MIPIM 2025 drives real estate resurgence as major global investors regain market optimism

Over 20,000 delegates representing 90 countries gathered in Cannes for the 35th edition of MIPIM, the global urban festival where investors evaluate opportunities, political leaders showcase sustainable urban projects, and industry leaders address market revival amid changing global demands.

MIPIM 2025 welcomed strong UK, German and Italian delegations alongside significantly increased Middle-East participation, with Uzbekistan, Bahrain, South Korea and the Philippines making their MIPIM debuts. These newcomers joined delegations from Japan, Canada, the USA, Mexico, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, India, Türkiye, Oman, the UAE and Qatar, reflecting the event's growing global influence and reach.

Kicking off on Monday, 10 March, with the dedicated Housing Matters! Conference, industry leaders confronted critical housing challenges from population shifts and housing shortages to student accommodation gaps, offering strategies to navigate complex market.

Residential was a key asset class discussed throughout the week. MIPIM 2025 welcomed senior figures including Housing Ministers of France, Oman and Denmark, and Anaclaudia Rossbach, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat, who discussed realistic and deliverable affordable housing solutions at MIPIM 2025.

France's Housing Minister, Valérie Létard, announced €100 million in support for mayors to develop housing, and €230 million allocated for brownfield regeneration in the 2025 state budget. These supports aim to boost housing construction and redevelopment of vacant spaces amid a new housing crisis.

Major investments announced at MIPIM 2025 also include London's latest investment prospectus with £22 billion of investible opportunities, launched by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan; the Media and Innovation District in Diriyah, Riyadh, as part of a $63.2 billion masterplan; and a £2 billion Old Trafford regeneration plan featuring a new 100,000-capacity stadium for Manchester United.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “I'm attending the Mipim property conference to bang the drum for London, seeking new investment for the capital to help us accelerate the delivery of affordable homes and unlock new infrastructure and jobs in our city. I'm determined to do everything I can to build more of the affordable homes Londoners desperately need.”

On Tuesday, the Grand Auditorium at the Palais des Festivals was standing room only to hear Dr Mario Draghi deliver the opening keynote for MIPIM. Dr Draghi covered an inspiring range of topics, from how to build a more resilient Europe to a global look at interest rates and the link between innovation and productivity, declaring that decarbonisation is crucial to the future of Europe.

MIPIM 2025 introduced an expanded programme designed to help industry players capitalise on emerging opportunities, featuring the new HTL Connection stage dedicated to the hospitality sector, a comprehensive UK Hub showcasing investment opportunities across British cities and regions, and an in-depth programme examining AI's impact on digital real estate.

The new additions reflected the event's response to rapidly evolving market priorities, with data centres emerging as one of the most discussed topics at this year's RE-Invest Summit, an asset class attracting both real estate and infrastructure investors despite concerns about how AI breakthroughs might affect future demand.

New areas of opportunity

Conversations throughout the event revealed new areas of opportunity and renewed optimism, particularly evident in talks at the panel “German Real Estate Market & Capital: Setting for rebound?”. “We’re pretty positive,” said Farrah Brown, head of debt capital markets, EU and APAC at Nuveen Real Estate. “It’s a time to be more disciplined but have conviction.”

Investors continue to find real estate assets attractive, said Nicole Poetsch, head of North and Central Europe and co-head of investment Europe at PIMCO Prime Real Estate. “They have always liked real estate as an asset class and will continue to do so. We have seen valuations bottom out and to increase slowly again.”

Wrapping up MIPIM 2025, Nicolas Kozubek, MIPIM Director said:

“What we have witnessed this week is truly remarkable, a genuine shift in market sentiment. The sheer number of decision-makers from both public and private sectors choosing MIPIM as their platform for major announcements speaks volumes.

The presence of mayors from across Europe’s capital cities, alongside housing ministers from multiple countries, underscores MIPIM's unique position as a catalyst for urban investment and growth. We have seen the conversation evolve dramatically from last year's caution to genuine optimism about capital deployment.

Investors from across Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East engaged deeply on pressing issues from decarbonisation and changing tenant expectations to the exponential demand for data centres. Our collaboration with Columbia University brought invaluable insights on AI's transformative impact on real estate, while this year's keynote speech drew was standing-room only.

What we're feeling is the beginning of a new chapter for real estate. The energy and determination to create fresh momentum is palpable. This week has confirmed that when the global property community comes together, MIPIM doesn't just reflect the market but helps shape its future."

MIPIM 2025 concluded with the MIPIM Challengers Conference, highlighting fresh ideas from the second cohort of future changemakers in the built environment, with Challengers representing the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium and Italy. Projects ranged from climate-proof sponge cities to using blockchain for material passports.

The annual MIPIM Awards ceremony celebrated 10 outstanding projects across 11 categories, including Germany’s Green Bunker, China’s Sky Mirrors and USA’s Wildflower Film Studios, with Łódź, Poland’s Fuzja (Fusion) project receiving the Special Jury Award.