Although we have worked hard to receive public investment from government institutions such as the Department of Energy and European Union, it can be tricky to secure these type of funds, as there is currently a limited amount of investment to be awarded.
Coupled with this is the fact that major players from the heavy industries are aggressively competing for said public funding.
Our hope is that as we progress to 2030 and then 2050, there will be more public investment available for companies with sustainability commitments.
What makes Cemex Ventures unique?
We are one of the first CVCs in the industry, which has provided us with a comprehensive view of the innovation landscape since 2017. Additionally, we go beyond financial investments and returns. We run pilots with startups in our acceleration program and Front End Engineering Design studies with our portfolio companies at Cemex cement plants. Through this, we surpass traditional venture capital firms to find mutually beneficial success for both startups and Cemex.
This is one of the benefits of being both a CVC and an open innovation unit.
How is technology improving the construction industry?
New construction technologies, and clean technologies, are helping improve the construction industry by solving some long established pain points.
This includes making supply chains more agile, digitalising different processes to increase productivity and efficiency, finding new methods to build and, perhaps most importantly, making construction more sustainable.
For example, technologies that capture carbon emissions or make use of alternative energy sources are at the forefront of innovation within our industry.
The list of technologies that are improving construction goes on and on and changes from year to year.
Why is collaboration with startups important to building a sustainable future?
Corporations and startups are different from one another. However, from an open innovation perspective, the success that can result from cooperation between the two is greater than by each alone.