Start-ups: game changers in the construction world?
Start-ups are the drivers of transformation - they think in new ways, act with agility and develop bold solutions for the challenges of our time. However, innovation alone is not enough to bring about lasting change in an industry. Especially in the changing construction and property industry, young companies and established players need to work together to put new technologies, materials and digital processes into practice.
BAU 2025: Building the future—investing together
More than 100 start-ups presented their solutions at BAU 2025—all with the aim of increasing efficiency, conserving resources and making construction fit for the future. They are not only accelerating technological developments, but also creating new business models that are disrupting traditional markets.
However, their success depends crucially on whether companies are prepared to invest in these innovations, integrate them into existing structures and jointly develop new business models. The trade fair impressively demonstrates that more and more established players are recognising this opportunity: They are promoting start-ups, offering partnerships and creating the framework conditions to turn promising ideas into marketable solutions. This is how real progress is created—by courageous founders and companies that are prepared to invest in the future together.
Jan C. Küster, initiator of the Founders Fight Night, is also convinced that industry get-togethers such as BAU are the ideal breeding ground for this. After all, all topics relating to the future of building are covered here and bring people together. He has one tip for all start-ups from the construction industry: construction site experience is not the free programme, but the compulsory programme to be successful. A tip that the finalists took to heart during the verbal boxing match.
Pitch. Fight. Win.—The Founders Fight Night 2025
The Founders Fight Night is the ultimate endurance test for founders. Without slides, screens or distractions, they compete against each other in a gripping live pitch - with nothing but their passion and their ideas. The audience decides the winners interactively, while a panel of experts makes the competition even more intense with critical questions.
But which start-ups were there—and above all: who won the toughest pitch duel this time? The participating start-ups impressed with innovative ideas that will make the industry fit for the future. From new building materials and composites, sustainable recycling solutions and digital marketplaces to intelligent platforms for engineering, environmental product declarations and networked neighbourhoods—the variety of concepts shows just how much innovative power there is in the industry.
In the rousing final, Paul Lind, CEO & Co-Founder of reebuild was once again crowned champion. He successfully defended his title and won the Founders Fight Night at BAU for the second time.
The Founders Fight Night has once again proven its worth: The toughest pitches deliver the best ideas for the future!
An overview of the participants:
- ABATON
Abaton offers an innovative surface cooling system that regulates humidity and enables small-scale ventilation or pure window ventilation. This saves up to 30 % energy—without sacrificing room comfort! - RECYCLAIM
Recyclaim operates a platform that connects waste producers with recyclers, optimises material flows and saves resources from being incinerated: Intelligent networking for efficient recycling! - BENETICS
The company optimises communication between the construction site and the office with an AI-supported voice assistant. Spoken words are converted into finished construction reports, measurements and logs in a matter of seconds—in over 30 languages with automatic translation: smart language assistance for the construction site! - CRAFTOMATIC
Craftomatic revolutionises time recording by running fully automatically in the background and assigning working times directly to the right projects—without any manual effort. Instead of tedious typing, the company relies on real automation: this is how modern, efficient time recording works! - KINISTO
Kinisto is AI-supported software that automates enquiries in the building materials trade and saves over 50% processing time. It recognises relevant items and suggests suitable products—for a faster and more efficient quotation process! - REEBUILD
The founders of reebuild have declared war on paperwork and enable construction managers to concentrate on the essentials again—the construction site! With its software solution, reebuild optimises commercial tasks through automation and machine learning, reduces repetitive processes and bundles relevant data—for more efficiency and time that really counts!
Missed this event?
Anyone who missed BAU 2025 can take a look at digitalBAU 2026: From 24–26 March 2026, exciting newcomers who want to revolutionise the industry with their new approaches will once again be presented here.