Walking into the Fiera di Bolzano during Klimahouse, the international event dedicated to responsible construction and energy efficiency, feels a little like getting a preview of the near future. This year too, from 28 to 31 January, the stands were filled with bricks made from reclaimed materials, ultra-efficient window frames, insulating paints, and low-impact timber architecture.

That alone would be enough to remind us that solutions for cutting climate-altering emissions from the construction sector — roughly one third of global totals — already exist. But Klimahouse went a step further: for the past three years, the fair has chosen to host the Future Hub startups, the innovation ecosystem for the construction of tomorrow, developed in partnership with PoliHub of the Politecnico di Milano, to spotlight the most promising innovations on the market.

The Klimahouse 2026 startups

For this year's fair, 20 startups were selected, divided into two sections: Early stage and Late stage. The first group includes startups that have recently been founded and are entering the market for the first time; the second features those that have already tested themselves and are attending Klimahouse in search of contacts and funding.

There are five macro-categories: Innovative Construction Materials covers startups developing cutting-edge solutions; Renewable Energy and Energy Storage includes companies that have bet on intelligent energy management and consumption optimisation; Circular Solutions encompasses startups promoting the circular economy and producing new materials from waste; Digital Solutions and AI features projects applying artificial intelligence and blockchain to automate construction site management, digitalise procurement processes, and monitor building efficiency; finally, Building Health brings together IoT technologies and monitoring software for structural and environmental quality control. Alongside a number of physical products, the dominant presence was that of management software designed to optimise time and energy consumption.

The awards ceremony

During the two pitch sessions on 28 and 29 January, each startup had just a few minutes to present their project and answer questions from a panel of experts. Chaired by Anna Amati — founding partner of EUREKA! Venture SGR Spa — the jury was composed of internationally recognised professionals, including Luca Canepa, Stefano Dal Savio, Eva Ogriseg and Riccardo De Filippi. At the end of the pitch presentations, on 30 January the top ventures in the Early and Late stage categories were announced.

The prize in the first category went to EnPower, a software dedicated to solar panel monitoring that optimises consumption and reduces costs, and alerts users to when it is most advantageous to sell energy, use electricity, or charge batteries. The winner will receive a specialised mentorship programme at Polihub.

The Late stage prize was instead awarded to Pillar, a digital platform designed for construction companies that simplifies the management and monitoring of building sites. This startup has been awarded participation in Klimahouse 2027 with its own stand.

Innovative materials and circular solutions that caught our eye

Among the projects presented at the fair during the pitch sessions, some caught our attention more than others. For instance, Blokko — which received a special mention in the Early stage category — a spinoff of the Politecnico di Bari that produces dry-assembled modular walls, much like Lego bricks, capable of easily reshaping spaces while reducing material waste. The overarching challenge the project addresses is that of adapting spaces to our changing needs, particularly exhibition environments. At the end of their lifecycle, the components, which are made from a single material, can be sorted and recycled with minimal waste.

Geomatrix tackles instead the major issue of plastic pollution — 85 per cent of which is derived from petroleum and responsible for 6 per cent of CO2 emissions. To address the problem, the South Tyrol-based startup has created a new material made from recycled plastic, 45 per cent wood fibre, and natural binders, with the aim of replacing polypropylene.

Also working in the circular economy space is SiPow, which addresses the shortage of virgin silicon — expensive, and above all monopolised by China. The startup, with bases in Italy and Norway, has developed a system that purifies silicon from e-waste in around three hours, before returning it to market to enable the production of homegrown batteries for the ecological transition without dependence on non-European actors.

Finally, Terra Tiles caught our eye: the startup recovers waste soil from construction sites, presses it, and turns it into raw earth floor tiles finished with a natural wax. The material is 100 per cent local, sustainable and fully recyclable, while also offering all the benefits of raw earth, such as thermal regulation and humidity control.

Visiting Klimahouse is a surprising experience, one that shows just how within reach the new solutions for a more sustainable future truly are. We can only look forward to coming back next year too!