What were the key criteria for selecting the startups included in this year’s Top 50 Contech Startups list?
The selection process is based on several criteria and is decided by the Investment &  Business Development team. One of the strongest sources to build this list is the Construction Startup Competition, completed with the contributions from our investment and collaboration pipeline. We select startups with unique and innovative solutions that are aligned with Cemex Ventures’ four focus areas—green construction, enhanced productivity, supply chain, and construction future—and their potential to disrupt traditional practices of the construction industry. Overall, we aim to find passionate and resilient entrepreneurs and businesses that are covering the needs and challenges of the current built environment.

What major trends in construction technology stood out among the companies on the list this year?
This year, we saw a surge in solutions addressing the reduction of carbon footprint through sustainable materials (recycled and upcycled materials) and more efficient and productive construction processes.. There was also a noticeable rise in AI-driven tools for project management, project tracking, predictive analytics & maintenance, and automation, as well as advancements in industrialized construction methods and robotics to address labour shortages and efficiency gaps. Beyond our Top 50 report, we saw that 37% of all the capital raised in construction tech ecosystem went to AI, and the largest deals registered in 2024 went to solutions using AI.

Are there any regions or markets that showed a notable increase in innovation or representation in this year’s list compared to previous years?
North America and Europe continue leading the investment activity in our industry with 85% of all Contech transactions. From a deal perspective, Asia-Pacific showed significant growth in representations, with innovative startups tackling challenges unique to densely populated urban areas. Europe also strengthened its presence with growth across all the focus areas, although sustainability and productivity took 66% of the transactions. It seems that sustainability-driven solutions continue reflecting the region’s regulatory pressure to adopt and implement greener construction practices.

How many selected startups focus on sustainability, and what specific solutions stood out in addressing environmental challenges?
We try to build a balanced list of startups across our verticals every year. However, we see solutions from other buckets with a slight sustainability component, such as making processes efficient and greener by consuming fewer resources. In the Green Construction group, key innovations included CCUS technologies, LCA tools, AI tools for optimizing material usage, recycled construction materials and waste management, startups developing alternative cementitious materials and water efficiency & conservation.

With AI becoming increasingly integral, how are the listed startups leveraging artificial intelligence and automation to transform the construction industry?
AI is being used across various phases of the construction value chain, from generative design to predictive maintenance and real-time project monitoring. Many startups on the list leverage AI to optimize workflows, improve safety through automated risk assessments, and reduce project delays by predicting supply chain bottlenecks. Likewise, automation is particularly prevalent in robotics for tasks like bricklaying, 3D printing, site inspections or rebar works. 

Which startups or categories on the list do you see as having the highest investment potential or the greatest impact in the near future?
Startups focused on the sustainability, decarbonization and supply chain efficiency fields stand out for their investment potential, given the pressing demand for tackling industry´s carbon footprint, resource optimization, regulatory pressure and meet carbon budgets and targets. Specifically, those developing low-carbon materials, energy-efficient technologies, and AI-driven supply chain platforms are likely to have the greatest near-term impact. Lastly, the race for full automated sites has started, startups succeeding in automation lowering actual costs and increasing production will also take investors’ attention.

Are any of the startups from the list currently collaborating with Cemex Ventures, and if so, can you share examples of these partnerships?
All the startups included in the list are (or has been) part of our pipeline. While all these companies can benefit from our knowledge, our extensive network, or programs like the Construction Startup Competition, we prioritize those solutions whose vision is aligned with Cemex´s strategic needs and those that can help our operations to be more sustainable and efficient making our corporation more reliable and competitive. For example, some of these startups have participated in our acceleration program LeapLab, others are already collaborating with our operations and others are working with our Global R&D team.

