Cemex Ventures has released the 2026 Construction Cleantech Map, highlighting startups and emerging technologies driving the next wave of sustainability innovation across the construction sector.
The new edition focuses on four strategic verticals aligned with Cemex’s evolving innovation priorities: Fuels & Energy, Novel Cementitious Materials, Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage (CCUS), and Smart Operations & Digital. These areas represent key technological levers to reduce emissions across the construction value chain, complemented by new business models that boost operational efficiency and optimize financial performance along the way.
The Construction Cleantech Map 2026 provides a snapshot of the rapidly expanding ecosystem of startups that address some of the most pressing sustainability challenges in the industry —from next-generation low-carbon materials and carbon capture technologies to energy solutions and digital platforms with the ability to exponentially upgrade industrial operations.
The Fuels & Energy vertical highlights startups enabling cleaner and cost-efficient energy systems across construction materials production, including renewable energy integration, process electrification, industrial heat, waste heat recovery (WHR) and other energy optimization technologies.
Startups working on Novel Cementitious Materials are developing alternative binders and new production processes designed to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of cement manufacturing, one of the most emissions-intensive processes in the global construction industry.
Meanwhile, companies operating in the CCUS space are advancing technologies capable of capturing carbon dioxide emissions from industrial sources, and either storing them permanently or converting them into useful products, —including construction materials.
Finally, the Smart Operations & Digital category showcases startups applying data, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence to improve operational efficiency, reduce resource consumption, and support data-driven decision making across cement plants, supply chains, and construction sites.
“The path to a low-carbon construction industry requires innovation across materials, processes, and operations,” said Alfredo Carrato, Investment Manager at Cemex Ventures. “The Construction Cleantech Map helps highlight the startups developing technologies that can accelerate this transition and support the industry’s decarbonization efforts.”
Through initiatives like the Construction Cleantech Map, Cemex Ventures continues to identify and engage with startups that support the construction sector’s shift towards more sustainable future. These efforts align with Future in Action, Cemex’s global sustainability program aimed at achieving ambitious decarbonization targets across its cement, concrete, and aggregates operations.
By mapping the most promising innovators across the cleantech landscape, the initiative provides visibility to startups and fosters collaboration between technology developers and industry stakeholders committed to transforming the built environment.
