Construction

Trend Report

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Executive Summary:
Construction Report
Industry Growth Overview: The construction market outlook shows a dip of -4.93% in annual growth with over 74000
companies listed.

Manpower & Employment Growth: The industry employs a workforce of over 7 million people, with 300000 new hires
added last year

Patents & Grants: Innovation is high with over 34000 patents and the support of 2024 grants.

Global Footprint: Key hubs are in the US, Germany, UK, Canada, and Australia including major cities such as Sydney,
London, New York City, Melbourne, and Singapore.

Investment Landscape: The sector shows an average investment value of USD 41 million per round, with over 5000
funding rounds and more than 2000 investors.

Top Investors: It showcases collective investments of over USD 1 billion, with leading contributions from QDPQ, 3i
Group, and more.

Startup Ecosystem: 3550 total startups, highlights include AC3D (3D construction printing), Karelics (robotic manage-
ment systems), Solidspac3 (real-time variance reports), Varicon (cost management software), and Nodon (climate impact
optimization).

Recommendations for Stakeholders: Emphasize adaptation to technological advancements such as 3D Printing and
connected construction sites to further implement sustainable practices. Tracking industry players and innovation re-
mains effective in staying competitive.
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CONTENTS
6 Innovation Map: Construction 15 Offsite Construction
8 Tree Map: Construction 16 Construction Worker Safety
10 Heat Map: Construction 17 Construction Monitoring
11 Building Information Modeling 18 Green Buildings
12 Construction Robotics 19 3D Printing
13 Construction Project Management 20 Connected Construction Sites
14 Advanced Building Materials 21 Appendix

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 Covering over 4,7 million startups & scaleups globally,
we use our Big Data and AI-powered Discovery Platform to
identify innovative applications, technologies, and compa-
nies impacting the Construction Industry. This exhaustive,
The construction industry is leveraging technology to data-driven startup scouting pinpoints emerging trends and
make construction management and site operations more technologies in the Construction Industry. For this research,
efficient and sustainable. The major construction trends in- we analyzed a sample of 3550 startups and scaleups and
clude building information modeling (BIM), construction ro- present the Top 10 Trends along with 20 highly relevant solu-
botics, and the use of advanced building materials. Further, tions.
the COVID-19 pandemic creates the need for newer ways of
construction that adhere to worker safety and regulations. In the Innovation Map below, you get an overview of the
Hence, startups and scaleups increasingly develop innova- Top 10 Construction Industry Trends & Innovations that im-
tions around prefabrication, worker safety, and construction pact companies worldwide.
robotics. Parallelly, 3D printing and green building solutions
significantly reduce the negative impacts of construction on
the environment.

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Innovation Map: Construction Industry
3550
Startups & Scaleups

Building Information Construction

Construction Construction
Robotics Monitoring

Construction Project Green

Advanced Building
3D Printing
Materials

Offsite Connected
Construction Construction Sites

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Tree Map reveals the Impact of
the Top 10 Construction Innovations
Based on the Construction Innovation Map, the Tree Map and reality technologies, such as augmented and virtual real-
below illustrates the impact of the top 10 building construc- ity (AR/VR) ensures worker safety and connects job sites. Ad-
tion technology trends. Companies prefer a more collabo- vanced building materials have enhanced properties and fit
rative approach and make the overall construction lifecycle modern construction methods like modular and sustainable
much more transparent. Solutions to this end include ad- construction. Additionally, new construction technology digi-
vanced BIM software and cloud-based management tools. talizes construction monitoring and inspection, making it eas-
Companies also use construction robots to shorten construc- ier for construction planners and site supervisors. 3D Printing
tion time by increasing the accuracy of construction process- automates the construction process and reduces the need
es. Moreover, the application of the Internet of Things (IoT) for a manual workforce while also offering higher flexibility.

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 Top 10 Construction Industry
Trends & Innovations
Building Information Construction Project Construction
Modeling Management Construction Worker Safety

19 % 13 % 9% 9%

Construction Green 3D
Monitoring Buildings Printing
Construction Robotics Advanced Building
17 % Materials 8% 5% 4%
12 %

Connected
Construction Site 4%
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This tree map illustrates the top 10 innovation trends & their impact on the Construction Industry
Global Startup
Heat Map covers 3550
Construction Startups & Scaleups
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the global Below, you get to meet 20 out of these 3550 promising
distribution of the 3550 exemplary startups & scaleups that startups & scaleups as well as the solutions they develop.
we analyzed for this research. Created through the StartUs These 20 startups were hand-picked based on criteria such as
Insights Discovery Platform, the Heat Map reveals that the US founding year, location, funding raised, and more. Depending
is home to most of these companies while we also observe on your specific needs, your top picks might look entirely dif-
increased activity in the UK, Germany, and the rest of Europe. ferent.