Based on the innovations showcased, what do you see as the most significant opportunities and challenges for Contech in the next 5-10 years?
The most promising opportunities lie in addressing our industry decarbonization challenges throughout the entire construction lifecycle. The optimization of processes to make construction sites leaner and agile performing tasks on time and on budget will continue with capital inflows in the next years. Advances in AI, robotics, and industrialized construction will help to achieve this level of optimization. However, challenges include the slow adoption rate of new technologies due to the fragmented nature of the industry, regulatory hurdles, materials scarcity or the need for substantial investment to scale these solutions globally.

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What inspired you to establish Innotech, and how has the company evolved since its inception?
The inception of Innotech was driven by our deep-rooted passion for robotics and automation, which stemmed from our background in Mechatronics engineering. While working in the oil and gas sector, we realized that our true interest lay elsewhere—specifically in the untapped potential of concrete 3D printing. Recognising a significant opportunity in this emerging technology, we made the bold decision to pivot towards revolutionising the construction industry with automation. Our ambition was clear from the start: to position Innotech as the leading concrete 3D printing company in the MENA region.

Our journey began with a small-scale pilot project in our first year. However, our determination and innovative approach quickly propelled us forward. By our second year, we had successfully constructed 30 buildings using our proprietary 3D printing technology. This rapid growth not only validated our vision but also attracted the attention of investors. Today, we are proud to have secured investment from three prominent venture capital firms across three different countries, further solidifying our position in the market.

How does Innotech leverage 3D printing technology to address key challenges in the construction and manufacturing sectors?
One of the most pressing challenges in the construction industry is the high cost and lengthy timelines associated with traditional building methods. At Innotech, we have successfully mitigated these issues by leveraging automation through concrete 3D printing. This technology allows us to significantly reduce construction costs while expediting project completion times.

Beyond cost and speed, another major concern in modern construction is energy efficiency. We have actively worked on addressing this by innovating with sustainable construction materials that enhance thermal insulation and reduce energy consumption in buildings. By continuously refining our 3D printing processes and materials, we ensure that our solutions contribute to a more sustainable and cost-effective construction ecosystem.

What unique value does Innotech bring to Oman’s technology ecosystem, particularly in automation and sustainability?
Innotech’s core mission aligns closely with Oman’s Vision 2050, which aims to transform the nation into a net-zero carbon economy. One of the primary ways we contribute to this vision is by significantly reducing the carbon footprint of construction projects. Traditional construction methods rely heavily on cement, a major contributor to CO₂ emissions. Our 3D printing technology optimizes material usage, reducing the need for cement while maintaining structural integrity.

Moreover, by automating construction processes, we help minimize labour-intensive practices, which not only cuts costs but also enhances safety and efficiency. Our innovations in automation and sustainability position us as a key player in Oman’s technological transformation, making construction more eco-friendly and cost-effective.

Can you share examples of how Innotech’s solutions have successfully improved efficiency and reduced environmental damage in projects?
One of our most successful projects involved reducing construction costs for a client by 8% through the implementation of our 3D printing technology. This cost efficiency was achieved by minimizing material waste and streamlining labour requirements. Additionally, we have made substantial progress in reducing environmental impact. Our 3D printing solutions use 15% less Portland cement than conventional construction methods, which significantly reduces CO₂ emissions.

By integrating smart construction materials and sustainable design principles, we continue to set benchmarks in environmentally responsible building practices. Our commitment to sustainability ensures that every project we undertake benefits our clients and contributes positively to the environment.

In the field of educational technology, what role does Innotech play in preparing the next generation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution?
Beyond our contributions to construction, Innotech is deeply invested in the educational sector. We believe that the future of Oman’s technology ecosystem depends on equipping the next generation with essential skills in automation and robotics. To support this, we have established a mobile educational lab, funded by BP Oman and operated in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

This mobile lab travels across the country, introducing students to the fundamentals of robotics and automation through hands-on training. To date, we have provided practical training to over 1,200 students, inspiring a new wave of young engineers and innovators. By nurturing this talent pipeline, we are helping Oman transition into a knowledge-based economy.

