What Oxara does

Oxara is a Swiss cleantech company and ETH Zurich spin-off founded in 2019 by Dr. Gnanli Landrou and Dr. Thibault Demoulin. The company develops cement-free binder and activator technologies that transform mineral construction waste (excavation and demolition materials) into sustainable building materials using proprietary blends of mineral salts and alkali-activated chemistry. Its core product portfolio includes Oulesse® Binder (cement replacement for concrete applications), Oxabrick® Loko (stabilizer for compressed earth blocks made from local excavation materials), and Oxacrete® Nossim (clay concrete activator for poured earth applications). These technologies address the construction sector's significant environmental footprint — cement alone accounts for approximately 8% of global CO2 emissions — and enable up to 30% CO2 reduction compared to conventional cement products.

Oxara operates an asset-light business model centered on technology licensing and binder sales to established Swiss construction materials producers who manufacture and distribute branded end-products. Production partners include Granol (Oulesse binder manufacturing), KIBAG/KIBECO (KIBECO Cleancrete product lines), CREABETON/MÜLLER-STEINAG Gruppe (Oulesse pavers), and Terrabloc (Oxablocs). The company serves multiple customer segments including building material producers, architects and planners, real estate developers, public municipalities, and international development projects. Revenue streams include binder and activator product sales (one-time licensing), technology licensing and royalties from production partners, and a planned CO2 certificate revenue stream leveraging carbon savings from cement displacement.

The company is headquartered in Dietikon, Switzerland near Zurich, with approximately 12 employees. As of mid-2026, Oxara is raising a CHF 20 million Series A round to scale production capacity, advance product certifications, and reach break-even by 2028. Notable flagship projects include the MANAL pavilion in Horw (first load-bearing Oulesse application) and the Swiss Embassy in Yaoundé, Cameroon (compressed earth blocks using local materials). Key investors include Medley Ventures, Samih Sawiris, buildify.earth, and Migros Pionierfonds, with grant support from Innosuisse and the European Innovation Council.

Name

Oxara

Legal name

Oxara AG

Website

https://oxara.earth

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oxara is a Swiss ETH Zurich spin-off that develops cement-free binder and activator technologies, transforming mineral construction waste into sustainable building materials. It licenses these formulations to established Swiss construction materials producers (Granol, KIBAG, CREABETON, Terrabloc) for use in concrete, pavers, and compressed earth blocks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Construction Materials

NAICS

Ground or Treated Mineral and Earth Manufacturing (327992), Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing (325180), Cement Manufacturing (327310)

SIC

Cement, Hydraulic (3241), Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810)

akta.pro primary industry

Cementitious Binders & Additives (Fly Ash, Slag, Silica Fume, Lime) (IMADAAAH)

Keywords

• Cement-free binders
• Low-carbon construction materials
• Circular building materials
• Sustainable concrete alternatives
• Compressed earth blocks

Headquarters

HQ city

Dietikon

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Binder and Activator Product Sales: Oxara develops and commercializes cement-free binder technologies (Oulesse, Oxabrick Loko, Oxacrete Nossim) through production partners. Revenue generated from sales of proprietary binder formulations to material producers who incorporate them into their products. Asset-light model where partners manufacture using existing infrastructure.
2. Technology Licensing and Royalties: License fees and royalties from production partners (Granol, KIBAG, Terrabloc) who manufacture products using Oxara's proprietary binder technology. Partners pay for access to formulations and ongoing technical support.
3. CO2 Certificates: Building revenue stream from carbon certificates generated through CO2 savings achieved by replacing cement with cement-free alternatives. Part of the strategic plan to reach break-even by 2028.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Oxara develops and commercializes proprietary cement-free binders and activators (Oulesse®, Oxabrick® Loko, Oxacrete® Nossim) that transform mineral waste — excavation soil and demolition debris — into low-carbon, circular building materials using innovative blends of mineral salts. The binders are sold to and licensed through production partners who manufacture finished products such as concrete pavers, compressed earth blocks, and poured-earth flooring for the construction industry.

Product overview

Oxara offers a portfolio of cement-free binding technologies for the construction industry. The core products are the Oulesse® Binder (a cement-free alternative based on mineral salts and reused demolition/excavation waste) and the Oxabrick® Loko Activator (used for stabilizing compressed earth blocks). These core technologies enable various derived products including Oxacrete® Nossim for poured-earth applications and Oxablocs for compressed earth blocks. The products are commercialized through manufacturing partners (KIBECO/KIBAG, CREABETON, Terrabloc, Granol) who incorporate Oxara's binders into their own branded construction material product lines such as KIBECO Cleancrete pavers and blocks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oulesse: Cement-free binder technology that replaces carbon-intensive cement in concrete products, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 30%
• Oxabrick Loko
• Oxacrete Nossim
• KIBECO Cleancrete

Products and services

• Oulesse® Binder Cement-free binder that replaces carbon-intensive cement, based on an innovative blend of mineral salts and reused clay or demolition waste. Enables the production of low-carbon concrete and construction materials for material producers and construction companies.
• Oxabrick® Loko Activator Cement-free activator used to stabilize locally available excavation materials into compressed earth blocks for low-carbon building. Designed for construction projects in regions with access to local earth such as laterite soil.
• Oxacrete® Nossim Cement-free clay concrete (poured earth) activator for floor applications, non-load-bearing walls, and composite applications with wood. Provides natural humidity regulation and aesthetic finishes for interior and architectural use.
• Oxabloc Compressed Earth Blocks Stabilized compressed earth blocks made with natural clay and the Oxabrick® Loko activator, produced by Terrabloc. Low-carbon alternative for interior walls and elements, with humidity-regulating clay for healthy indoor climates.
• Oulesse® Pavers Cement-free concrete pavers for paths, courtyards, driveways, parking, and fire access roads, including standard, pervious (drainage), and grass paver variants. Powered by Oulesse binder with up to 30% lower CO2 emissions versus conventional pavers. Distributed by CREABETON.
• KIBECO Cleancrete (Oulesse and Nossim) Range of cement-free concretes produced with KIBECO (KIBAG) using the Oulesse binder (KIBECO Cleancrete Oulesse) and the Nossim activator (KIBECO Cleancrete Nossim). Reuses finely ground mineral construction waste for low-carbon building, distributed via KIBECO/KIBAG channels in Switzerland.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 30% lower CO2 emissions compared to conventional cement products
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and major.

• GranolflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Production partnership with Swiss family-owned dry building materials manufacturer (100 employees, 70 years experience). Granol manufactures Oulesse cement-free binder and manages raw material quality control. All production in Switzerland. Partnership enables diversification and circular economy for Granol.
• MULLER-STEINAG Gruppe (MSG)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Strategic partnership with leading Swiss producer and supplier of precast concrete products, ready-mix concrete, and building materials. MSG aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Partnership expected to save several thousand tons of CO2 annually and recycle thousands of tons of construction demolition waste starting 2025.
• CREABETON AGflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2025Distribution partner for Oulesse-powered concrete products including pavers, permeable pavers, and grass pavers with up to 30% lower CO2 emissions. Part of MULLER-STEINAG Gruppe.
• KIBAG/KIBECOmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for KIBECO Cleancrete products (Oulesse cement-free concrete and Nossim poured earth). KIBAG is a leading Swiss construction materials company.
• TerrablocmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Oxabloc stabilized compressed earth blocks made with Oxabrick Loko activator. Terrabloc produces low-carbon alternative for interior walls and elements.
• ERNE AG BauunternehmungmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction company partner for MANAL pavilion project and other applications. Partner in developing and building with cement-free materials.
• Eco-brick CamerounmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal production partner for compressed earth blocks in Cameroon. Produces building blocks using Oxabrick Loko activator with local excavation materials for Swiss Embassy project.
• Swiss Embassy Cameroon / Bundesamt fur Bauten und LogistikflagshipOthersClient for landmark sustainable construction project using compressed earth blocks with Oxabrick Loko. Embassy designed by Caesar Zumthor Architekten and Nord Architekten, showcasing sustainable construction with local materials.
• Swiss Prime Site AGmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Swiss real estate company convinced that Oxara's products can play a crucial role in decarbonizing construction. Supporter of MANAL pavilion project.
• ETH ZurichmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic founding institution. Oxara is an ETH spin-off founded in 2019 by Dr. Gnanli Landrou and Dr. Thibault Demoulin. Ongoing research collaboration and talent pipeline.
• Caesar Zumthor ArchitektenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm designing Swiss Embassy Cameroon project. Led innovative design incorporating local building traditions and sustainable materials.
• Nord ArchitektenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm co-designing Swiss Embassy Cameroon project with Caesar Zumthor Architekten. Committed to sustainable architecture with local resources.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CarbonCure Technologies: Canadian company injecting CO₂ into concrete during mixing to reduce cement content and embodied carbon. Directly comparable to Oxara as a technology vendor helping concrete producers decarbonize their product lines through drop-in chemistry integrated with existing producer infrastructure.
• Sublime Systems: US-based company producing cement-free cement using non-carbonate feedstocks and electrochemistry. Directly comparable to Oxara in developing alternative binders that replace conventional Portland cement at the formulation level rather than modifying existing mixes.
• Solidia Technologies: US-based developer of low-carbon cement and concrete technologies using a non-hydraulic binder chemistry. Closely comparable to Oxara as a materials-technology company supplying producers with proprietary binder formulations targeting meaningful CO₂ reductions.
• Brimstone: California-based maker of carbon-negative Portland cement alternative from calcium silicate produced without limestone. Directly comparable to Oxara in producing a drop-in replacement binder for conventional cement targeting the construction industry's decarbonization.
• Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies: French-listed company producing low-carbon cement (H-UKR, H-IVA, H-EVO) from industrial co-products without clinker. Comparable to Oxara in commercializing cement-free and clinker-reduced binder formulations through partnerships with concrete producers in Europe.
• ECOCEM: Ireland/France-based supplier of high-volume ground granulated blast-furnace slag cements (ECOPlanet) for low-carbon concrete. Comparable to Oxara as a developer of reduced-clinker binder products positioned as drop-in replacements for cement in concrete applications.
• Betolar: Finnish-listed company converting industrial side streams into low-carbon binders and concrete using Geoprime technology. Directly comparable to Oxara in using waste-derived raw materials as feedstock for cement-alternative binders sold to concrete producers.
• Material Evolution: UK-based developer of alkali-activated cement-free binders from industrial waste streams. Directly comparable to Oxara in chemistry (mineral salt/alkali activation) and go-to-market (selling binder technology to construction material producers).
• Biomason: US-based producer of biocement® bricks using microorganisms to grow cementitious materials from waste feedstocks. Comparable to Oxara in commercializing cement-alternative masonry products derived from circular inputs at industrial scale.

Broad incumbents

• Holcim: Global building materials major with extensive low-carbon and circular product initiatives (ECOPact, ECOPlanet range). Comparable to Oxara as a broad incumbent pursuing cement decarbonization across a much larger portfolio and geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oxara
• Instagraminstagram.com/oxara.earth
• Xx.com/Oxara4

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oxara