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10
Building Information
Modeling (BIM)
Building planning and designing, a collaborative process It then generates detailed reports on these discrepancies, cat-
involving engineers, architects, builders, and clients, faces egorizing and sharing them to facilitate project plan adjust-
challenges with traditional methods due to difficulties in vi- ments. Additionally, the platform offers a heat map mode to
sualizing real-time changes. This often leads to multiple ver- analyze deviation gradients in terrains and surfaces. As a re-
sions of the same plan, causing confusion. Advanced BIM sult, Recloud’s software provides precise and digital oversight
tools address this by offering a central database for a single of on-site construction activities.
shared model. 5D BIM incorporates cost and time overlays,
Turkish startup BIMCRONE develops advanced BIM soft-
while 6D BIM includes energy budgeting. These tools detect
ware that allows all construction stakeholders to manage,
clashes early and enhance workflow efficiency. Additionally,
report, and monitor their projects in real-time in a single
the integration of AR and VR with BIM facilitates rapid testing
platform. It provides pre-construction features like revi-
in simulated environments.
sion management, team collaboration, and clash detection.
Spanish startup Recloud advances construction site man- During construction, BIMCRONE enables collaboration, asset
agement by digitizing control processes using its BIM and management, delay analysis, field monitoring, change man-
point cloud comparison software. This software employs 3D agement, and overall project management. The solution also
scans to automatically identify discrepancies between con- offers post-construction solutions where stakeholders track
struction models and the actual site. asset availability and manage financial transactions.

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Construction Robotics
The construction industry remains highly labor-intensive,
involving numerous repetitive and time-consuming tasks. Ro- IronBot, on the other hand, relieves the burden of the heavy
botics and automation can expedite these processes, reduc- lifting by placing 5,000-pound bundles of both transverse and
ing human errors and fatigue-related losses. Collaborative longitudinal rebar. Hence, it saves schedule time and reduces
robots, for instance, automate tasks like bricklaying, welding, the risk of injuries as it does not require pre-mapping, pro-
rebar tying, and painting with high precision. Robotics solu- gramming, and calibration. The startup’s solutions increase
tions extend to automating heavy equipment and fleets for workforce productivity while keeping them safe.
excavation, transportation, load lifting, concrete works, and
Singaporean startup Weston Robot provides autonomous
demolition, enhancing worker safety and cutting down oper-
heavy equipment for load lifting, logistics, patrolling, inspec-
ational time. The use of robotics in construction automation
tion, and disinfection. The startup develops a range of solu-
boosts project productivity, decreases labor needs, and en-
tions including back-support exoskeletons to reduce strain
sures safety in performing dangerous or hazardous tasks.
when lifting heavy objects. It also develops shoulder exoskele-
Based out of the US, Advanced Construction Robotics is a tons to enable workers to perform chest-to-ceiling level tasks
startup developing rebar-tying robots to automate rebar in- for longer durations. Further, it has a leg support exoskele-
stallation. The startup’s TyBot and IronBot solutions perform ton that reduces muscle strain in the quadriceps around the
repetitive and backbreaking tasks of rebar installation using knee joint. The startup also offers Outdoor UGV Hunters and
artificial intelligence and computer vision. TyBot eliminates Rough Terrain Bunker Robots to automate on-site delivery
the need for manual mapping and calibration by auto-locat- and disinfection tasks. Weston Robot improves productivity
ing, auto-positioning, and tying up to 110 rebar intersections by replacing time- and energy-consuming tasks with indepen-
per hour. dent robots.