What challenges have you faced in scaling your business and adopting advanced technologies in the region?
Scaling a business that introduces disruptive technology comes with significant hurdles. One of our biggest challenges has been navigating regulatory frameworks to secure permits for our innovative construction techniques. Since 3D printing in construction is still a relatively new concept in the region, obtaining approvals has been a time-consuming process.

Additionally, securing venture capital (VC) funding for hardware startups in the GCC has been another challenge. Unlike software startups, which generally require lower initial investments, hardware-focused companies demand substantial capital for research, development, and scaling. Despite these obstacles, our persistence and strategic partnerships have enabled us to overcome these barriers and continue our growth trajectory.

How does Innotech balance innovation with maintaining cost-efficiency for its clients in competitive industries like construction and manufacturing?
We believe that the key to making advanced technology affordable lies in vertical integration. Unlike traditional companies that outsource various aspects of their production, we made the unconventional decision to manage everything in-house. This includes research and development, material production, and manufacturing. While it was a bold and resource-intensive move, it has allowed us to drive down costs and ensure full control over quality and innovation.

By keeping all operations under one roof, we can rapidly iterate on our technology, reduce dependency on external suppliers, and pass on cost savings directly to our clients. This approach has been instrumental in making our 3D printing solutions accessible to a broader market.

What are your long-term goals for Innotech, and how do you envision its role in shaping Oman’s technological and educational future?
At Innotech, our long-term vision is to fully automate construction processes, making homeownership more affordable and environmentally sustainable. We envision a future where advanced robotics and AI-driven automation will significantly reduce the cost of building homes, making sustainable housing accessible to everyone.

Moreover, we aim to expand our educational initiatives, ensuring that future generations are equipped with the skills required to lead Oman’s technological revolution. By fostering innovation in both construction and education, we hope to play a crucial role in shaping the nation’s future as a leader in automation, sustainability, and technological advancement.

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Headquartered in the UAE, Maxbyte is a leading provider of Industry 4.0 solutions with a strong presence in the automotive, defence, utilities, and food and beverage sectors. It aims to enable smart connected industrial enterprise for flexibility, productivity, predictable revenue and profit growth, as well as sustainability.

The funding aims to expedite growth by bolstering the sales team, refining the go-to-market strategy and partnerships, and scaling projects across new geographies and industries.

Eddy Farhat, Executive Director at e& capital, said “Our investment in Maxbyte is a significant milestone. Maxbyte’s innovative approach to automation technology positions it as an ideal partner for the Industry 4.0 revolution especially with its track record of success stories across the UAE, USA, SEA, and India. This investment will further its mission to digitally transform and automate companies.

“Maxbyte’s plug-and-play solutions not only support underserved smaller manufacturers but also have the capability to compete with rivals serving larger manufacturing companies through seamless integration. We believe that these solutions will contribute to reshaping the manufacturing landscape in the UAE and beyond.”

Maxbyte provides a wide array of services across three main domains, including Industry 4.0 and AI applications for digitising industrial value chains to Smart and Sustainable Factories, robotics and automation solutions for enabling autonomous factories, and Industry 4.0 education programmes to empower manufacturers and the community for the advancement and adoption of digital transformation and Industry 4.0 journey.

Ramshankar CS, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Maxbyte, said “We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with e& capital. This exciting milestone is a testament to our shared vision and commitment to reshaping industries, driving transformative growth, and propelling our journey towards a future defined by boundless possibilities. This pivotal partnership accelerates our journey to spearhead technological evolution, fortify smart manufacturing, and empower UAE and global industries.

“We remain committed to delivering cutting-edge product byteFACTORY an industry 4.0 apps store integrated with robotics and automation that empower global industrial enterprise customers to thrive in this era of transformation. This new partnership with e& capital opens doors to even greater possibilities, enabling us closer to our vision of a smarter, more connected industrial world.”

