> Construction Startup Competition – in which Leonard is a partner – is the biggest challenge for entrepreneurs in the industry and already amasses more than 2,000 solutions since its launch.
> Document Crunch, an AI-powered software to identify and explain critical issues in construction contracts, received the gold medal of the 2021 edition.
The biggest startup competition in the construction industry
For the second year in a row, Leonard took part in the final pitches of the ten winners of the Construction Startup Competition 2021 alongside six other major players in construction innovation: CEMEX Ventures, Dysruptek, Ferrovial, GS Futures, Hilti and NOVA by Saint-Gobain.
Document Crunch won the first prize in the 2021 edition at the Pitchday on 11 November 2021, held at the BuiltWorlds Venture East 2021 conference in Miami. The solution was selected from 10 finalist companies in five categories: carbon footprint mitigation, supply chain optimisation, onsite efficiency, advanced building materials and new construction methods.
“The construction sector has reached a turning point, with both start-ups and investments in Contech exploding. At Leonard, we are convinced that technology is one of the levers that will enable us to meet the sector’s transformation challenges. It is thanks to technology that we will be able to build more cheaply, more sustainably and more safely,” comments Guillaume Bazouin, Head of Leonard’s start-up and intrapreneur programmes.
Contech: a growing sector
Leonard reaffirms its position in the Contech ecosystem with initiatives like this challenge, a key event for the industry, which has seen more than 2,000 participants since its first edition. In the last two years, Construction Startup Competition gained even more traction by including leading companies in the industry as fellow organizers who share the same vision and desire for innovation in the sector. This collaboration and joint effort increase the possibility of future engagements and contact with potential customers for all the participants.
Through the years, the quality and solutions that have emerged for construction has increased significantly, and investment figures in Contech continue to rise, reaching a record-breaking figure in 2021 of over $2 billion USD invested until October, doubling the investment level when compared to previous years.
The 10 finalists of the Construction Startup Competition 2021
- AI Clearing (United States)- Saas platform that integrates seamlessly several data sources into BI systems to provide digital insights. AI Clearing is a member of Leonard’s CATALYST programme.
- Document Crunch (United States)- AI-powered software to identify and explain critical issues in construction contracts.
- hyperTunnel (United Kingdom)- Patented new method to build and renew tunnels and underground infrastructures.
- Nodes & Links (United Kingdom)- AI-based platform to create smart machines to automate project management.
- Presien (Australia)- AI vision systems to free heavy industries from the risks that threaten the safety of their people and business.
- ProcurePro (Australia)- Digital subcontractor procurement platform to close the digital gap between bids & commitments.
- RatedPower (Spain)- Cloud-based software to carry out the design and engineering of utility-scale solar photovoltaic plants.
- Schüttflix (Germany)- Platform to order, transport, deliver and dispose bulk material 100% digitally.
- SIDCODX (Chile)- Data collection system to automate critical construction site activities such as concrete poured and formwork.
- WASTEBOX (Austria)- Digital waste management platform to automatically connect customers with the right disposal partner for their project
To go further…
> Discover Sifted and Leonard’s exclusive report on the Contech sector in Europe
