HOLCIM MAQER VENTURES

Holcim MAQER Ventures helps sustainable construction startups scale by providing early-stage capital, access to Holcim’s global operations and the world’s largest R&D center for building materials.

Through venture capital, venture clienting and an accelerator program, we work with over 100 startups, taking their NextGen solutions for sustainable building to the next level.

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What does Holcim MAQER Ventures offer startups?
 

We provide startups with early-stage capital, access to global operations, and the largest R&D center in the building sector to scale sustainable construction solutions."

We invest at an early stage in companies where Holcim can move the needle for growth.

Beyond equity minority investments, Holcim MAQER Ventures gives startups access to Holcim’s global operations and technical expertise. This includes access to the operations and markets in our businesses worldwide.

Startups also benefit from the largest R&D center in the building sector, with expertise cutting across the value chain from materials science and carbon capture to AI and computational design.

Our previous collaborations include carbon-storing materials startup Paebbl, carbon cement innovator Sublime Systems, as well as Travertine, neustark and SaltX.

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At Holcim, we’re always on the lookout for new solutions to today’s main challenges for the building materials industry, and startups are a growing avenue of innovation, new ideas and approaches. Holcim MAQER gives startups market access, expertise and network to reinvent how the world builds.

Bengt Steinbrecher | Head of Holcim MAQER Ventures

What kind of startups does Holcim invest in?

 

Holcim MAQER Ventures predominantly invests in promising startups at an early stage, so we can help them scale their breakthrough technologies.

Startups that interest us include those focused on:

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Sustainable Building
Changing the way materials are produced and used in the built environment – to drastically reduce emissions, benefiting both the construction industry and society.

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Efficient Building
Tackling fragmentation across the construction process and industry by bringing together the entire construction value chain, and lifting barriers to efficiency.

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Transformative Building
Innovating to develop new materials and technologies with the potential to transform the future of building.

What is venture clienting?

 

Venture clienting is how Holcim MAQER Ventures brings startup innovations into our global operations, as they partner with us and potentially sell to our markets.

How does our venture clienting model work

  1. Validate 

    Startups have the opportunity to validate their innovative solutions within the Holcim business under real-life conditions. They receive invaluable feedback from our in-field experts and build evidence for further growth.

  2. Partner

    Startups gain access to the construction industry through our partnership of equals, and Holcim MAQER Ventures helps them to acquire real business.

  3. Scale

    Startups can sell to Holcim businesses worldwide.

What is the Holcim Accelerator program?

 

The Holcim Accelerator is a unique startup acceleration program that aims to accelerate sustainable construction and disruptive solutions in collaboration with leading international corporate partners.


What benefits does the Holcim Accelerator program offer?

  • This unique acceleration program fosters innovation and collaboration along the construction value chain
  • Participants have access to different market conditions and facilities across geographies, with country-specific resources
  • High-level mentoring with top managers of several major companies in the construction industry
  • Co-creation with a powerful mix of entrepreneurial, business and technical expertise
  • Possibility to undertake pilot tests and demonstrators
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Want to read our success stories?

Find out more about Holcim MAQER Ventures and our success stories on this dedicated website.

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Fast-forwarding carbon removal with neustark

Imagine if you could accelerate concrete carbonation - the natural process whereby concrete absorbs atmospheric CO2 - from a century to mere hours. neustark is doing just that.

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Partnering with startups to reinvent how the world builds

Explore some of the standout startups in Holcim’s ecosystem – as they engage with us to scale breakthrough solutions and reinvent how the world builds.

MORE STORIES

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What are some of Holcim MAQER Ventures success stories?

Holcim MAQER Ventures is expanding the open innovation ecosystem, working with 100+ startups on next-generation technologies for the built environment.

Some of Holcim MAQER Ventures success stories include:

  • Nanolike: optimizing customers’ deliveries with digital inventory management powered by sensors on cement silos. ·
  • Carbon Prestressed Concrete (CPC): allowing customers to reduce material use by up to 75% using thin concrete panels reinforced with prestressed carbon strands. 
  • CCB Greentech: offering customers a durable and resistant bio-based building solution with their wood concrete that acts as a carbon sink.
What promising startups are in Holcim’s current portfolio?

As we scale the most promising technologies to build the sustainable cities of the future, startups in Holcim’s current portfolio include Sublime Systems, Paebbl, Travertine and Electrified Thermal Solutions.

Learn more about the startups in Holcim’s portfolio
What are some of the myths of startup collaboration?

There are #7 of them! Here, Bengt Steinbrecher, Head of Holcim MAQER Ventures, busts them all.

Read Bengt’s myth-busing blog on our startup collaborations
How can I get in touch with Holcim MAQER Ventures?

To contact Holcim MAQER Ventures or to learn more about our success stories, please visit our dedicated website.