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The top start-ups transforming the construction, energy services and concessions industries

#ecologicaltransition

The construction, energy services and concessions industries are constantly changing: innovation is at the heart of these industries. From the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to simplify worksite management to the automation of earthmoving tasks and the creation of drinking water from air: here are a few new developments, driven by the innovation of start-ups, that have particularly caught our attention. The future is on the move.

Kumulus: creating drinking water from air

 

The idea behind Kumulus is to use a free, renewable resource - air - to produce water, even in the middle of the desert. Founded in 2021 by two École Polytechnique engineers, Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid, the start-up has developed a one cubic metre machine capable of condensing air and transforming it into drinking water. Connected to the electricity supply, it can produce around thirty litres a day completely independently. This means significant savings, estimated at between 30% and 50% over two years, compared with buying bottled water. It’s an idea that could be put to good use, for example on worksites with no running water! The Franco-Tunisian solution is already widely used, particularly in regions with very hot desert climates.

Cameras that analyse the progress of work with Oculai 

 

Installing cameras on cranes to monitor worksites is a long-established practice. But processing the images collected with algorithms capable of analysing the progress of the worksite and comparing it with the objectives, in real time, without any additional work for the teams, is a first. The Oculai tool saves time in managing and supervising construction projects. The start-up, based in Munich, Germany, has been going from strength to strength since passing through the programme SEED de Leonard, in 2022. Leonard is the VINCI Group's foresight and innovation platform, which supported the start-up in its development. The founders hope that this type of equipment will become standard on all worksites within five years1.

A solid yet ultra-light structure with Strong by Form

 

Founded in 2018, start-up Strong by Form has invented a new high-performance building material created from wood flakes and resin. This makes it possible to build solid, yet extremely lightweight structures. It can replace concrete, steel or aluminium buildings, as well as unfinished timber structures, using much less material2. Wood flakes make it possible to use a wider variety of species and virtually the entire tree, not just the largest, strongest pieces. In addition to its lightness and strength, Strong by Form material can be incorporated into a wide range of eco-responsible architectural projects.

HyLight, the airship that inspects electrical infrastructure 

 

This drone is like no other. It's an automated airship that runs on green hydrogen. Capable of collecting a vast amount of data, it replaces conventional helicopters and drones, which are much more polluting, on missions to inspect critical energy service infrastructure. For example, HyLight is being used sucessfully by Omexom, a VINCI Energies subsidiary, to inspect the electricity distribution network - or smart grid - between Bordeaux and Toulouse. It’s an effective way of ensuring network security while limiting its carbon footprint.

HyLight : le dirigeable qui traque les fuites de gaz !

Kraaft, the essential field app

 

A messaging platform available on mobile phones and PCs, Kraaft simplifies exchanges between teams in the field and in the office. As well as being easy to use as a messaging system, it goes further than an app like WhatsApp, because it geolocates images, classifies them from the platform and lets you consult plans and other essential documents (task forms, inspection sheets, schedules, etc.) on a worksite. Since 2022, passing through Leonard's CATALYST programme, the VINCI Group’s foresight and innovation platform, Kraaft has become part of the daily lives of more than 1,200 building and public works companies in 14 countries. 

Gravis Robotics turns earthmoving machines into robots  

 

A simple box that automates earthmoving equipment in complete safety? That's the promise of start-up Gravis Robotics, winner of the gold medal in the Construction Startup Competition 2025 in the United States. Using a tablet, instructions can be given to the digger, or any other machine, to dig where indicated and empty the bucket where required - even into the skip of another vehicle, which the device can detect. Equipped with sensors, the machines detect the presence of people and stop to avoid injuring anyone. This makes it possible for the operator to work remotely, controlling several connected machines simultaneously, with a high level of safety.

Relieve the power grid and save money with Orus Energy

 

Orus Energy is a platform dedicated to electricity rebalancing, enabling commercial buildings to shift certain flexible electricity uses to times when electricity consumption is less costly. ‘When the power grid is under strain, we are notified and we adjust our usage accordingly, and the electricity markets pay us for this’, explains Fanny Sauvée, co-founder of the start-up. It’s an effective way of lightening the load on the network while making savings. 

AI for risk management with Enlaye

 

Founded in Boston in 2023, start-up Enlaye simplifies risk management for construction companies. This tool enables teams to interrogate the AI and obtain precise answers in a matter of minutes to questions that would previously have required several days of research, as Augustin Desvaux, an engineer for VINCI Construction Grands Projets in the United States, points out3. Enlaye can be used by property developers and promoters to identify the construction risk profile of each project, as well as by public, even government, clients and owners, and agencies to help coordinate the assembly and drafting of tender documents. The time saved is estimated at 67% and the financial gain at 20%.

All your tenders and contracts in one place with Aïtenders

 

The start-up Aïtenders promises to manage contracts and tenders efficiently. All you have to do on one platform is upload all your documents and contracts to get an overview of the timetable you have to keep to and the work you have to do day by day. The software also makes it possible to analyse risks and collaborate with others. The start-up, based in Saint-Étienne (Loire), was part of Leonard's CATALYST 2024 acceleration programme, the VINCI Group’s foresight and innovation platform.

Companies need to rely on innovation to overcome challenges such as the energy transition and security, and the digital revolution. Support programmes for start-ups, such as those run by Leonard, the VINCI Group's foresight and innovation platform, help these projects to develop and be adopted by as many people as possible.

Sources :

1 Munich Startup : « Oculai : solution soutenue par l’IA pour les chantiers de construction en génie civil et structurel » – https://www.munich-startup.de/en/110592/oculai-7-questions/  

2 Biomimicry Institute : « The Power of Natural Wood » – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv2CQjrw4tY  

3 Enlaye : vidéo #CustomerSpotlight https://www.linkedin.com/posts/enlaye_customerspotlight-proposal-execution-activity-7379186040558907392-5IDc?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADVCcpoB0mW6uRVd3ztNrTyFg_QJFTWMFI0  

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