{"id":6360,"date":"2025-05-04T17:03:32","date_gmt":"2025-05-04T17:03:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/?p=6360"},"modified":"2025-05-06T02:31:51","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T02:31:51","slug":"building-smart-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/indo-italian-business-diaries\/building-smart-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Smart Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Building Smart Communities: An Interview with Marco Pilia, Managing Director of Planet Smart City India<\/span><\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAt UJA Global, we\u2019re proud to support visionary companies making a difference in India\u2019s dynamic business environment. Today, we speak with Marco Pilia, Managing Director of Planet Smart City India, who shares his journey, insights into the affordable housing sector, and how technology is transforming real estate.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"Macro<\/figure>
Marco Pilia<\/span>

Managing Director - Planet Smart City, India<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Q1: Marco, welcome. To start, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey in India so far?<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Thank you, it\u2019s great to be here. I\u2019m Marco Pilia, and I\u2019ve been the Managing Director of Planet Smart City in India since 2019. When I moved to India, my main goal was to launch the company\u2019s operations here. At the time, Planet Smart City was a young organization\u2014founded in 2015\u2014so it truly felt like building a startup within a startup.<\/p>

Our first real estate project launched in 2020, and we\u2019ve since added two more. Today, we\u2019re developing and selling around 5,000 apartments in Pune.<\/p>

India has been an incredibly dynamic and exciting market. The pace of change, the openness to innovation, and the scale of opportunity make it a rewarding environment\u2014both personally and professionally.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Q2: Was India Planet Smart City\u2019s first venture outside Europe?<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Our first venture abroad was a smaller project in Texas, USA. But soon after, India emerged as a top priority. Within two years, India caught up with Brazil in terms of size and is now our leading market by turnover, particularly in the affordable housing segment.<\/p>

Globally, we focus on key emerging markets\u2014Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India\u2014which together account for over 60% of global affordable housing supply. Our mission is to innovate where it matters most: in large-scale markets underserved by traditional developers.<\/p>

We bridge a critical gap\u2014combining access to capital from developed markets with innovation deployment in high-growth regions like India.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Q3: You mentioned PropTech earlier. How is technology integrated into your housing model?<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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While Planet Smart City isn\u2019t solely a PropTech company, technology is at the heart of our offering.<\/p>

We\u2019ve built a digital platform with two main components:<\/p>

Infrastructure Management: We optimize electricity and water use across our communities to improve efficiency and reduce costs\u2014leading to real savings for residents and a smaller environmental footprint.<\/p>

Resident Services & Engagement: From food ordering and access control to visitor management and community events, we\u2019re fostering real social connections. Our Community Managers help residents collaborate, share skills, and even build micro-businesses.<\/p>

Ultimately, we don\u2019t just build homes, we help build connected, thriving communities.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Q4: What made you choose India, and what challenges did you face?<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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India\u2019s market size and the rapid growth of the affordable housing segment were key drivers. Additionally, India\u2019s high digital adoption made it the ideal place to implement our tech-driven model.<\/p>

But entering this market wasn\u2019t easy. The biggest challenge? Finding the right local partner. We evaluated potential collaborators across multiple cities before partnering with Kolte-Patil, a leading real estate developer in Pune.<\/p>

Without a strong local ally, managing land acquisition, construction, and regulatory compliance would have been nearly impossible\u2014and legally unfeasible due to FDI restrictions.<\/p>

\u201cFrom day one, your team has been a great support\u2014helping us with accounting, legal matters, cross-border transactions, and regulatory compliance.\u00a0 While Kolte-Patil handles real estate, UJA Global is our trusted go-to for all other key functions.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Q5: What sets Planet Smart City apart from other real estate developers in India?<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Our approach is deeply innovation-driven. Unlike traditional promoter-led firms, we operate as a corporate organization with a long-term vision.<\/p>

We\u2019re not in the business of quick project cycles. Instead, we\u2019re building a scalable platform, both digital and physical, that centers around people\u2014not just buildings.<\/p>

While most developers in India build primarily for local needs or audiences, we operate with a global mindset, creating innovative tech solutions that also involve the community. We are doing things in a more forward-thinking and connected way than most players in the Indian market.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Q6: Why did you choose Pune specifically as your launchpad?<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Pune is among India\u2019s top seven cities for population growth and is a major IT hub. That IT talent base aligns perfectly with our customer profile\u2014young professionals seeking value and innovation.<\/p>

But the real turning point was our connection with Kolte-Patil. It wasn\u2019t just about numbers\u2014it was about finding the right cultural and strategic fit, which we found in Pune.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Q7: How did you get connected with UJA Global, and how have we supported your journey?<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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After choosing India and Pune, and securing our real estate partner, I tapped into the Italian expat network for broader advisory support. That\u2019s how I was introduced to UJA Global\u2014through strong word-of-mouth recommendations.<\/p>

From day one, your team has been a great support\u2014helping us with accounting, legal matters, cross-border transactions, and regulatory compliance.\u00a0 While Kolte-Patil handles real estate, UJA Global is our trusted go-to for all other key functions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Q8: What\u2019s next for Planet Smart City in India?<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We\u2019re in the process of raising capital, aiming for $60 million in total funding. India remains our top priority, and we plan to launch at least one more project this year.<\/p>

We\u2019re expanding beyond Pune into cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi. At the same time, we\u2019re scaling our digital platform, which already serves over 200 residential communities in Pune and is growing rapidly in other cities.<\/p>

Because it’s asset-light, our tech platform is easier to scale. By the end of 2025, we hope to reach 1,000 communities, eventually scaling to hundreds of thousands across India.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Q9: So the platform is available to other residential societies as well?<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Exactly. While the end-users are the residents, our clients are the housing societies\u2014the Residential Welfare Association (RWA). We provide them with infrastructure and service management tools that help reduce electricity bills, optimize operations, and engage communities.<\/p>

We\u2019re already present in Pune, Bangalore, Navi Mumbai, and Hyderabad\u2014and expanding. Our platform is designed for scale and affordability, and we\u2019ve had zero customer churn since launching in late 2023.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Q10: Last question\u2014how has your personal experience in India evolved over the past five years?<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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When I first landed in Mumbai in June 2019, the heat and the crowd were overwhelming. Coming from New Zealand, the contrast was dramatic.<\/p>

But over time, I came to appreciate India\u2019s vibrant energy and beautiful chaos. It\u2019s a place full of activity, change, and opportunity. Once you learn to move with the rhythm, it becomes a place that truly grows on you.<\/p>

At UJA Global, we\u2019re proud to support clients like Planet Smart City\u2014companies blending purpose, innovation, and global thinking to make a lasting impact in India and beyond.<\/p>

Stay tuned for more inspiring stories from the leaders shaping India\u2019s business future.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Building Smart Communities: An Interview with Marco Pilia, Managing Director of Planet Smart City India At UJA Global, we\u2019re proud to support visionary companies making a difference in India\u2019s dynamic business environment. Today, we speak with Marco Pilia, Managing Director of Planet Smart City India, who shares his journey, insights into the affordable housing sector, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6361,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-indo-italian-business-diaries"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6360"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6360\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6391,"href":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6360\/revisions\/6391"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6361"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uja.in\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}