At Cemex Ventures, through our exclusive acceleration program, Leaplab, we are shaping the next generation of startups, empowering businesses to expand and grow. This third edition featured an open call, bringing in high-potential solutions and top-tier mentors to join the new cohort. After a huge number of applications and months of evaluation, we can finally say鈥攁 new chapter begins!
Let鈥檚 welcome Leaplab鈥檚 latest cohort: six extraordinary startups from four countries tackling global strategic challenges and unlocking business opportunities with their groundbreaking solutions: EarthTrack, Emidat, FuelHub, Guidewheel, Optocycle, and Sodex.
If you want to learn more, dive into this 5-minute read as we break down the key points from Leaplab鈥檚 3rd edition!
Table of Contents
A Closer Look at the Acceleration Program
The 3rd edition of Leaplab will feature six startups working intensively for 16 weeks on real-scale pilots, deploying their solutions in close to 40 sites impacting all Cemex business lines:
- Cement
- Ready-Mix
- Aggregates
- Urbanization Solutions
The new Leaplab cohort will receive support from the expertise of approximately 80 specialists, both from Cemex and external partners. These experts will play a crucial role in offering piloting guidance, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help startups refine and scale their solutions. Upon successfully completing the program, the startups and their Cemex pilot teams will showcase their results and key learnings to Cemex Executive Committee in the Demo Day 2025 鈥� an event that represents a prime opportunity for startups to demonstrate their ability to create value and forge strategic collaborations with Cemex.
Major highlight: Graduates of the Cemex Ventures Leaplab Program have the potential opportunity to secure Commercial Agreements with one or more Cemex business units. Moreover, if there are positive pilot results and scalability potential, it could open the door to investment considerations from Cemex Ventures.
Say Hello to the New Cohort
- (Singapore) has developed a solution that connects with the client鈥檚 existing enterprise resource planning (ERP), unlocking automation and capacity, and empowering workers by putting technology directly into their hands, transforming digital warehousing processes. The Singapore-based startup will run its pilot with Cemex in Mexico, within the Cement business line.
- (Germany) has created a tool that enables AI-powered generation and verification of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), making environmental impact assessments faster and more cost-effective for building material manufacturers. Emidat will conduct its pilot with Cemex in Germany and the UK, within all business lines.
- (United States) is a managed service provider that delivers optimized solutions for diesel procurement, payment terms, inventory management, and support invoice reconciliation. The American startup will carry out its pilot with Cemex in the US within the Cement, Concrete, and Aggregates business lines.
- (United States) provides AI-powered FactoryOps solutions that optimize productivity, predict maintenance needs, and enhance energy efficiency through real-time operational insights. Guidewheel will execute its pilot with Cemex in the United States within the Cement business line.
- (Germany) combines next-generation optical sensor technology in real-time with advanced AI to transform construction demolition waste into sustainable building materials through its characterization. The German startup will develop its pilot with Cemex in Germany and France within the Urbanization Solutions business line.
- : (Austria) automates surveying through laser scanners and camera technology installed directly on heavy mobile equipment. Sodex will run its pilot with Cemex in the US and UK within the Cement and Aggregates business lines.
Why Join Cemex Ventures Leaplab?
Piloting, testing, and scaling a startup demands significant resources and time, with even greater challenges in a capital-intensive industry like construction. Cemex Ventures Leaplab tackles these obstacles by connecting high-potential startups with Cemex鈥檚 extensive expertise and infrastructure, accelerating their growth path.
Here鈥檚 why Leaplab is the right opportunity for your innovative company:
- Access to Cemex鈥檚 global network and connection with a world leader in sustainable building solutions.
- Full-scale pilot to demonstrate impact in real-world environments.
- Growth supported by insights and tailored mentorship from top industry and business experts.
- Partnership opportunities for long-term collaboration with Cemex & Cemex Ventures.
Leaplab is much more than an accelerator鈥攊t鈥檚 the ultimate platform to grow and shape the future together. Big things are happening as each participant takes their #Leap, and we can鈥檛 wait to share their progress. Stay tuned for what鈥檚 next!
Press Release
Cemex Ventures Drives Construction Innovation with the 3rd Leaplab Edition
Madrid, April 9, 2025. Cemex Ventures, Cemex鈥檚 corporate venture capital and open innovation unit, launches the third edition of Leaplab, its intensive acceleration program designed for startups with the potential to revolutionize the construction industry. This year, six startups from four countries will join the cohort, bringing disruptive solutions addressing strategic challenges and unlocking business opportunities.
Leaplab offers startups the unique opportunity to connect and closely collaborate with Cemex global operations for this 16-week program. In addition to running a real-scale pilot, during this period, the selected companies will receive personalized mentorship from 80 industry experts and business advisors from Cemex and beyond who will enhance their solutions and support them to scale.
This edition鈥檚 startups have developed promising value propositions deeply connected to sustainability, operations efficiency and productivity. “The construction industry is at a turning point where technological innovation plays a crucial role, and at Cemex, we are determined to face this by betting on the talent of these startups,” says Karla Arrambide, Cemex Ventures Leaplab Manager. “Leaplab is a program that drives the sector’s transformation by connecting high-potential startups with Cemex’s experience and resources.”
Throughout the program, the startups will work closely with Cemex pilot teams, validating their technologies in Cemex sites across all business lines, presenting results at the program’s conclusion, and sharing key learnings with the Cemex Executive Committee. The Demo Day event represents a unique opportunity for startups to showcase their capacity to generate value and establish strategic collaborations with Cemex.
Participation in Leaplab not only offers startups an exceptional platform to scale their businesses. Upon successful graduation, these companies have the potential to sign commercial agreements with various Cemex business units, opening doors to long-term collaboration. Furthermore, Cemex Ventures can also consider strategic investments in those that demonstrate positive results and a high potential for scalability, thus consolidating their growth, expansion, and inclusion in the current market.
Without further ado, we are proud to formally announce the extraordinary startups that will make up the Leaplab 2025 Cohort.
- EarthTrack (Singapore)
- Emidat (Germany)
- FuelHub (US)
- Guidewheel (US)
- Optocycle (Germany)
- Sodex (Austria)
About Cemex Ventures
Launched in 2017, Cemex Ventures focuses on helping overcome the main challenges and capitalizing on the opportunity areas in the construction ecosystem through solutions that consider sustainability. Cemex Ventures has developed an open collaborative platform to lead the revolution of the construction industry, engaging startups, entrepreneurs, universities, and other stakeholders to tackle the challenges in the construction environment and shape the industry鈥檚 future. For more information on Cemex Ventures, please visit: www.cemexventures.com
About Cemex
Cemex is a global construction materials company that is building a better future through sustainable products and solutions. Cemex is committed to achieving carbon neutrality through relentless innovation and industry-leading research and development. Cemex is at the forefront of the circular economy in the construction value chain and is pioneering ways to increase the use of waste and residues as alternative raw materials and fuels in its operations with the help of new technologies. Cemex offers cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates, and urbanization solutions in growing markets around the world, powered by a multinational workforce focused on providing a superior customer experience enabled by digital technologies. For more information, please visit: www.cemex.com
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