Recently, e& enterprise and Maxbyte entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), designating e& enterprise as the exclusive distributor and system integrator of Maxbyte products in the UAE. The collaborative effort accelerates the digitisation of UAE’s manufacturing industry and resonates with the vision outlined by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MOIAT) through its Operation 300bn programme.

e& capital’s strategic investment in Maxbyte harmonises with the UAE’s national strategy to expedite digital adoption across industries, particularly emphasising the Industry 4.0 paradigm.

As e& capital and Maxbyte combine their strengths, they jointly contribute to the national agenda, shaping the manufacturing landscape’s future through the prism of Industry 4.0. This investment serves as a pivotal step towards realising the shared vision of a digitally empowered future.

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What is the importance of digital business tools for startups?
Most businesses, particularly startups are of the opinion that if they have a great product and a good business model, they can scale their business easily. However, there are several other factors that contribute to the seamless growth of the company. One such key element is automating the daily business operations so the focus can be on the growth of the business rather than managing day to day activities and a business management software is the right way to do so. Choosing the right business management software cannot only help the startup manage operations effectively, but also make a truly significant difference in an organization’s profits, agility, resilience, and competitive strength.

How does these digital business tools benefit startups?
A major number of small business owners encounter financial difficulties and having a business management software can help them plan and analyse finances better. These digital solutions are apt to deal with the regular invoicing, manage cashflow and inventory, remain compliant, prepare timely business reports for better and insightful decision making as well as save time to focus on growing their core business. Business management software offer enhanced efficiency and can streamline day to day operations, boost performance and can add real value to companies. In addition, these solutions provide deep insights, fast and seamless information flow, and most importantly can help startups save time and maximise return on investments.

What are the important things to consider while investing in digital business tools?
Every company has specific needs, as such it is key to evaluate the business needs before investing in a digital solution. Look for a business management software that is not only easy to install and use but can be accessed from anywhere in the world, without having to compromise on the security. Ensure that the digital solution is well equipped to manage accounting, inventory, invoicing, taxation and more. It is imperative that business owners understand which software is made for them, a software that adopts to their requirements and not the other way round. Lastly, but most importantly, go for a product that can suffice to all business operation needs without you needing to purchase different software for different functionalities, has no hidden cost and offer seamless support.

How would you describe Tally’s business tool for startups and how it can help them scale up their business?
TallyPrime is an integrated business management software that enhances business efficiency and helps startups manage business operations seamlessly. Some of the benefits of using TallyPrime include:

• Immense Flexibility: TallyPrime caters to different purchase and sales processes, enabling start-ups to manage accounts seamlessly, give a clear view of the cashflow, multiple billing formats, multi-currency support, and much more
• Seamless Inventory Management: With a phenomenal inventory management module, TallyPrime helps companies remain on top of their stock requirements and helps define unlimited groups, categories, batches, multiple stock valuations, etc.
• Insightful Reports: Business owners can keep a tab of their business by viewing hundreds of useful reports providing a 360-degree view of the business health and assists in taking informed decisions
• Easy compliance: Enables businesses remain compliant by seamlessly generating VAT compliant invoices to file returns
• Anytime anywhere access: With TallyPrime business owners can access their data and reports from anytime anywhere with complete security and privacy of their business and financial data

What advice would you give to startups that are looking to grow?
As a startup it is important to be mindful about the tools you invest in to scale your operations. Investing early in digitization that supports your business growth will be advisable. A business management software is a great choice to help you support, enhance, and automate various processes. It further helps streamline operations, remove human errors, enhance productivity, and achieve tasks, thereby improving business efficiency. Having said that, choose a powerful tool that can help you stay on top of your game and scale your business efficiently and effectively.

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Similar to the notion of utilising an app for operational efficiency and support, SANTECHTURE’s product portfolio eliminates universal pain points such as manual administration, inaccurate documentation, inadequate financial tracking, and costly in-house billing processes.

