Workframe

High-Level Overview

Workframe is a technology company that developed a web-based workflow automation software tailored for the commercial real estate (CRE) industry. The platform provides portfolio-level visibility into projects, enabling large corporate tenants, landlords, brokers, and service providers to manage distributed teams, streamline communication, accelerate project delivery, and gain actionable insights for efficiency.[1][5]

It serves stakeholders handling complex CRE project lifecycles, solving challenges like coordinating high-volume concurrent projects, document-centric workflows, and geographically dispersed teams across organizations. Founded in 2016, Workframe achieved early traction with multinational clients before being acquired by Newmark Group, Inc. (via its NKF division) in October 2019, integrating its tools into Newmark's technology ecosystem to enhance client services.[1][2]

Origin Story

Workframe was founded in 2016 by Robert Moore (CEO) and Matt Smith, experienced entrepreneurs who identified a critical gap in managing large real estate portfolios.[1] The idea emerged from a shared belief that organizations needed better tools to handle distributed teams across multiple projects, leveraging workflow automation to integrate communication, speed up delivery, and uncover trends.[1]

Early traction came from leading multinational companies adopting the platform for its unprecedented visibility and data-driven optimization. A pivotal moment arrived in 2019 when Newmark Group acquired Workframe, allowing founders Moore and Smith to deepen ties with NKF—a key partner—and embed the software into a broader tech-forward CRE platform.[1]

Core Differentiators

• CRE-Specific Workflow Automation: Built to tackle the unique complexities of CRE project lifecycles, offering a portfolio-level view that unites teams, manages documents, and provides actionable data—unlike generic tools.[1][5]
• Team Collaboration and Visibility: Enables seamless engagement for large, distributed groups including third-party stakeholders, with features for high-volume project tracking and process optimization.[1][4]
• Insights and Efficiency Gains: Delivers data analytics to drive trends analysis, accelerate delivery, and enhance understanding across initiatives, earning adoption by multinational CRE players pre-acquisition.[1]
• Post-Acquisition Integration: Now powers Newmark/NKF's client-facing platforms, combining with their data analytics for superior broker advice and predictive client needs.[1]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Workframe rides the wave of workflow automation and proptech innovation in commercial real estate, a sector increasingly digitizing amid demands for efficiency in fragmented, document-heavy processes.[1][5] Its timing aligned with rising CRE complexity from globalization and portfolio scale, amplified by post-2010s proptech investments that prioritized collaboration tools over siloed software.[1]

Market forces like remote team coordination (prefiguring pandemic shifts) and data-driven decision-making favored it, influencing the ecosystem by setting benchmarks for integrated CRE platforms—now amplified through Newmark's scale, helping brokers and clients anticipate needs in a competitive landscape.[1][2]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Post-2019 acquisition, Workframe's tools are embedded in Newmark's operations, likely evolving with AI enhancements for predictive CRE analytics and deeper integrations. Trends like AI-driven proptech, hybrid work models, and sustainability tracking in real estate will shape its path, potentially expanding to adjacent sectors like facilities management.

As CRE digitization accelerates, Workframe's legacy in uniting complex workflows positions Newmark to lead, turning early automation vision into scalable influence—solidifying its role from niche innovator to ecosystem enabler.