Investment Notes: Structure Pal

Led by Founder Ionathan Lazovski, this Israel-based company is on a mission to empower civil engineers with innovative tools that reduce concrete volume in designs, ushering in a more sustainable construction era through reduced carbon emissions.

Our investment in Structure Pal is the 19th from our Investible Climate Tech Fund, and its first based in Israel.

The Concrete Conundrum

The global construction industry is responsible for a staggering 39% of carbon emissions, 4-8% of which is from reinforced concrete. As construction projects proliferate, excess concrete production compounds environmental concerns. Currently, the preliminary design process for structural engineers is time-intensive, and the room for error is causing excess production of unused concrete.

Addressing this growing challenge in the cost-driven construction industry necessitates more than advocating for more sustainable alternatives. A comprehensive solution that enhances efficiency in time, cost, and design—ultimately reducing unnecessary concrete—proves more impactful.

Harnessing the power of AI in construction

Structure Pal leverages AI to minimize global concrete requirements, achieving comparable quality with less concrete. This approach significantly reduces both concrete quantity and associated emissions, with the potential to revolutionise the construction sector's environmental impact.

Structure Pal's ingenuity lies in its AI-powered approach to concrete optimisation. Seamlessly integrating with engineers' existing tools, their technology streamlines the design process, ensuring reduced concrete usage and shorter design times.

The software automates and optimises the structural design using a ‘straightforward’ process - taking user inputs, then using AI to iterate until it reaches the optimum design to provide to the engineer in next phase of design process. The team estimates that the software can complete four weeks of preliminary design work for a civil engineer in one hour.

Why we invested

Structure Pal’s appeal to our investment committee was predominantly due to the company’s integration with Autodesk Revit, and the buy in they have with some of the largest players in the global construction industry. Structure Pal was global from day one.

Autodesk Revit is a building information modelling software for architects, landscapers, structural engineers (among other sectors) and currently holds a staggering 43.72% of this market share (an additional 30% of market share comes from Autodesk owned products). Structure Pal has been designed to integrate directly with the software giant, creating a seamless opportunity for uptake among existing users of Autodesk who don’t have to change their current workflow to harness the power of AI. The industry interest in Structure Pal has been demonstrated by key players within the sector having validated the software's use. Construction companies and real estate developers from Israel, Canada and Hong Kong have expressed their interest in Structure Pal, ensuring ample appettite for the software, globally.

Structure Pal's strengths are multifaceted - their traction with large industry players internationally reflects a robust market foothold. As they target international expansion, Structure Pal's adaptability to diverse regulatory requirements positions them for global scalability.

Founder-market fit

Founder Ionathan Lazovski melds a decade of construction-tech expertise with a passion for sustainability. As a co-founder of a successful building design optimisation firm and a senior faculty lecturer at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, his commitment to industry transformation is palpable.

The leadership team's extensive experience in construction and technology bolsters their capabilities to address industry nuances. The product's integration with Autodesk Revit, coupled with a per-project pricing model aligns with current industry practice, helping to reduce initial friction and resistance in onboarding a new platform.

The path ahead for Structure Pal

Structure Pal embodies innovation and sustainability, positioning them as an ideal partner for impactful investments. Their technology has the potential to reshape construction, delivering sustainability without compromising efficiency. We're eager to witness their transformative journey, as Structure Pal paves the way for a more carbon friendly construction industry.