Holcim has made a financial investment in German-based magnetisable concrete startup Magment, expanding their existing collaboration in road-based electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions.
Building materials provider Holcim says the two companies have jointly developed a concrete formulation enabling wireless inductive charging technology. Possible applications include roads that can charge electric vehicles while in motion, or warehouses and factories where robots can be continuously recharged.
Edelio Bermejo, head of Holcim’s global innovation centre, commented: “Holcim and Magment share a common goal: to accelerate our world’s transition to net-zero through innovative and sustainable solutions. By 2040 virtually every new car sold globally will be electric. We are excited to combine our magnetisable concrete with Magment’s technology in order to enable vehicles to charge as they move.”
Magment founder and CEO Mauricio Esguerra added: “We are excited to reinforce our partnership with Holcim and welcome them as a cornerstone investor. Our work together will help advance inductive charging infrastructure to reinvent the way electric vehicles are charged, making it seamless, convenient and sustainable.”
Holcim’s open innovation ecosystem is composed of 120 startups around the world pioneering new technologies to accelerate the global transition to net zero. In France, Holcim recently invested in the startup CCB Greentech to develop TimberRoc, claimed to be the first wood concrete for precast construction with a negative carbon footprint.
Holcim says it is also working with startups to advance 3D printing to build more quickly using less materials, such as its partnerships with XTreeE to create 3D printed concrete bridges and COBOD to build 3D printed concrete windmill tower bases.
Founded in 2015 Magment is working on wireless inductive charging infrastructure. The Munich-based company says it aims to reinvent the way EVs are charged through innovations in design, pioneering technologies, and strong global partnerships.
