SearchSmartly

SearchSmartly is a property technology company, founded in London in 2018 by Taha Dar and Gil Razafinarivo, that develops AI-powered search and discovery tools for the global real estate market. The firm's core mission is to redefine the property search experience by focusing on lifestyle factors rather than traditional, rigid filters. Founder and CEO Taha Dar, a former Aerodynamics Engineer at the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team, leveraged his background in data and engineering, combined with an MBA from London Business School, to tackle the inefficiencies he observed in the property market. He met co-founder Gil Razafinarivo, who had an extensive background in technology sales, during his MBA program after bonding over a shared frustration with finding a suitable family home.

The company operates on a B2B SaaS model, providing its technology to property portals, marketplaces, and large real estate agencies like Savills and JLL. Revenue is generated on a usage-based pricing model tied to the number of API calls, with clients paying monthly fees for access to the technology. SearchSmartly's flagship product is its API and whitelabel platform, which includes the "SmartScore" recommendation engine. This engine analyzes hundreds of data points—such as commute times, proximity to parks, school quality, and even air pollution—to create a hyper-personalized match between a home seeker's unique lifestyle preferences and available properties. This approach uncovers suitable properties in areas seekers might not have initially considered, significantly improving the quality of leads for advertisers by up to five times the industry standard.

For the end-user, this translates into a more intuitive and efficient search that moves beyond simple filters for location and price. The technology allows users to prioritize lifestyle needs, which the company found are the primary consideration for a majority of movers. For its business clients, SearchSmartly's AI-driven platform helps differentiate their offerings, enhance consumer loyalty, and increase average revenue per advertiser by delivering pre-qualified leads. The company has raised a total of $1.46 million in funding from investors including Founders Factory, Syndicate Room, Blue Lake VC, and REACH UK to fuel its expansion.

Keywords: property technology, proptech, AI property search, real estate API, B2B SaaS, property matchmaking, lifestyle property search, lead generation real estate, Taha Dar, real estate data analytics, SmartScore, property discovery engine, personalized home search, real estate portals, agent tools, rental search technology, home buying platform, UK proptech, London startup, real estate AI