Mateo Zimmermann is an Investment Manager at Cemex Ventures with over 15 years of professional experience working with consulting, private equity and industrial companies. Combined with his engineering and management background, Mateo seeks to enhance productivity in the construction industry through innovation and technology. Since joining Cemex Ventures, Mateo has been an integral component in helping Corporate Venture Capital become one of the Top 50 Contech investors in the ecosystem.
Mateo Zimmermann
The bigger something is, the harder it is to change. Construction, one of the world’s most extensive and intricate sectors, has long been bound by this rule. Historically dependent on vast networks of materials, suppliers and labour, innovation in construction has often been stifled. Yet, a significant shift is underway. Over the past 8 years, a surge of Contech startups has sparked a digital revolution, propelling the industry forward. This wave of innovation is advancing the industry, reshaping the sector’s once risk-averse nature and unlocking new opportunities and pathways for growth.
At Cemex Ventures, as the Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arm and open innovation unit of Cemex, we are at the forefront of driving the transition toward a more sustainable, efficient, agile and disruptive construction sector. We contribute to this transformation by investing in, partnering with and accelerating the most promising startups to optimise the entire construction value chain. We also focus on a diverse array of breakthrough Contech solutions through initiatives like our recently launched annual campaign, Top 50 Contech Startups, to add value across the ecosystem and strengthen collaboration among entrepreneurs, investors and other visionary companies shaping the future of construction.
This list of the 50 most innovative startups – set to redefine how we have traditionally envisioned construction processes leveraging their new business models – is complemented by a comprehensive industry report 2024 and an in-depth outlook for 2025 developed by our investment experts. Additionally, we will shortly release a Cleantech Construction Map, which outlines the various applications of emerging clean & climate technologies in the building sector.
“Through Top 50 Contech Startups, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting early-stage companies with innovative Contech, Cleantech and Climatech solutions, fostering a balanced investment strategy to advance the evolution of the construction sector. We are excited about all the startups’ solutions addressing critical pain points and challenges across our four focus areas: Green Construction, Enhanced Productivity, Construction Supply Chain and Future of Construction.”
“We Reaffirm Our Commitment To Supporting Early-Stage Companies With Innovative Contech, Cleantech And Climatech Solutions, Fostering A Balanced Investment Strategy To Advance The Evolution Of The Construction Sector”
As we enter 2025, our industry demands next-generation solutions that help it keep pace with upcoming changes and steer the built environment toward greater digitalisation, sustainability and resilience. Artificial intelligence (AI) has undeniably emerged as one of the leading forces in Contech in 2024, capturing 37 percent of invested capital. Companies focused on AI have done deals 53 percent bigger than those that don’t leverage this technology. A significant percentage (77) of the capital invested in AI has been directed toward solutions to improve the efficiency of construction processes. We expect this trend to continue and gain even more significant momentum in this space, solidifying its integration into projects and accelerating the industry's digital evolution.
Furthermore, the rapid expansion and adoption of robotics on job sites presents a strategic opportunity to invest in this top- notch technology powered by the rising demand for automation to enhance efficiency and safety and address labour shortages.
On the other hand, advancements in infrastructure technologies (“Infratech”) will be a crucial trend this year, focusing on integrating innovative solutions, such as machine learning, big data, or AI, to tackle growing challenges. The rising costs of natural disasters, aggravated by the escalating impacts of climate change, are creating a pressing need for more significant investment in infrastructure modernisation, especially in regions like Europe and the United States.
We also anticipate an unparalleled surge in data centre construction fuelled by the increasing demand for computational power. However, this growth brings its challenges, as data centres are frequently situated in remote locations, away from urban hubs. These sites often lead to higher energy consumption, greater water demands and more complex supply chain logistics.
In 2025 and beyond, we foresee significant shifts in the industry ignited by the widespread adoption of Contech. Despite the uncertain political landscape in the United States, I would bet on Cleantech and data-driven solutions, exceptionally those capable of economically decarbonising heavy industry at scale. Aside from the altruistic reasons to cut CO2 emissions from manufacturing, the tightening regulations are increasing pressure on companies, especially in Europe. In this context, the ability to decarbonise will undoubtedly become a defining indicator of business competitiveness. It's more important than ever to keep this in mind: The future of construction is built today, not tomorrow. And we are already making it happen.
