A new partnership between cement manufacturers and emerging technology companies to collaborate on the development of low-carbon concrete has been announced by the industry’s leading membership association, the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA).
Canada-based EnviCore, Queens Carbon and Chement from the US, and New Zealand’s NeoCrete were all shortlisted last year as part of GCCA’s Innovandi Open Challenge program. These companies currently have partnerships with at least five GCCA member companies and major manufacturers who will support and evaluate their technology.
Their ideas could help transform the way concrete is made and significantly reduce emissions. The four startups will have unique access to the industry’s factories, laboratories, leading networks, and the expertise and infrastructure of leading manufacturers to accelerate the development of their technology. Each startup will also showcase their technology and progress as part of a Demo Day in Bangkok, Thailand on June 6 as part of GCCA’s CEO and Leaders Conference.
Concrete is the world’s most used man-made material and is essential to much of modern infrastructure, including homes, roads, tunnels, and bridges. However, it is so widely used that it now accounts for about 7% of the world’s CO.2 emissions. The development of new materials and technologies is a key part of GCCA’s 2050 Net Zero Concrete Roadmap.
Claude Laurea, Cement Director for Cement, Innovation and ESG at GCCA, said the four startups had been impressive at every step of the process. “Developing low-carbon concrete is difficult because it needs to be scalable and ultimately affordable. Innovation is key and it’s great to see start-ups agreeing to partner with manufacturers. GCCA and our member companies are really looking forward to working closely with each startup to take their ideas to the next stage.”
Meanwhile, GCCA has also selected a record 29 startups from around 100 applicants as finalists for Open Challenge 3, which will focus on further developing carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology. It was also announced that . In line with GCCA’s 2050 Net-Zero Concrete Roadmap, CCUS development is expected to account for approximately 36% of the industry’s emissions reductions. All of them will now be invited to pitch their ideas to his GCCA membership later this month.
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The article is available online: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/08052024/gcca-announces-new-partnerships-between-global-manufacturers-and-tech-start-ups/
