Build Circular

Context:
The world population will grow by 30% from 2020 to 2050 to 9.8 billion people. Annual construction volume will inevitably double to €20 trillion in 30 years. At the same time, CO2 emissions must fall by half. Europe’s construction sector is waste-rich yet resource-poor. It must reduce its unacceptably high environmental impact and cut GHGs while finding alternative raw materials to overcome resource shortages. The solution lies in their waste streams, yet companies lack the technology and knowledge to extract this value. This is due to multiple challenges:

Environmental Problem:
Growing Waste: Industrial companies produce mountains of non-recyclable waste. Construction alone accounts for about 50% of all waste in Europe. Most of it is now dumped in landfill or incinerated. Only 5% of waste is now upcycled into high-quality material. The circularity rate of construction is only 7.2% and is getting worse each year. 30% of waste material is too fine-grained to be recycled. Landfill is destroying ever larger tracts of land. Growing demand and output is creating a global waste catastrophe.

Resource Scarcity: Construction consumes huge volumes of scarce resources, such as sand, gravel and wood. The world is facing a shortage of sand, which is mined with destructive and dangerous methods. The extraction of raw materials like gravel, sand, and wood is destroying ecosystems and harming biodiversity. All extractive methods affect landscapes, create pollution and degrade the earth. The consumption of raw materials will double in the next 30 years, along with construction.

Construction GHGs: The construction industry and building sector is responsible for 38% of CO2 emissions annually, more than all moving cars globally Energy used for materials represents 14-20% of a building's lifetime energy expenditure. Buildings have poor end-of-life assessments as most materials are now not recycled. The sector relies on cement, which contributes around 8% of all CO2, with ongoing output due to its chemical reaction. Even recycled waste materials are now mixed with mineral binders from carbonate rocks, such as calcium carbonate, which emit 40-50% of their weight in CO2 during calcination (production process), making them unsustainable. Alternative binder materials are needed.

Regulatory Demands: The EU Green Deal and sustainability taxonomy requirements pressure businesses to clean up their waste streams and cut GHGs. All companies that mine and process raw materials, manufacture products, build and own property and develop infrastructure will soon have a major additional problem. All sectors must adapt to meet the EU’s target of reducing net GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050.

Irregular Designs: Builders need new sustainable raw materials to meet the demand for more sustainable housing. They must replace wasteful and costly construction methods such as timber moulds and concrete facades. Architects want to create unique designs and shapes that are now impossible with standard materials. They are demanding new materials and methods of creating customised and functional building components.

ParaStruct has developed a breakthrough circular material platform that transforms unusable industrial and biological waste into a high-value, low-emission construction material. We developed a patented recycling process for the binding system to bind all fine-grained residues and commercial applications for the resulting material. Companies will use ParaStruct’s platform on their sites, with standard equipment and 3D printers, to turn their mountains of trash into treasure, solving environmental and economic challenges.

Environmental Solution:
All Wastes Valorised: ParaStruct can upcycle mineral and biogenic waste into construction products, including fine-grained particles of <2mm. This is possible due to ParaStruct’s breakthrough patented method to circularize the binder system. According to precise, proprietary formulations, it combines fine-grained waste with alternative binders, such as magnesium oxide and geopolymers. The company has succeeded in making these binders recyclable.

Resources Replaced: Scarce resources are replaced with recycled waste from various currently unusable sources. Instead of sand and cement, wasted materials can be combined with alternative binders to create a new strong, light, high-quality material. ParaStruct's platform can be used to produce components with different insulating, load-bearing, and functional properties. Material is also saved using additive 3D printing methods, which use the precise quantities required, using 50% less material. This avoids landfilling and incineration.

