Emidat, a Munich-based provider of environmental data solutions specifically tailored for the construction industry, has successfully raised €4 million in seed funding. This funding round was led by General Catalyst, a prominent venture capital firm known for backing innovative startups. The capital raised will be instrumental in helping Emidat expand its platform, accelerate product development, and grow its team to meet the increasing demand for sustainable practices in the construction sector.
Founded in 2023 by Lisa Oberaigner (CEO) and Florian Fesch (CTO), Emidat offers software that simplifies the creation of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), making the process of self-reporting and identifying environmental issues more efficient for construction professionals. EPDs serve as product labels detailing the environmental impact of materials throughout their life cycle, from production and construction to operation and potential for reuse, recovery, or recycling. By utilizing EPDs, architects, project developers, and contractors can make informed decisions regarding the materials they select for construction projects.
As the European Union prepares to implement mandatory standards for building product declarations next month, Emidat is positioning itself as the essential operating system for environmental data within the construction sector. The company’s platform integrates seamlessly with existing workflows, accepting data through various means such as API, Excel, or Building Information Modeling (BIM). Emidat’s comprehensive database contains environmental data on over 150,000 construction products, allowing users to access critical information easily via both API and user interface (UI).
The construction and real estate sector is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for approximately 39% of the total. A considerable portion of these emissions, over half, stems from embodied carbon—the emissions generated throughout the manufacturing, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal of building materials. Despite advancements in energy-efficient building technologies, the share of embodied carbon emissions is on the rise, increasing from 11% of global GHG emissions in 2021. Compounding this challenge, projections indicate that an astounding 2.4 trillion square feet (230 billion square meters) of new floor area will be constructed globally over the next 40 years, equivalent to building an entire New York City every month during that period.
In light of these statistics, Emidat aims to address the urgent need for decarbonization in the construction industry. “Buildings are where we live, work, and learn—they are at the heart of all productive economies,” stated Lisa Oberaigner. “While we make progress in decarbonizing the energy sector, construction continues to have a significant and damaging impact on our planet. Since 75% of the buildings we will be using in 2050 have yet to be built, there is a tremendous opportunity to mitigate the sector’s impact. By providing transparent and accessible environmental data, we can facilitate the decarbonization of the industry and help create a more sustainable built environment.”
Samuel Beyer, an investor at General Catalyst, emphasized the transformative potential of Emidat’s platform, describing it as a “turnkey solution for decarbonizing the mission-critical built environment from the ground up.” He noted that the platform will increasingly serve as a collaborative space where industry stakeholders can access and exchange material data, thereby accelerating the transformation of the construction sector and enhancing value chain efficiency.
With its innovative approach and strategic funding, Emidat is poised to play a critical role in advancing sustainable practices within the construction industry, aligning with global efforts to reduce carbon footprints and promote environmental responsibility.