Holcim MAQER Ventures

What Holcim MAQER Ventures does

Holcim MAQER Ventures is the open-innovation platform and venture clienting function inside Holcim, a global building materials company headquartered in Switzerland. Founded in 2019 and based in Holderbank, the unit operates as an internal corporate innovation intermediary whose mandate is to connect external startups with Holcim's internal business units in order to solve operational pain points through pilots, proof-of-concept projects, and short-term innovation engagements. Rather than running a traditional product portfolio, it sources and screens startup technologies, then matches them with internal stakeholders who need solutions to construction-industry inefficiencies.

Business model is that of an internal cost center funded by Holcim rather than an externally revenue-generating entity. Services are delivered to internal business units without public pricing tiers, and there is no indication of equity investment activity, portfolio exits, or capital deployment. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales conducted inside the parent company's operating units, with the stated differentiator being access to innovation outcomes without the equity commitments or structural overhead of a corporate venture fund. The 27pilots partnership was the most recent external relationship on record, with that vendor role being absorbed in-house through the February 2026 hire of Gustavo Naranjo as Venture Client Lead.

The technology stack, proprietary platforms, certifications, and external customer base are not disclosed in available sources. The unit's sole disclosed external relationship is with venture clienting services provider 27pilots, and its sole disclosed leadership appointment is the recent in-housing of the venture client lead role. As a result, the company's standalone investment-relevant signals are limited primarily to its structural alignment with Holcim and its operating model as a corporate innovation intermediary rather than a discrete commercial product company.

Name

Holcim MAQER Ventures

Website

https://holcimmaqer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Holcim MAQER Ventures is Holcim's internal open-innovation and venture clienting unit, sourcing and connecting external startups with Holcim's building-materials business units to solve operational challenges through pilots and proof-of-concept projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Innovation Services

NAICS

All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399), Management of Companies and Enterprises (551)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem Investment Arms (FSANAHAF), Corporate M&A / Venture Build-to-Buy Programs (Acqui-hire, option-to-acquire) (FSANAHAG)

Keywords

• Venture clienting services
• Corporate innovation sourcing
• Startup partnership facilitation
• Construction technology partnerships
• Innovation platform services

Headquarters

HQ city

Holderbank

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Venture Clienting Services (Internal): As an internal corporate innovation unit of Holcim, Holcim MAQER Ventures does not generate external revenue. It operates as a cost center facilitating startup partnerships to solve operational challenges for Holcim's business units. The unit sources and evaluates startups, then connects them with relevant business units for proof-of-concept projects, pilots, or commercial engagements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Core offering

Holcim MAQER Ventures operates an internal venture clienting function that sources and evaluates external startups, then connects them with Holcim's business units for short-term innovation projects, proof-of-concept pilots, and commercial engagements. It serves as an alternative to direct startup investment, providing Holcim's operating divisions access to emerging construction and adjacent technologies without equity commitments.

Product overview

Holcim MAQER Ventures is a venture clienting function within Holcim, a construction materials company. It operates as an internal innovation unit that connects startups with Holcim's business units to solve operational pain points, functioning as an alternative to direct startup investment. Rather than providing a traditional product portfolio, it facilitates technology partnerships and innovation sourcing for the construction firm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Venture Clienting Services Internal corporate service that sources and evaluates startups, then connects them with Holcim's business units for proof-of-concept projects, pilots, and commercial engagements aimed at solving operational pain points. The service is delivered exclusively to internal Holcim stakeholders.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• CEMEX Ventures: Corporate venture and open-innovation unit of CEMEX, a global building materials peer to Holcim. Directly comparable in mission: sourcing construction-tech and low-carbon materials startups to address CEMEX's operational challenges.
• Saint-Gobain NOVA: External ventures arm of Saint-Gobain, a global building materials peer. Scouting and partnering with startups in construction, sustainability, and advanced materials — directly analogous to Holcim MAQER's remit.
• 27pilots: Dedicated venture clienting services provider. Holcim MAQER Ventures was previously a 27pilots customer before internalizing the function; 27pilots now serves as a direct operational peer and benchmark for venture clienting practice.

Broad incumbents

• Heidelberg Materials: Major global building materials incumbent and direct Holcim competitor. Operates its own innovation and venture activities around decarbonization and digital construction, providing a parent-level comparison for Holcim's corporate innovation strategy.
• CRH plc: Global building materials group and Holcim competitor. Engages in innovation partnerships and sustainability-focused investments in aggregates, cement, and concrete — analogous parent-level peer for corporate innovation sourcing.
• ENGIE New Ventures: Corporate venture arm of ENGIE focused on low-carbon energy and infrastructure startups. Comparable as a utility/industrial CVC that uses paid pilots and equity to source decarbonization and digital solutions for its operating businesses.
• Vulcan Materials Company: Largest US producer of construction aggregates and a major building materials incumbent. While not a CVC, it operates a substantial internal innovation and sustainability program and is a relevant comparator on industry positioning and decarbonization commitments.

Emerging players

• BASF Venture Capital: Corporate venture arm of BASF investing in chemistry and advanced materials startups. Relevant peer given Holcim's interest in novel cement chemistries and low-carbon materials, though BASF's model is more equity-driven than MAQER's clienting approach.
• Skanska Innovation: Innovation function within Skanska, a major global construction and project-development group. Comparable as an industry-mate sourcing construction-tech and sustainability startups, though structurally a contractor rather than a materials producer.

Regional players

• Boral Limited: Australia and US-focused building materials and construction products company. Operates regional innovation and sustainability initiatives; relevant as a geographically distinct but materially comparable building materials peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments4 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Holcim MAQER Ventures