GHGs Reduced: ParaStruct helps multiple sectors reduce GHGs. It avoids GHGs created through resource extraction. It can replace concrete in many applications, eliminating one of the biggest sources of GHGs from the built environment. It uses recyclable low-carbon binders. ParaStruct wants to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80% compared to cement with the recycled secondary binder. The resulting components are fully recyclable, enabling full end-of-life assessment benefits. GHGs from transport are also eliminated, using on-site resource recuperation and on-demand manufacturing. Regional resource supply chains can be established to replace long-distance carbon-intensive transport.

Business Solution:
Increased Revenue: ParaStruct creates new revenue streams and reduces costs from waste processing. Industrial partners can earn far higher revenues from valorised waste than their core products. They can use the material, save on expenditure, or sell it for additional revenue. 

Novel Products: ParaStruct helps companies find unique applications for their valorised waste, using selective binder activation 3D powder printing to produce unique geometric construction components. Companies can develop completely new building elements, such as geometric interior panels, shaped bricks and free-form facades according to end-user demands. This opens up new possibilities for sustainable building design to meet urban environmental challenges.

Meeting Regulatory Demands: ParaStruct helps companies meet new regulatory requirements under the EU Green Deal and fit sustainability taxonomy requirements to access green financing. Its future digital platform can provide precise data for use in reporting.

External Expertise: Companies can access breakthrough IP, world-leading expertise, and market-ready material applications while focusing on their core business. P

Our solution addresses these needs by providing accessible, cost-effective, and scalable alternatives to traditional cement and construction materials. Through innovation in materials science, process optimization, and supply chain management, we offer products and services that enable our target population to achieve their sustainability objectives without compromising on quality or affordability. By empowering stakeholders across the construction value chain to adopt more sustainable practices, we contribute to building a more resilient and environmentally responsible environment for current and future generations.

The target population includes: 

Local Communities: Our solution's impact extends beyond the construction industry to benefit local communities. By reducing carbon emissions and promoting the reuse and recycling of materials, we contribute to mitigating climate change and reducing environmental pollution. Additionally, our focus on sustainable construction practices can lead to healthier and more individual buildings, creating safer and more comfortable living environments for community members. Not least, since corona, we know that we need to take care of our interiors and the built environment and use healthier materials. The influence of shape and design on the psyche must be considered. With 3D printing, we can produce any shape economically, even cheaper than the state of the art. 

Construction Companies: Our solution directly serves construction companies by providing them with sustainable alternatives to traditional cement and construction materials. By offering innovative products and processes that reduce carbon emissions and promote resource efficiency, we enable these companies to meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations while also differentiating themselves in a competitive market.

Architects and Engineers: Architects and engineers play a crucial role in specifying materials and designing structures. Our solution provides them access to sustainable building materials and technologies that align with their sustainability goals and enable them to design more eco-friendly and resilient structures.

Builders and Contractors: Builders and contractors are on the front lines of construction projects and are often responsible for implementing sustainable practices on-site. Our solution equips them with the tools, training, and support needed to effectively adopt and integrate sustainable construction practices into their workflows.

Our team covers a comprehensive spectrum, professionally and in terms of background. We have the right background, proven track record, and vision to succeed. Some team members have a scientific background, others have industrial experience, and others are enthusiasts of the circular economy. We cover skills from craftsmanship to high-quality research and communication. In our fields, we are pioneers with a successful track record. Most importantly, we are united in our mission to make the industrial future more sustainable.

Our team's proximity to the communities we aim to serve is not just a matter of geography; it's deeply ingrained in our ethos and approach to problem-solving. We believe that true innovation in climate tech comes from genuine understanding and collaboration with the communities most affected by climate change. We are a member of the EIT Climate Kic and thus committed to the 1.5°C target. At the same time, we have completed the New European Bauhaus Booster.  The team members want to use their experience and knowledge to improve the world. 

The team members are Georg Breitenberger, Freia Ruegenberg, Kilian Rießbeck, Grgeor Metzler, Stafean Watzke, Maria Eisenmann, Andrea Sasso, Nico Buller and Gerhard.