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Construction
Project Management
Digital project management, an emerging trend in the It also offers real-time reports and allows companies to man-
construction industry, leverages cloud-based software to age cash gaps with ease by quickly tracking cash flow sched-
meet quality, time, and cost objectives. Established principles ules. Moreover, buildbuild’s platform enables stakeholders to
guide each construction phase, with project managers initial- automatically track project budget progress and assign tasks
ly employing AI-based predictive algorithms to assess project with specific deadlines and responsibilities. This offers a cen-
viability. Post-approval, milestones are set and resources are tralized platform to manage construction projects.
allocated using enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.
Turkish startup Imperium develops construction manage-
Cloud-based tools, in addition to ERP, provide transparency
ment software that offers a suite of specialized features for
and facilitate large data storage. These tools are also used by
the construction industry. Key functionalities include techni-
managers to monitor task progress and identify bottlenecks.
cal office management for streamlined discovery, contract,
As projects near completion, blockchain-based smart con-
and progress billing processes, work schedule planning, and
tracts are utilized to confirm legal commitments and guard
purchase order tracking. The software also enhances quality
against financial fraud. Digital project management in con-
and safety with features like damage-deficiency lists and in-
struction thus minimizes waste, enhances workforce produc-
spections. Financial management and sales tracking modules
tivity, and ensures timely project completion.
further aid in project oversight. Imperium’s platform, acces-
Cypriot startup buildbuild develops a construction project sible via web, mobile, and tablet, integrates field and office
management platform. It allows project managers to assign operations, ensuring real-time project monitoring and deci-
jobs and workers to accept them through an app. sion-making.

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Advanced
Building Materials
With the construction industry’s move towards modular architectural products that include solar protection, com-
and eco-friendly methods, advanced building materials are ponent assembly, and wind facades. Its compact graphene
becoming integral to new construction practices. Innovative features properties such as surface hydrophobicity, flame-re-
and sustainable materials like 3D-printed concrete and basalt tardant, color consistency for outdoor exposition, and me-
are replacing traditional ones. Self-healing concrete, utilizing chanical strength. These features make it suitable for use in
bacteria, exemplifies materials derived from living organisms extreme environments. The solution benefits builders and
gaining traction. Sustainable options like mycelium compos- owners, as well as the environment, by improving the energy
ites, bioplastics, and biofoam are also part of this trend. An- efficiency of buildings.
other category of cutting-edge materials includes aerogel,
Recoma is a Swedish startup that creates recyclable
graphene, spider silk, carbon composites, hydroceramics, and
construction boards. The startup recycles otherwise diffi-
nanomaterials, known for their lightness and high water-hold-
cult-to-recycle beverage cartons to use them in its boards.
ing capacity. Advanced wood and aluminum materials such
The plastic binds the pieces of cartons and functions as a wa-
as bamboo, cross-laminated timber, transparent woods, and
terproofing surface and the reflective properties of aluminum
aluminum foam offer enhanced strength and biodegradabil-
in beverage cartons add to higher insulation value. As a result,
ity. Startups are actively exploring new sustainable materials
the resulting material does not require deforestation or min-
that are durable, low-maintenance, and energy-efficient.
ing of natural materials as well as does not need additives or
Spanish startup Graphenglass develops graphene-based chemicals. Builders utilize the startup’s construction boards
construction materials. The startup develops graphene-based to reduce the carbon emissions of buildings.

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Offsite Construction
Offsite construction, a rising trend in the construction in- The startup uses volumetric construction techniques to build
dustry, involves the design, manufacture, and fabrication of modules like low and medium-voltage switchgear systems,
building components in a controlled factory setting. Unlike battery rooms, control and projection rooms, and substa-
traditional construction, where weather conditions can es- tions for electrical purposes. They also build low-temperature
calate costs through contingency fees and additional labor hot water rooms (LTHW), cooling pump rooms, and processes
hours, offsite construction offers a more sustainable, safe, that interface buildings for mechanical infrastructure. Under
and quality-focused approach. It utilizes innovative materials, laboratory construction, MMS builds biohazard labs and oth-
3D printing technology, and new assembly methods. This ap- er modular rooms for pharma and biotech applications.
proach includes volumetric construction, encompassing mod-
US-based startup Guerdon builds large off-site modular
ular and pod construction, which facilitates the prefabrication
technology for large construction projects and multi-fam-
of large 3D structures like rooms and entire homes. Another
ily housing. Guerdon develops systems-built IBC/IRC code
aspect is panelized construction, where factories produce flat
products using factory-built modular construction technolo-
panels for walls, floors, or roofs, commonly used in modern
gy. The startup focuses on large-scale projects ranging from
commercial buildings for partitions and structural supports.
multi-family modular townhomes and apartments to office
Consequently, startups are offering modular construction
buildings, schools, military barracks, senior housing, and
solutions as alternatives to conventional construction
more. They work with climate-control settings and also com-
practices.
ply with industry-standard building codes. While Guerdon
Irish startup Mechanical Modular Solution designs and manufactures building parts in the factory, it also does site
builds prefabricated building parts. MMS specializes in pre- work and parallelly constructs foundations to save time and
fabrication and off-site construction and updates its PODular reduce cost. This solution is sustainable and delivers consis-
technology regularly. tent quality.

