HubStar H2O Has Won The IWFM Impact Award for Technology Innovation!

HubStar H₂O has won the Technology category at the 2025 IWFM Impact Awards on October 16th!  

Hosted by the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM), this award honors innovation that drives meaningful impact in the workplace and facilities management profession, and this year, our transformative hybrid workplace platform, HubStar H₂O, earned top honours. 

With a roster of incredible innovative entrants and semi-finalists including JLL, Serco and Justice & Immigration CAFM, the competition wasn’t an easy one. We’re absolutely chuffed to have been awarded the top spot.  

Why H₂O Exists 

HubStar H₂O was developed in direct response to the number one challenge workplace leaders have faced for the last five years: a constantly changing hybrid workplace.  

More specifically:  

• Unpredictable attendance patterns 

• Underutilized office space 

• Rising real estate costs 

• A need for better employee workplace experiences  

Each of these challenges is no longer the sole responsibility of one stakeholder or department.  

Workplace experience, for example, is now a facilities management responsibility too. However, departments like FM, CRE, HR, and Operations haven’t needed to work closely together until hybrid work became the norm.  

Existing technologies haven’t evolved make cross-functional collaboration and data-sharing easy. H₂O was designed as a single source of truth that presents objective workplace data, makes cross-departmental conversations easier to have, and help everyone get aligned on working towards the same goal.  

Unlike traditional systems that operate on static workplace assumptions with siloed departmental responsibilities, HubStar H₂O embraces the reality that today’s workplace is change.  And since the workplace is dynamic instead of static, the workplace needs to be managed dynamically. 

So how do we do it? By integrating solutions for workplace analytics, workplace experience and hybrid data management in one platform.  

H₂O integrates data from sources that were, until now, disparate, such as booking systems, occupancy sensors, and Wi-Fi, using a unified model to provide real-time insights and actionable intelligence.  

The result is that workplace and facilities teams can easily share data and start objective conversations with stakeholders and make smarter, faster decisions that improve operational efficiency, sustainability and employee experience.  

Why H₂O Won 

What stood out to the judges was the innovative design of the platform and the attention paid to the practical needs of facilities management end users.   

“Judges decided this initiative was the winning entry in the Technology category because of its introduction of a paradigm shift from static to dynamic workplace management. HubStar H₂O is a data-driven, scalable, and human-centered solution that empowers facilities managers and enhances the daily working experience for employees in the hybrid world.” 

Read more about the judges’ decision here. 

This recognition means a lot to us, since it validates our vision to not only deliver smarter technology, but also enhance how people work and collaborate in the modern workplace. 

“We are very grateful to have won the Technology award through which the IWFM continues to challenge solution providers to push the boundaries of workplace technology to meet the changing needs of FM in the modern workplace,” said our Executive Chairman Steve Vatidis after we received the award.  

He continued: “With the shift to hybrid work, traditional systems were ill-equipped to handle the unpredictable attendance patterns, underutilized space, and rising costs that followed. HubStar H₂O was created as a unified solution, combining workplace experience, workplace intelligence, and hybrid data management in one platform.” 

The Results H₂O Delivers for Customers 

Here are just a few of the measurable outcomes our customers around the world have achieved:  

• 40% average reduction in real estate portfolios 

• Up to 50% annual savings through space optimization 

• 30% reduction in meeting room no-shows 

• Up to 100% employee adoption H₂O’s workplace experience tool, HubStar Connect 

• Deployed by over 300 organizations in 60 countries, managing 50M+ sq. ft. of workspace 

Key Learnings from H₂O 

Continuous measurement and iteration is built into the DNA of HubStar H₂O. With that in mind, here are a few key learnings we’ve gleaned over the last few years:  

• Data integration is foundational. Unifying fragmented data sources enables more effective workplace strategy and flexible work 

• Dynamic beats static.Traditional systems lack the adaptability required for hybrid environments. AI-driven, real-time optimization of spaces, policies and employee-facing tools is now essential 

• People drive performance. Human-centered design enhances employee experience while driving measurable operational results 

A powerful reflection of the platform’s value came from one of our clients: 

“The most valuable element of the product is the detailed insight it provides and the objective, fact-based conversations we have.” – ABN AMRO Workplace Demand Team Member