at the core of what we do. We enable space owners and operators to streamline their operations, save time, increase margins, and deliver the best possible experience to their members. That’s absolutely key for us. 

Pont is built around three core pillars. The first is a robust inventory and booking management system, which our clients can fully customise based on the specific operational rules of each operator.

The second is all about brand. We offer a white-label app that reflects each operator’s imagery, values, and colour palette - giving members a seamless, branded experience and allowing them to manage everything from booking meeting rooms and checking invoices to accessing spaces independently.

And finally, community. This is a huge focus for us. We help operators foster real communities and deliver meaningful experiences to their members. Because people aren’t just looking for a desk anymore - they want connection. That’s why we place such importance on the event and community aspect. We support operators in building comprehensive member profiles that create a 360-degree view of their customers. This allows people to connect more easily with others who share similar interests or are nearby, and it unlocks genuine communication within the wider community.

Events are a big part of that. From an operator’s perspective, they’re a great source of revenue. From a member’s perspective, they’re what really bring people together. Whether it's a wine tasting, a tech talk, or a mental health workshop - these shared experiences are what build real community. And that’s what Pont enables.

How did the name, "Pont" come about?

You know, I’m half French and I live in France, so the name Pont - which means “bridge” in French - felt like a natural fit. I actually found out this morning it also means “bridge” in Welsh, which is a nice surprise. At our core, we’re about bridging people and places.

We have customers all over the world, and we support their systems and operations every day. But more than that, we give operators a network. Because in the end, we want to see the whole industry grow - not just individually, but together.

While the industry is often dominated by big names, the majority of the market is made up of smaller, independent operators. How do you view their impact, and how does Pont empower them to thrive?

Of course, we all hear the big names - but they actually represent a small share of the overall market. The vast majority is made up of small and medium-sized independent operators who are out there every day, working hard to deliver an amazing customer experience.

Our business model is built to support them. We’ve created a platform that helps unlock their operations, elevate their brand, and build stronger communities. What makes us different is that we intentionally focus on the smaller players. We believe there’s enough space in the market for everyone. If each individual operator grows, the entire industry grows - and when the industry grows, everyone benefits. That’s why we do what we do: bridging places and people, and growing together.

Pont is tackling the multi-operator challenge head-on, creating true network effects that others have struggled to achieve - how does Pont’s approach unlock new opportunities for operators and members?

We built Pont with the network effect in mind - creating a platform that connects operators globally. While many clients use Pont to manage their own spaces through the mobile app, the real power lies in the ability for an operator in the UK, for example to partner with one in New Zealand, South Africa, or the US and so on. Suddenly, their members have access to a much wider network of locations. When they travel for business, they don’t need to search elsewhere - they can just use the same app to find and book space instantly.

So who wins? The member - because finding and booking a space is faster and easier. The operator - because they’re providing a standout member experience. And the broader network, because partnerships between operators can drive revenue and growth in a way that simply wouldn’t happen in isolation.

And look, trust me, I'm not trying to pitch something that is all rainbows and unicorns - it’s a tough, competitive industry. But as the saying goes: if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. That mindset really underpins the importance of community in everything we do.

And while I’m a tech guy, I believe tech only matters if it brings real value. It’s not about having technology for the sake of it - it’s about freeing up operators to spend more time with their members. That’s the angle that really drives us.

AI is evolving rapidly across industries, and Pont is applying it in new ways to flex space. How do you see AI evolving in this space, and what role will Pont play in shaping its future and staying ahead of the curve?

You know, I’m a tech guy, so of course I love AI - and it’s fantastic. That said, I think the term is thrown around a bit too loosely these days - it’s used a bit like a swear word. Everyone’s saying “AI this, AI that,” and it starts to lose meaning.

For me, AI shouldn’t just be about doing things right - it should help us do the right things. It’s not about adding more complexity, but about removing friction. That’s where I see its real value. At Pont, we’ve integrated AI into our mobile app search. So if someone needs a space, they don’t have to fill out a form - like we so often do elsewhere. They can just type “I need an office tomorrow in [this location],” and the system will find it.

To me, AI is really about improving how we communicate with technology. And especially in commercial real estate - whether it’s serviced offices or coworking - there’s so much potential for AI to make things simpler and smarter. Ultimately, our goal is to help people find exactly what they need, in the quickest, easiest way possible.

There’s a lot of discussion around whether AI risks removing the human touch. What’s your take on that? And how do you at Pont strike that balance between automation and genuine human connection?

I think as human beings, we’re naturally a bit afraid of change - so it’s completely understandable that people worry about things like job loss. But I don’t believe we need AI just to do things faster, cheaper, or more efficiently. What we really need is for AI to help us do the right things.

In a way, and it might sound paradoxical, I actually think AI has the potential to make us more human. If we allow technology to take care of the repetitive, manual tasks, then we free up more time to do what really matters - like speaking with our customers and building relationships.

That opens up all kinds of possibilities that are incredibly powerful. At the end of the day, we have to remember that we’re social beings. We enjoy spending time together, talking to each other - and that’s not just important for business, but for our mental wellbeing too.

it’s so important to free up time for the community manager, the general manager - so they’re able to greet a member, have a real conversation, and build a connection. That’s what makes a space feel personal.

Just yesterday, I was at an event in London hosted by Simply, all about the concept of unreasonable hospitality. One idea really stuck with me: it's not about "one size fits all," it’s about "one size fits one." That mindset makes all the difference. If you can take care of the operational, behind-the-scenes tasks with the right systems - if the “boring stuff” is automated - then you create room for those genuine, human moments. Because people won’t remember what they paid, or even what you said. But they’ll always remember how you made them feel.

One of Pont’s biggest strengths is your ability to deliver a fully branded app experience. Can you tell us more about the thinking behind that? 

Yes. In a sector growing this quickly, it’s becoming harder and harder to tell who’s who - beyond the big names, of course. So the real question is: how do you stand out and stay recognisable? The answer is by building a strong, consistent brand.

That’s where our white-label app comes in. One of our biggest strengths is giving operators and business communities the ability to make the app entirely their own - from logos, colours, and language, to tone of voice. Everything can be configured down to the tiniest detail.

It means operators can offer a fully branded experience that feels native to their members - while still being powered by Pont. Members can do everything within the app: book space, register for events, view invoices, even chat with other members. It’s a tool that not only reflects the brand - it also unlocks the full potential of what a workspace experience can be.