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Construction
Worker Safety US-based startup KairosXR provides interactive training
tools for the construction industry. The startup converts 2D
courses into extended reality (XR)-based occupational 3D
Companies in the construction industry, traditionally fo-
solutions. The startup uploads virtual models to its web-
cused on minimizing labor costs, are increasingly prioritizing
based content management system (CMS) and enables users
worker safety and strictly adhering to safety regulations. Im-
to simulate the real environment. The company also provides
mersive technologies help prevent potential onsite accidents,
VR-based site safety training modules to help managers and
while Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) serves as a crit-
supervisors train construction workers and virtually identify
ical safeguard. Construction firms employ AI algorithms to
project risks.
foresee hazards and implement safety measures proactively.
Virtual Reality (VR) technologies offer immersive training for AutoSafe is a Hong Kong-based startup that automates
field workers, reducing the likelihood of accidents in hazard- safety on construction sites. The startup’s smart site safe-
ous tasks. Augmented Reality (AR) enables fabricators to vi- ty system combines IoT sensors and AI to provide real-time
sually examine objects in detail. For enhanced worker safety, monitoring and analysis of construction site activities. It de-
companies equip PPE with IoT sensors that detect and trans- tects safety hazards like workers entering restricted areas or
mit data on vibrations, temperature, heart rate, and steps for unsafe working practices and alerts managers. The startup’s
analysis. This technology allows supervisors to remotely mon- AI detects workers and machines in the frame as well as iden-
itor workers’ health and productivity. Advanced safety prod- tifies unsafe acts and conditions to maintain a safer environ-
ucts thus protect workers and reduce physical and financial ment. With the startup’s system, construction companies are
risks for companies. able to reduce accidents on-site and ensure worker safety.

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Construction Monitoring
Construction projects, spread across vast geographical
areas and involving numerous assets and human resources, captured by drones or other devices. Drone-based moni-
challenge manual monitoring efforts. Inaccessible areas on toring generates automatic visual reports of the site data to
construction sites require regular inspection, leading compa- shorten the monitoring time and detect discrepancies early.
nies to adopt technology for efficient construction monitor- AI and geographic information system (GIS)-based analytics
ing. The value of monitoring varies, ranging from basic audit automate infrastructure monitoring which consequently de-
functions (CM1) to comprehensive quality assurance (QA). creases supervision costs and mitigates litigation risk. More-
Cutting-edge monitoring and inspection methods combine over, the solution offers transparency as all processes are
drone-based surveillance with LIDAR or thermal sensors. managed through a project database.
To enhance worker productivity, construction sites employ
Israeli startup Holoarch uses cloud-based and hardware
high-definition (HD) cameras and AI-driven facial recognition.
solutions to facilitate indoor inspection on construction sites.
Robots, equipped with sensor technologies, accurately detect
The startup’s robotic solution Holobot is an autonomous
structural faults and failures, surpassing manual inspection
drone that scans construction sites and reports errors to the
methods. Consequently, startups are providing services and
inspection authorities. Holobot uses high-resolution LIDAR
products to boost the overall efficiency of construction moni-
point clouds to scan the building even in GPS-denied areas.
toring.
The data is then transmitted to AI-based servers for analysis
US-based startup AI Clearing uses AI to monitor and track and error detection. The startup’s building inspection robots
construction progress digitally. The startup’s SaaS solution, reduce monitoring costs while significantly speeding up in-
AI-Heart, performs advanced 4D geospatial analytics on data spection processes and quality.

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Green Buildings
Sustainability is central to many emerging trends in the
construction industry. Identifying sustainable materials or allows users to filter for materials by technical properties. The
processes for construction projects is currently time-consum- startup thus simplifies the process of material selection for all
ing and costly. The concept of green building, which adopts green building projects and significantly accelerates material
eco-friendly measures from pre-construction to project clo- sourcing for projects. The startup aims to make green build-
sure and decommissioning, is gaining popularity. Green ings affordable and accessible for all building and construc-
buildings optimize energy and resource use, minimize waste tion professionals.
during construction, and enable net-zero carbon emissions.
US-based startup Cove develops a data analytics software-
Buildings are certified as green or sustainable based on these
as-a-service (SaaS) platform that provides energy, daylight,
criteria, with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
cost, carbon, and water analysis. It helps architects, engineers,
Design) from the U.S. Green Building Council being a notable
contractors, and developers generate data-driven designs for
certification. More construction materials are now LEED-cer-
their buildings. The software automates performance model-
tified. Green buildings represent the future of the construc-
ing and consequently saves time and money for construction
tion industry, with startups developing solutions to support
companies. The startup delivers AI-based analysis at the pace
eco-friendly construction.
of the project, with specific inputs to help stakeholders make
Israeli startup Effective Building provides a green build- informed decisions about investments, designs, and resourc-
ing materials database to assist construction companies in es. Further, the platform-agnostic workflow allows different
implementing green building projects. The startup collects teams and processes to collaborate within a shared digital
technical and functional data of certified green products and workspace.