We have developed a recycling technology that makes it possible to recycle mineral binders and make them usable again. This has an enormous impact on Co2 emissions in producing mineral binders. We are scaling the process with service providers to several tonnes of output. 
We have developed a material platform from mineral and biogenic waste materials that we combine with recycled mineral binder systems.
We have further developed a high-speed 3D printing system and are building a pilot plant with mechanical engineers that will be ready for use in September 2024.
We have developed 4 functioning recyclable 3D printed end products for high-volume markets. 
We have won several awards, including the EIT Circular Economy Prize.

By participating in Solve, we aim to leverage the collective expertise, resources, and networks of its diverse community to accelerate our progress and maximize the impact of our solution. We are committed to collaborative innovation and recognize Solve as an ideal platform for driving meaningful change.

Specifically, we believe Solve can provide invaluable support in several key areas:

1. Legal and Regulatory Hurdles: Navigating complex legal and regulatory landscapes can be daunting, especially for startups operating in highly regulated industries. Solve can connect us with legal experts who can offer guidance on compliance, intellectual property protection, and navigating legal frameworks to ensure our solution's viability and scalability.

2. Cultural and Market Barriers: Understanding diverse cultural contexts and market dynamics is essential for effectively addressing global challenges. Solve's network can provide valuable insights, market research, and connections to local partners and stakeholders, helping us tailor our solution to specific cultural nuances and market needs.

We are the only one with a fully recyclable material platform that can be recycled repeatedly and thus goes through the loop several times.
We are the only ones who can process fine-grained mineral and biogenic waste into building products
When it comes to decarbonization, we fight the cause in producing binders and not the consequences, such as CDR and CCS.

By combining it with 3D printing, we can offer circular advanced manufacturing.

Our startup's focus on the circular economy within the construction industry and decarbonization of cement production presents a multifaceted approach to addressing the challenges of extreme weather adaptation, climate-smart buildings, infrastructure planning, and ecosystem restoration in cities. 

1. Circular Economy in Construction: By promoting circular practices in construction, such as using recycled materials and reducing waste, we directly contribute to the resilience of buildings and infrastructure in the face of extreme weather events. Climate-smart buildings built with circular principles are more durable, adaptable, and resource-efficient, making them better equipped to withstand and recover from climate-related disasters.

2. Decarbonization of Cement Production: Cement production significantly contributes to carbon emissions, but by developing and implementing innovative decarbonization technologies and processes, we reduce the carbon footprint of construction materials. This lowers greenhouse gas emissions and helps mitigate climate change impacts, including extreme weather events.

3. Restoration of Regional Ecosystems: As part of our circular economy approach, we prioritize sourcing materials from waste sources (urban mining). In this way, we prevent land consumption through landfilling, including ecosystem restoration projects. By supporting the restoration of regional ecosystems, such as wetlands, forests, and coastal habitats, in the area of reef restoration, where we collaborate with Underwater Garden International, we enhance natural defences against extreme weather events, improve water management, and promote biodiversity, all of which contribute to the overall resilience of cities and communities.

Our theory of change is supported by emerging research in sustainable construction practices, climate resilience planning, ecosystem restoration, and feedback from stakeholders and experts in the field. Our activities aim to create a more resilient, sustainable, and climate-smart built environment that benefits both present and future generations.

Material savings: 3D powder printing saves at least 50% of material consumption compared to conventional manufacturing.GHG Reduction: Our circular low-carbon binders reduce emissions by 40% compared to cement. We upcycle mineral and biogenic particle waste, thus avoiding landfills; our end products are also fully recyclable at the end of life. Doing so can prevent further land grabbing through resource extraction and increase biodiversity. Our technology enables companies in the construction, metallurgical, steel, mining and refractory industries to eliminate waste disposal costs and create new products. Resilient cities by enabling a better home through customised, sustainable, natural building products. 

We have to continuously report our impact to the EIT Climate Kic using the Impact Forecast Tool. 