Four evolved and proven software programs excel individually to meet bespoke requirements regardless of scale and complexities, but also collectively offer increased productivity through process automation and human error elimination. AI validation and continuous process improvements are also accounted for.

“As the average healthcare claims rejection rate is 13% across the UAE and KSA, it’s operationally essential for provider administrators to navigate and implement solutions that aid in rate decline. Our products automate RCM workflow and claims validation, simplify medical coding, and provide end-to-end practice management. As a firm, we understand this essential business function and work with clients to implement our products in a bespoke manner to meet individual needs,’ said Anas Batikhi, Founder and CEO, SANTECHTURE.

With the ability to integrate with each other, compatibility with Health Information Systems (HIS) and the Saudi Billing System (SYS), and uphold Software as a Service (SaaS) compliant mechanisms, SANTECHTURE’s core product offering includes:
• ROBIN: A complete RCM workflow system – Prevents revenue leakage by reducing errors and automating processes in the following areas: Patient Eligibility, Policy Benefits Check, Pre-Authorisation, Patient Share Payments, Final Invoice Creation, E-claims Submission, Denial Management, among other key internal functions.
• THYNK: AI-Based Rule Engine for Claims Validation & Billing – Covers over 4 million medical and insurance rules.
• CODEMINE: Advanced Computer-Assisted Medical Coding – Digital content to replace books; First SaaS compliant program in the region.
• QUBE: SaaS Electronic Medical Records (EMR) with the power of ROBIN, THYNK, and CODEMINE

“Using RCM intelligent automation products enables healthcare providers to earn an additional 6%3 in revenue with their support. This is due to meticulously coding medical diagnoses, editing, and scrubbing claims, and performing required medical and eligibility checks that may be missed by the human interface. This alone makes the decision to transition to such platforms an easy choice. Further, ease of use, customisation features, and holistic systematic approach will aid in product attractiveness across the region and in KSA in particular due to its current aggressive growth period.’ added Batikhi.

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The MoU was signed by Deputy Minister of Transport for Roads, Eng Badr Al-Dulami, and David Shi, President of Enterprise Business Group, Huawei Middle East.

Deputy Minister of Transport for Planning and Information Dr. Mansour Alturki represented the Ministry of Transport and David Tao, General Manager of Enterprise Business Huawei Tech Investment Saudi Arabia, represented Huawei.

As per the MoU, Huawei will provide solutions in the field of automation, big data, and digitization. It will also contribute to the provision of solutions for shared mobility, sustainability, and the use of disruptive technology in the development of the logistics sector and intelligent transport systems in the Kingdom.

Alturki said the MoU ensures the utilization of the latest technology in the Saudi transport sector to enhance its performance in transporting freight and people, which is part of the Vision 2030 objectives. The adoption of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) will improve the logistical performance of our transport systems, hence directly boosting Saudi Arabia’s rank on the Logistics and Trading Across Borders performance indexes, further establishing the Kingdom as a global logistics hub connecting three continents.

The Deputy Minister added that the agreement will also contribute to enhancing the quality of life across the country through the adoption of advanced smart transport systems as well as improving the services provided to citizens, residents and visitors across all transport facilities including airports and railway stations. It focuses on finding ways to implement the latest automation and IoT practices in our operations in addition to increasing multimodal integration to enhance transportation inside and across cities and reduce travel time.

Commenting on this strategic partnership, David Shi, President of Enterprise Business Group, Huawei Middle East, said: “Huawei is pleased to be a strategic partner of the Ministry of Transport as it embarks on the mission to accelerate the development of Saudi Arabia’s transportation industry and the logistics sector to transform the Kingdom into a leading logistics hub in the region. Huawei will collaborate with the Ministry of Transport to identify and develop the next generation of modern transport technologies that cover multimodal transport across the Kingdom, including maritime transport, aviation, roads, railways and logistics.”

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