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3D Printing
3D printing in construction, also known as additive con- ogies including gantry, delta, swing-arm, and boom. They pro-
struction, offers a sustainable and efficient approach to build- vide 3D printers with different axes and configurations based
ing. This method involves using construction printers to ei- on the project requirements. The startup provides laborato-
ther create entire buildings or prefabricate specific building ry and entry-level printers for small-scale printing for indoor
components. Employing a robotic technique, 3D printing con- operations. Further, it offers mid-size and mobile printers
structs designs layer by layer using advanced materials, often suitable for the production of small and medium parts. The
in conjunction with BIM. This process allows for high design startup also offers large-scale 3D printers that facilitate 24×7
flexibility without requiring traditional formwork. Techniques production for large single-element creations.
employed in 3D printing include extrusion, powder bonding,
US-based startup 3D Build Systems builds concrete print-
and additive welding. This method generates less waste and
ing robots that create durable, scalable, and customizable
demands fewer labor resources compared to conventional
structures using a concrete mixture. It targets the workforce,
brick construction. Being fully automated and programmed,
skilled, veteran, and retirement markets to provide them with
3D construction printing reduces human error and enhances
economical and cost-effective solutions. ts 3D concrete print-
productivity. Numerous startups are now producing 3D print-
ing technology serves the needs of large-scale construction
ers and providing printing services for both small-scale and
and immediate housing. The startup’s robotic solution sig-
large-scale construction projects.
nificantly reduces construction time by printing walls in 12-
Dutch startup Twente Additive Manufacturing builds 3D 24 hours. Moreover, the robots are compatible with any 3D
construction printers. The startup provides architectural modeling software and also print up to a height of 7 meters.
structures and evaluates the designs in-house using finite el- The startup provides economical and well-constructed hous-
ement analysis. The startup uses several 3D printing technol- ing using robotics and 3D printing technology.

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Connected
Construction Sites
Ensuring project success in construction involves manag-
ing its many dynamic components effectively. One key strat- Platform deploys AI and task-specific autonomous vehicle
egy is to connect construction sites, establishing structured technology to offer mixed fleets for any need. The startup
workflows and integrating data at every construction stage, offers a device kit that converts heavy assets into self-oper-
thus providing stakeholders with the necessary information. ating robots, which consequently increases operational field
Connected construction sites integrate people, processes, efficiency. It automates heavy trucks, dozers, and loaders, in-
and information through AR, VR, AI, robotics, and wearables. creasing productivity without replacing existing equipment.
IoT technologies, combined with AI, facilitate predictive logis-
French startup ViiBE develops video assistance software
tics that enhance worker safety and optimize inventory, re-
for construction field operations. The software reduces on-
ducing wastage and costs. Computer vision provides instant
site travel and enables on-call guidance, diagnosis, and reso-
support and guidance, linking construction sites directly with
lution. The software provides AR calling between the field and
the main office. These solutions empower managers to make
distant office experts in the same augmented environment. It
quicker, more informed decisions using real-time data.
allows experts to collaborate more effectively with the ground
US-based startup SafeAI retrofits existing equipment to staff. This improves communication efficiency which, in turn,
automate construction operations. The SafeAI Autonomous reduces machine downtime and increases productivity.

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Discover all Construction
Technologies and Startups
The Top 10 Construction Industry Trends significantly
improve efficiency, worker safety, and construction speed, scratch the surface of trends that we identified during our
and implement sustainability practices. Collaborative robots, in-depth research. Among others, advanced operations and
autonomous equipment, drone-based inspection, and la- green buildings will transform industries as we know them
ser-based terrain mapping reduce labor costs and increase today. Identifying new opportunities and emerging technol-
accuracy. Further, companies use advanced materials such as ogies to implement into your business early on goes a long
self-healing concrete, engineered wood, and nanomaterials way in gaining a competitive advantage. Get in touch to easily
in modular construction and 3D printing. The advanced con- and exhaustively scout relevant technologies & startups that
struction technologies & startups outlined in this report only matter to you.

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