InNOVAte 2019
Disrupting the Built Environment
The Greentown Labs InNOVAte 2019 Challenge is a program developed in partnership with CertainTeed, Saint-Gobain’s leading building and construction brand in North America, along with Saint-Gobain NOVA, the external ventures arm of one of the world’s largest building materials companies and manufacturer of innovative material solutions. The program aims to develop innovative technologies to disrupt the built environment value chain.
The call for applicants is officially closed. Please stay tuned for program updates!
Awards and Benefits
Selected Greentown Labs InNOVAte 2019 awardee(s) may be eligible for the following awards and benefits, including:
- Partnership and/or investment from Saint-Gobain and CertainTeed by end of program
- $25,000 in non-dilutive grant funding
- Desk space at the Greentown Labs Global Center for Cleantech Innovation
- Acceptance into Greentown Launch, a 6-month acceleration program for startups at Greentown Labs
- Exclusive access to the Greentown Labs and Saint-Gobain networks
- Access to select Saint-Gobain testing capabilities, technical facilities and expertise
For more information, please see our InNOVAte program FAQs.
Why This Program is Important
According to studies by The Economist, JLL, McKinsey & Company and others, the construction industry has notoriously lagged in the productivity increases seen across other industries and the economy as a whole. Consistently slow adoption of new digital solutions and efficient processes has contributed to this laggard approach—but the mission of this Challenge is to change the industry's status quo. We believe construction technology is on the rise and we know there are entrepreneurs poised to reinvent the market. We need them to help disrupt our value chain.
The program is focused on developing emerging technologies to enable new value within the Residential (single and multi-family homes) and the Commercial building value chains across North America:
Design & Plan
Processes, tools and technologies to improve planning and construction including selection and specification of materials and solutions.
- Sales and marketing enablement
- Virtual design / visualization / planning / collaboration tools
- Solution identification and selection
Procure & Distribute
Materials, products, and services (physical, virtual) ordered and delivered from manufacturer to jobsite and/or end user and all steps in between.
- Materials delivery
- Logistics and tracking
- Finance and payment processing
- Account tracking and management
Build & Construct
Processes, tools, technologies to enable construction including materials installation and management. Enabling efficient and high-quality installation plus collaboration between different stakeholders including architects, general contractors, builders, and specialty construction trades (specific to North America).
- Automation and robotics
- System solutions / pre-fabricated components
- Track and manage job sites (safety, efficiency, sustainability, quality)
Operate & Occupy
Connecting product and material solutions to enhance value created for owners and occupants.
- Building performance monitoring, identification of retrofit opportunities
- Notification of defects/issues to remedy
- Sustainability tracking
- Building model documentation / management (wiring, value added products, BOM for residential)
For questions about the program or application process, please contact Greentown Labs at launch@greentownlabs.com
Greentown Labs
Greentown Labs is a community of bold, passionate entrepreneurs creating game-changing energy technologies that transform the way we live, work, and play. Located in Somerville, Mass., and founded in 2011, the Greentown Labs Global Center for Cleantech Innovation is the largest cleantech incubator in the United States, operating a 100,000 sq. ft. campus comprised of prototyping and wet lab space, shared office space, a machine shop, electronics lab, and a curated suite of programs and resources. Greentown Labs is home to more than 90 startups that collectively employ more than 1,000 people and have raised more than $350 million in funding. The incubators’ mission is to provide startups with the community, resources, and space they need to solve today’s biggest energy and environmental challenges. For more information, please visit www.greentownlabs.com or www.twitter.com/greentownlabs.
About Saint-Gobain in North America
Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest building materials companies and manufacturer of innovative material solutions, helps create great living spaces by combining comfort and sustainability. For more than three-and-a-half centuries, Saint-Gobain has been enhancing the wellbeing of people everywhere, whether it’s by addressing climate change, delivering true sustainable development, advancing the information revolution, participating in medical breakthroughs or playing a vital role in space exploration.
In North America, Saint-Gobain has approximately 160 locations and more than 15,500 employees. In the United States and Canada, Saint-Gobain reported sales of approximately $6.5 billion in 2018. Learn more about Saint-Gobain North America by visiting www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com and connect with Saint-Gobain North America on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About CertainTeed
CertainTeed Corporation is a North American manufacturer of building materials for both commercial and residential construction and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain. CertainTeed® is a leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, fence, decking, railing, trim, insulation, gypsum and ceilings. CertainTeed and its affiliates have more than 6,300 employees and more than 60 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. Learn more about CertainTeed by visiting www.certainteed.com.
About NOVA
NOVA, Saint-Gobain’s External Ventures arm, is dedicated to fostering partnerships with startups, incubators, and venture capital funds all over the world. Since 2006, NOVA identifies forward-thinking startups whose philosophies align with Saint-Gobain’s focus on well-being and sustainability and connects these startups with the resources and experience of Saint-Gobain. See www.nova-saint-gobain.com