Technology Solution:
ParaStruct combines several technology components in its circular materials platform:
Circular Binding System: ParaStruct uses patented methods and know-how to analyse waste stream properties, select alternative binders and develop recipes for construction-grade base materials. These applications are highly scalable, as they can be applied across whole sectors with similar waste streams. ParaStruct can recycle mineral binders to produce fully recyclable building products and reduce CO2 emissions during calcination.
Binder Activation: ParaStruct uses selective binder activation to use fine dust particles in digital manufacturing processes such as 3D printing. Conventional binders such as cement cannot be used in powder bed 3D printing, or combined with waste materials, due to their physical properties. ParaStruct has overcome this through its R&D, developing a unique method for activating binders during 3D printing. This opens a huge range of new materials for use and expands the possibilities of digital manufacturing.
Valorising and 3D Printing: ParaStruct designs production lines for companies to transform waste on their sites using standard equipment (crushers, sieves, mixers, silos) to produce 3D printing material. End products are produced using selective binder activation 3D printing, based on the Binder Jetting process, which outperforms all other 3D printing processes in construction due to its surface quality, geometric freedom and economic efficiency.
Patented Applications: ParaStruct has created a set of commercial applications for high volume markets as proofs of concept. Its beachhead application is EcoMould, a patented recyclable 3D-printed mould for cold casting and laminating processes. Other products in development include 3D-shaped wall panels, precise acoustic panels, room dividers and moulded bricks.

We have already reached TRL6 and are currently scaling up to TRL8. We receive public funding and have to report continuously, and the funding organisations constantly review the technologies. We also have expert opinions from independent third parties. 

We have 6 LOIs from customers who want to participate in large-scale piloting. 

Some of our competitors, like Voxeljet, could become customers of our materials and applications. 

The team currently consists of 9 people:

Full Time: 5 Persons, Georg Breitenberger CEO, Freia Ruegenberg CSO, Kilian Rießbeck CDO, Gregor Metzler CPO, Stefan Watzke Business development

Part Time: Nico Buller, Maria Eisenmann, Andrea Sasso (CFO)

Contractor: Gerhard

For eight years, Georg Breiteenberger has been working on 3D printing solutions for the construction industry and new material concepts. He used to do this for the industry. 

The core team has now been working together for two years. Parastruct is now exactly three years old.

By prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in our hiring practices, workplace culture, and ongoing operations, we create a supportive and empowering environment where all team members can thrive and contribute their unique perspectives and talents to our collective success.

Percentage of women in the founding team: 33%
The percentage of women in the entire team was 33%, which is a very high for the construction industry. 

Measures to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are:

Diverse Hiring Practices

Unbiased Selection Process

Inclusive Onboarding and Training

Continuous Education and Development

Flexible Work Policies

Monetary employee participation in the success of the company

We want to reach our target markets through direct marketing and direct sales. In some areas also through sales partners. We want to license our products to third parties through license fees. The licensor's business model results in a streamlined value chain. Most of the costs are variable and depend on capacity utilization. This lowers our costs and increases flexibility. Although the license fees are low compared to direct sales, our target markets are very profitable. Our license system makes it possible to create new markets in a targeted manner and diffuse them quickly. This contributes to rapid brand building and, in turn, creates value. In addition, we are not tied to specific products but can use intellectual property in various ways. Also, we are not bound locally and can quickly scale globally.
We want to produce and sell ourselves in the most important high-volume markets. These are outside of Europe. We want to sell the materials as printer cartridges (silo). After their lifetime, we take back the materials free of charge.

Due to our impact, we can finance our developments with public funding such as the EIC Accelerator, EIB and the research funding of the Austrian government. In addition, we want to attract private investors. We want to complete our first seed round in 2024. This year we aim to secure €2.5M from the EIC Accelerator €800,000€ from the AWS, and €1,000,000 from
private investors.

We want to achieve our first sales from October 2024.