Swiss cleantech startup Foldcast has secured CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to advance its recyclable paper moulding technology for concrete construction and move closer to commercial deployment. The USI spin-off is developing a construction method designed to reduce concrete consumption and associated carbon emissions by enabling structural elements to be produced with optimized geometries. The funding will support pilot projects, software development, industrial partnerships, and business development as the company transitions from technical validation to market entry.
Rethinking Concrete Construction
Concrete remains one of the world's most widely used construction materials, but its production is also a significant contributor to global carbon emissions, accounting for an estimated 8% of worldwide CO2 output. Conventional building methods can require considerably more concrete than is structurally necessary, while traditional timber and metal moulds are relatively expensive and can restrict the shapes manufacturers are able to produce. Foldcast aims to address these limitations by combining recyclable paper moulds with digital design and manufacturing technologies.
The company's approach allows concrete components to be shaped more precisely so that material is concentrated in areas where it is structurally required rather than distributed uniformly throughout an element. By enabling more complex and optimized geometries, Foldcast says its technology can lower concrete consumption without compromising the structural performance of finished building components. The system also gives architects and engineers greater flexibility when designing elements that would be difficult or expensive to manufacture with conventional formwork.
Combining Software and Recyclable Moulds
Foldcast's solution integrates advanced computational design software with digitally manufactured paper moulds that can be recycled after use. The software helps determine efficient structural forms, while the moulding process translates those designs into physical components that can be produced using less material. This combination is intended to improve both the environmental efficiency of concrete construction and the range of shapes that can be economically manufactured.
The startup is initially targeting sustainability-focused real estate developers and institutional property owners in Switzerland and other European markets. Over time, Foldcast plans to work with precast concrete manufacturers, which could become production partners and potentially license the company's technology. The company estimates that its immediate addressable segment represents approximately USD 134 billion within a global concrete industry valued at about USD 1.8 trillion.
Venture Kick Funding Supports Market Entry
The CHF 150,000 investment from Venture Kick is expected to help Foldcast complete two pilot projects and further validate its technology under commercial conditions. Part of the funding will also be used to develop a minimum viable version of the company's software platform and establish relationships with industrial production partners in Switzerland. Foldcast will simultaneously expand its sales and business development activities as it begins engaging more directly with prospective customers.
According to the founders, Venture Kick's support has played a role beyond providing capital by helping the company refine its business model and commercial strategy. Foldcast said the program's coaching and market feedback enabled the team to better understand customer requirements and determine how its research-based technology could be deployed commercially. The startup is now focused on translating those early validations into repeatable projects and a scalable route to market.
Research Expertise Behind Foldcast
Foldcast was founded by CEO Fabio Amicarelli and Chief Scientific Officer Ena Lloret-Fritschi, who bring together business development and technical expertise in construction and digital fabrication. The company emerged as a spin-off from Università della Svizzera italiana, building on research aimed at improving how concrete components are designed and manufactured. Its commercialization strategy reflects growing pressure across the construction industry to reduce material intensity while maintaining cost, performance, and architectural flexibility.
With CHF 150,000 in new Venture Kick funding, Foldcast is preparing to move its recyclable paper mould technology from validated research toward initial commercial applications. Its upcoming pilots and industrial partnerships will provide an opportunity to demonstrate whether digitally optimized formwork can reduce concrete consumption economically at construction scale. If successfully adopted, the company's approach could offer developers and manufacturers another tool for lowering the material and emissions footprint of concrete-intensive building projects.