BuiltWorlds

Strip any building down to its essential parts, and every project begins with materials. Concrete, aggregates, insulation, glass, drywall, and steel form the foundation of the built environment, meaning that innovation at this level has the potential to touch every jobsite.

The companies recognized as Global Building Materials Innovators are literally reshaping the built environment from the ground up. Through circular construction strategies, breakthrough products, AI-enabled operations, and ambitious global expansion, these leaders are redefining how building materials are produced, delivered, and deployed.

Please join us in congratulating this year's Global Innovators in the Building Materials category! 🏆

TITAN Group — Operating for more than 120 years, Belgium-based TITAN is a key international player in the building and infrastructure materials industry. Recently, the group deployed an AI-based real-time logistics optimizer in its Florida ready-mix business, which it describes as a first of its kind in the industry.

CEMEX — Headquartered in Mexico, CEMEX is one of the world's largest building materials companies, producing and distributing cement, ready-mix concrete, and aggregates to more than 50 countries. Notably, the company has closed two significant US acquisitions, Couch Aggregates, LLC and Omega Products International, as part of its 2025-2027 strategic plan.

Holcim — One of the world's largest construction materials companies, Holcim produces cement, aggregates, and ready-mix concrete. With 18 acquisitions completed in 2025 and a 23.5% increase in construction demolition recycling, Holcim is executing aggressively on its NextGen Growth 2030 strategy.

Saint-Gobain — Founded in 1665, Saint-Gobain employs 162,000 workers around the world. The company recently launched its "Lead & Grow" 2026-2030 strategic plan with $14 billion earmarked for investments and acquisitions over that time period.

Knauf — Family-owned German manufacturer Knauf is one of the world's largest producers of drywall, insulation, and ceiling systems. The company reached an industry milestone in early 2026, becoming the first fiberglass insulation manufacturer to eliminate formaldehyde entirely across its product portfolio by replacing traditional binders with its plant-based ECOSE Technology.

CRH Americas — With a network of 80,000 employees across 28 countries, CRH is a global leader in building materials and manufacturing, focusing on aggregates, asphalt, cement and more. In 2025, the company completed 38 acquisitions, including Eco Material Technologies.

Learn more about each of these Global Innovators and how they were selected: https://builtworlds.com/insights/6th-annual-global-innovators/

We'll be celebrating the 6th cohort of BuiltWorlds Global Innovators in just a few weeks at the upcoming Paris Global Summit with an awards ceremony and reception hosted by Saint-Gobain in their beautiful showcase Winter Garden. We hope you'll join us! Register to attend: https://builtworlds.com/event/2026-paris-summit/

We're officially only TWO WEEKS AWAY from the 2026 Paris Global Summit! 🇫🇷

The BuiltWorlds Global Summit series returns to explore the broad spectrum of trends, challenges, and opportunities currently defining innovation in AEC, both in Europe and around the world. This members-only leadership event is designed to foster global collaboration, featuring:

• Site visits to 3DS Velizy Campus and 's "Charge As You Drive" test zone led by VINCI Autoroutes and VINCI Concessions

• A full day of programming at , VINCI's platform dedicated to foresight and innovation

• Our signature Demo Day Competition featuring pitches from Temelion, LOGIC Building Systems, MEPbrain, Volve Technologies, Strategic Building Innovation · bimSCORE, and Neuroject, along with insights from a panel of industry expert judges from Kajima, Presidio Advisors, Cemex Ventures, Trimble Inc., and AQAR عقار

• A keynote delivered by 's Sean Young

• Evening networking reception on the L'Olivia Barge on the Seine

• Awards ceremony and reception celebrating Global Innovators at the Winter Garden in the Tower in La Défense

• Insightful panel sessions and workshops at Les Salons Hoche developed by BuiltWorlds' programming team

𝑵𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒉𝒂̂𝒕𝒆 𝒅𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒓 𝒂̀ 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒔!

We're officially only TWO WEEKS AWAY from the 2026 Paris Global Summit! 🇫🇷

The BuiltWorlds Global Summit series returns to explore the broad spectrum of trends, challenges, and opportunities currently defining innovation in AEC, both in Europe and around the world. This members-only leadership event is designed to foster global collaboration, featuring:

• Site visits to Dassault Systèmes 3DS Velizy Campus and VINCI's "Charge As You Drive" test zone led by VINCI Autoroutes and VINCI Concessions

• A full day of programming at Leonard, VINCI's platform dedicated to foresight and innovation

• Our signature Demo Day Competition featuring pitches from Temelion, LOGIC Building Systems, MEPbrain, Volve Technologies, Strategic Building Innovation, and Neuroject, along with insights from a panel of industry expert judges from Kajima, Presidio Advisors, Cemex Ventures, Trimble Inc., and AQAR

• A keynote delivered by NVIDIA's Sean Young

• Evening networking reception on the L'Olivia Barge on the Seine

• Awards ceremony and reception celebrating Global Innovators at the Winter Garden in the Saint-Gobain Tower in La Défense

• Insightful panel sessions and workshops at Les Salons Hoche developed by BuiltWorlds' programming team

𝑵𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒉𝒂̂𝒕𝒆 𝒅𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒓 𝒂̀ 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒔!

BuiltWorlds members can reserve their spot here (must be logged in to BuiltWorlds account): https://builtworlds.com/event/2026-paris-summit/
Not a BuiltWorlds member? Join us in Paris with a limited-time digital membership and ticket bundle: https://builtworlds.com/take-advantage-of-a-limited-time-only-membership-offering/

Last week's Formwork Labs Demo Day was a great demonstration of innovation in AEC! From AI powered solutions to low carbon alternative materials, the Demo Day gave us a taste of the new ideas and technologies with the potential to improve construction. Congratulations to the 2026 cohort, our friends at Formwork Labs and partners at Brick & Mortar Ventures on another excellent innovation showcase!

We're no strangers to the impact that these types of pitch competitions can have both for individual startups and the industry at large. BuiltWorlds is proud to host our own signature Demo Day Competition at each of our conferences and Global Summits where Innovative entrepreneurs pitch their solution to and receive feedback from a panel of judges made up of industry leaders from the built world VC and CVC ecosystem.

We accept applications for our Demo Day on a rolling basis. 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲!

While the Formwork Labs accelerator program has closed applications for 2026, there are still ample opportunities around the industry for startups and entrepreneurs to connect with mentors and investors. The deadlines of some of these other programs are coming up quick:

𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝟬-𝟲𝟬 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲
Deadline: May 22

𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝟳 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗸 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀
Deadline: June 5

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (backed by Cemex Ventures, Building and Construction Authority Singapore, Caterpillar, Dysruptek by Haskell, Ferrovial, Hilti Venture, Leonard, NOVA by Saint-Gobain, Trimble Inc., and Zacua Ventures)
Deadline: June 28

𝗘𝗹𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗗𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿
Deadline to apply: End of June

𝗺𝗛𝗨𝗕 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿
Deadline: July 13

𝗖𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘅 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗯
Rolling applications

𝗦𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿
Rolling applications

𝗦𝗘𝗘𝗗 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗯𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱
Applications are expected to open in June.

𝗡𝗫𝗧 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗡𝗫𝗧 𝗕𝗟𝗗 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀
Applications will open in the summer.