“Start me up!” Busting 7 common startup myths

BENGT STEINBRECHER
Head of Holcim MAQER Ventures

Over the past seven years, Holcim MAQER Ventures (HMV) – Holcim’s corporate venture capital and open innovation unit – has grown into a leading platform for startup collaboration and innovation in the construction industry.

As the interface between innovative startups and Holcim, HMV has worked with multiple high-impact startups – from AI-powered productivity tools to breakthrough low-carbon materials – and Holcim is introducing their solutions in our operations. Here Bengt Steinbrecher, Head of HMV, busts seven common myths on corporate-startup collaborations, and explains how Holcim works within this exciting innovation ecosystem.

Here Bengt Steinbrecher, Head of HMV, busts seven common myths on corporate-startup collaborations, and explains how Holcim works within this exciting innovation ecosystem.

1

Myth: Accelerator, Venture Clienting, and Corporate Venture Capital are separate, disconnected strategies at HMV.
Fact: Accelerator, Venture Clienting, and Corporate Venture Capital, are connected parts of our innovation ecosystem.

These three approaches form a cohesive funnel. The Accelerator is tailored for early-stage startups needing support to validate their technology with industry experts. Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) targets growth-stage startups where we identify long-term strategic potential and aim to deepen our relationship through investment. Venture Clienting focuses on mature solutions, providing startups with opportunities to pilot and scale their technologies directly within Holcim's operations, driving immediate value and adoption. The approaches complement each other and help to validate and accelerate innovative startup solutions in our organization and across the industry.

2

Myth: Startups are only interested in funding and don't value corporate partnerships.
Fact: Customers are more important to startups than capital. Holcim can help startups with technical expertise, a global footprint and market access.

In fact: Startups value more than just funding — they seek strategic partners who can accelerate their growth and multiply the use case related to their solution. For example, French startup Nanolike partnered with Holcim to bring their silo inventory management system from the agricultural industry to the construction industry and is now serving Holcim’s customers.

3

Myth: Startups are expensive and resource-intensive to test.
Fact: Startups in Smart Operations and Smart Sales allow us to pilot performance improvement off the shelf, quickly and cheaply.

In fact: Not all startup collaborations require large upfront investments. Many digital startups offer ready-to-use solutions that deliver quick wins with minimal resources. For instance, in the UAE Holcim piloted a startup solution to generate EPDs “on-demand” for all existing and future concrete mixes, and ran an efficient, low-cost 14-day pilot.

4

Myth: Only large-scale pilot projects prove a startup's value.
Fact: Start small. Pilots let you test startups quickly, affordably, and with low risk – proving value before scaling.

Focusing on small-scale pilots is a strategic advantage. They minimize risk for the corporate partner, provide faster testing of the startup's technology and are more cost-effective. By targeting specific challenges, these pilots offer focused insights and measurable outcomes, enabling informed decisions about further scaling.

5

Myth: HMW only works with deep-tech startups in the sustainability space.
Fact: Sustainable building is only one of our strategic priorities. The others are Efficient Building and Transformative Building.

Our startup collaborations are structured around three topics: Sustainable Building, supports startups like Sublime Systems, which are focused on reducing cement's emissions. Transformative Building is dedicated to startups like 14trees, pioneering the future with 3D printing technology or Gravis Robotics, which develops autonomous excavators. Efficient Building focuses on solutions often leveraging digital technologies like Nanolike, which provides a full inventory management solution for cement silos - both Holcim’s own or our customers.

6

Myth: Startup solutions are too early stage to scale effectively within our organization or meet key requirements (e.g. IT security or GDPR).
Fact: Our Venture Client unit identifies leading startups – whenever possible with proven solutions and relevant reference customers.

Our Venture Client unit focuses on startups with a degree of maturity. These companies have typically secured venture funding, established corporate client relationships, and possess robust IP with testable, readily available products. This focus mitigates the risks associated with early stage technologies and ensures better alignment with Holcim's operational requirements and standards.

7

Myth: Startup solutions must always be imposed top down.
Fact: Bottom-up pain points from country teams are an important source for innovation and can offer quick-win opportunities.

Innovation isn't solely driven from the top. Country teams and business functions play a crucial role throughout the entire process, from identifying pain points and scouting for solutions to piloting and scaling successful implementations. This ensures that solutions are relevant to specific needs and enables broader adoption within the organization.

Addressing these myths is key to pave the way for more impactful collaborations with startups. At Holcim and HMV, we're committed to driving innovation in the construction industry through strategic partnerships that deliver sustainable solutions and create lasting value.

Holcim MAQER Ventures’ highlights from 2025

Helped Paebbl place their carbon storing product in half-a-dozen reference projects across Europe
Launched EPDs for our concrete products in the UAE together with Pathways, a startup leveraging AI and digital technologies to speed up the data collection and allow to publish real-time EPDs
Tested an autonomous excavator technology in one of our quarries in the UK with Gravis Robotics, demonstrating that such technology can operate safely and more efficient than a human and 24/7
Launched co-development of the electrification of clinker production with a plasma torch together with the Swedish startup SaltX