The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has launched its second Innovandi Open Challenge, a global program that connects tech start-ups with leading cement and concrete companies to accelerate the development of low-carbon solutions for the sector.
The GCCA and its members, who represent 80% of all cement manufacturers outside of China, are committed to achieving carbon neutral concrete by 2050, in line with global climate targets. To help reach this goal, they are seeking innovative technologies that can reduce or eliminate carbon emissions throughout the concrete value chain, as well as use CO2 as a resource in the construction industry.
Focus on Inputs
The 2023 Innovandi Open Challenge focuses on the development of new materials and ingredients for
low-carbon concrete, a major step towards the mission for net zero concrete. This year’s contest will focus on ready-to-use, low-carbon ingredients, such as supplementary cementing materials, admixtures, clinkers and aggregates.
Selected start-ups will gain unique access to the expertise, infrastructure, and network of the GCCA and its members, who operate in almost every country across the world. They will receive guidance and support from nominated lead experts to help them progress in the industrialization of their technology, develop new technologies and define new business cases with one or several industrial partners.
They will also have the opportunity to showcase their innovation to a wider audience of stakeholders, including equipment manufacturers, value chain players, investors, and media.
Ready, Set…
The application deadline for the Innovandi Open Challenge 2023 is May 15, 2023. Finalists will be announced on May 30, 2023 and will start working with their industrial partners from July 2023 onwards. The program will culminate in April 2024, when the results and achievements of each consortium will be showcased.
The Innovandi Open Challenge is part of the GCCA’s Innovandi initiative, which also includes a global research network that brings together academia and industry to collaborate on pre-competitive research projects.
Thomas Guillot, the GCCA’s Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to launch our second Innovandi Open Challenge, which is a key pillar of our innovation strategy to drive the sector’s transition to net zero. We believe that by working together with start-ups, we can accelerate the development and deployment of breakthrough technologies that will help us achieve our ambitious climate goals. We invite all start-ups who share our vision and passion for low-carbon innovation to apply for this unique opportunity to partner with some of the world’s leading cement and concrete companies.”
For more information and to apply for the Innovandi Open Challenge 2023, visit https://gccassociation.org/innovandi/openchallenge/oc2023/
