CRH Ventures, the venture capital arm of leading building materials company CRH, has announced the launch of its latest program, the Sustainable Building Materials accelerator. The initiative is designed to support Seed-, Series A-, and Series B-stage startups in the construction technology (contech) and climate tech sectors.
This accelerator aims to identify and promote innovative materials and applications that can reduce emissions, decrease waste, and enhance energy efficiency in construction. The program will focus on three key areas:
- Sustainable Binder Solutions: Improving the carbon performance and circularity of traditional cement and concrete.
- New Materials and Applications: Developing novel materials or innovative uses for existing materials in non-traditional applications for cement or concrete.
- CO2 Mineralized Materials: Using carbon dioxide in building materials, including binders and aggregates, which also serves as carbon storage.
CRH Ventures plans to conduct pilot programs for selected applicants, offering them connections to commercial users and industry partners to refine their technologies. Participants will also gain access to CRH’s network of over 200 operating companies.
Eduardo Gomez, Head of CRH Ventures, remarked on the opportunity for innovation to significantly reduce emissions in construction. He noted, “The Sustainable Building Materials accelerator will help identify impactful innovations and drive their commercial development to support the construction industry’s transition toward decarbonization and CRH’s net-zero goal by 2050.”
The selection process will conclude with a live pitch day in early February 2025 for the most promising startups. Since its inception in 2022, CRH Ventures has established a $250 million fund focused on fostering innovation across the construction value chain. This new accelerator follows the earlier launches of the Roads of the Future and Water Solutions accelerators. Interested startups can apply through the CRH Ventures website until the December 16 deadline.