Strong by Form accelerates the industrialization of its timber technology with a 5.8 million euros funding round
Supported by Leonard through its SEED acceleration program in 2024, startup Strong by Form has reached a first milestone in its Series A funding round by securing €5.8 million, more than half of its €10 million target. A major step forward for the company, which aims to push the boundaries of wood in construction.
Founded in Chile in 2018 by Andrés Mitnik, Daniel del Río, and Jorge Christie, and now based in Spain, Strong by Form develops technologies inspired by the natural structure of wood to enhance its mechanical performance.
Making wood a credible alternative to conventional structures.
Its flagship innovation, Woodflow-core, aims to develop stronger timber floor slabs capable of withstanding higher loads while reducing the carbon footprint of buildings. Designed to span distances of more than 10 metres, the solution delivers performance comparable to steel and concrete while weighing around 80% less.
It also requires up to 75% less wood than traditional engineered timber products.
The stakes are high for the construction sector. While timber is gradually establishing itself as a key material in the environmental transition, its use remains limited in large-scale structures. With its Woodflow-core technology, Strong by Form aims to address one of construction’s major challenges: expanding the use of timber in buildings that are currently largely constructed from steel and concrete.
Targeting the global concrete floor slab market, estimated at $120 billion, the innovation could increase the potential use of timber in construction by a factor of 80 and establish it as a leading structural material for data centres, offices, and industrial buildings.
The technology also enables more efficient use of forest resources by making use of timber species and by-products that are currently underutilised. Beyond simply replacing one material with another, the goal is to broaden the range of applications for timber in construction and encourage the development of lighter buildings that use fewer resources.
A new step towards industrialisation
For Andrés Mitnik, CEO and co-founder of Strong by Form, this funding round is intended to take the technology to the next level, moving it “from the workshop to real-world buildings.”
“Our mission has always been to demonstrate that timber can compete with concrete and steel on their own terms—not as the most sustainable option, but as the best option. Standing on our first 10-metre slab alongside the team that designed it was the most defining moment of my career. This funding round will allow us to take this innovation from the workshop to construction sites and integrate it into real-world buildings.”
The three founders of Strong by Form with from left to right: Jorge Christie, Daniel del Río, and Andrés Mitnik (Photo credit : Strong by Form).
Strong by Form plans to accelerate the industrialisation of its technology, continue the certifications required for commercialisation, and prepare its first large-scale projects in Europe.
Initial deployments are being considered in Spain, France, Germany, and Switzerland. The ambition is to demonstrate the industrial viability of Woodflow-core and facilitate its adoption by construction industry players.
Beyond construction, the company also plans to continue developing its technologies for other sectors, such as interior architecture and mobility, notably with Woodflow-skin, an innovative architectural surface already marketed internationally and developed with partners including BMW, NS, and Deutsche Bahn. Used in trains and interior fit-outs, it could eventually be deployed in the automotive sector and on building façades.
Woodflow-skin ceiling panels in a first-class carriage of the Dutch railway company NS. This wave-patterned cladding is Strong by Form’s first product and is now marketed in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe (Photo credit : Strong by Form)
A trajectory closely followed by Leonard
This funding round marks another milestone for Strong by Form, which was supported by Leonard in 2024 through SEED, its incubation programme dedicated to early-stage start-ups in the construction, mobility infrastructure, real estate, and energy sectors. Through the programme, entrepreneurs receive support in strengthening their value proposition, defining their go-to-market strategy, and preparing for their next funding rounds.
Since the end of the programme, Leonard has continued to closely follow the company’s progress and the development of its technology. As a testament to this confidence, Strong by Form’s decorative panels have found their place on the ground floor of Leonard’s offices . This collaboration also provided an opportunity to meet the founders directly on site and discover their technology firsthand.
This funding round therefore represents a strong signal of Strong by Form’s growing maturity and of the market’s increasing interest in construction solutions that combine high performance with greater sustainability.
By developing innovations that can reduce the environmental impact of buildings while meeting the construction sector’s technical requirements, Strong by Form fully embodies the transformations that Leonard and the VINCI Group are committed to supporting. A shared ambition: to bring forward the solutions that will shape the cities and infrastructure of tomorrow.
