Bruce Samcevic (BEng ’08, MEM ’26) has launched Casakibo, an AI-powered real estate platform. (Courtesy of Bruce Samcevic/University of Windsor)
By Sara Elliott
What began as a collaboration between a University of Windsor graduate student and his professor has grown into an AI-powered real estate platform designed to help Canadians navigate the housing market.
Bruce Samcevic (BEng ’08, MEM ’26) has launched Casakibo, a platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help users find properties, connect with real estate professionals and make informed decisions about buying or selling a home.
“Casakibo is Canada’s first-of-its kind AI-powered real estate platform, and it is licensed to operate in nine provinces,” says Samcevic.
Designed for buyers, sellers and renters, Casakibo offers property listings, home value estimates, agent matching, school rankings and neighbourhood information.
Samcevic says the platform currently features approximately 200,000 listings across nine provinces and includes 60,000 real estate agents.
The platform uses a recommendation system that learns from users' searches to suggest properties matching their preferences.
“For example, if you’re a buyer, when a house becomes available, it will suggest one that it thinks might fit your needs,” he says.
“The more you search, the better that model becomes for your search.”
Designed primarily for mobile devices, Casakibo can also be accessed on a computer or tablet. Its features include voice search and personalized property recommendations.
“The goal is to give folks the confidence that they can trust it,” says Samcevic.
Samcevic says buying or selling a home can involve navigating unfamiliar processes, from finding a real estate agent to connecting with a lawyer or mortgage broker.
He hopes Casakibo will make those steps easier by bringing information and resources together in one place.
While Casakibo is aimed primarily at consumers, Samcevic also sees real estate professionals playing an important role in the platform's growth.
“I think it's really important they do have a good realtor, especially with their experience and knowledge about different markets and that’s not going to go away anytime soon,” he says.
The idea for Casakibo took shape through Samcevic's Master of Engineering Management capstone project, building on research by his supervisor, Dr. Ali AbdulHussein.
Dr. Ali AbdulHussein’s research was used to help launch Casakibo, an AI-powered real estate platform. (Courtesy of Ali AbdulHussei/University of Windsor)
AbdulHussein had developed an algorithm he believed could power a real estate recommendation engine but needed someone with industry experience to help bring the concept to market.
Samcevic brought experience in both engineering and real estate.
A licensed real estate agent who had worked full time in the industry and established his own brokerage, he saw an opportunity to apply technology to challenges facing buyers and sellers.
“When Bruce joined the course, he surprisingly sent me a one pager outlining what he wanted to build, and I called him right away,” says AbdulHussein.
“It was a match made in heaven.”
With the platform now launched, Samcevic and AbdulHussein are seeking user feedback to refine its features and support its growth.
“This innovative AI-powered real estate platform has national prospects and is already creating revenue,” says AbdulHussein.
“The technology is ready – you can go online now and sell.”
For AbdulHussein, Casakibo demonstrates how collaboration between students and faculty can turn academic research into a business venture.
“This is the perfect example of a student, professor, startup that came out of research and ideas,” says AbdulHussein.
“It was enabled by a licensed broker of record who has vision to help the world.”