Automate Construction Power Ranking 2024

First of all I would like to congratulate everyone who made this list, I spend all my time keeping both eyes peeled on the latest construction automation projects and in the past 5 years of following the industry I’ve accumulated nearly 400 companies who I believe are paving the road to construction automation. 

For this list I have selected the 50 companies which caught my attention the most to rank on the following factors: Activity, Funding, Commercialization, Code Compliance, Innovation, Reliability, Publicity, and Construction. Each company received a 1-5 rating in each category. Bear in mind as a just one person I am limited in my ability to fully assess each metric of every company, I likely have many inaccuracies or blind spots. 

Here is how I assessed each category, keep in mind I can only judge what I have seen. I am also not a qualified judge. This is just for fun, certainly not financial advice especially considering the valuation of the companies is not something I considered in the rubric.

Next year many of these companies will be knocked out of the top 50 based on the strong newcomer projects yet to be announced for 2024! It’s incredibly exciting to watch this industry grow at a blistering pace with all the novel achievements, and bitter failures bound to happen along the way!

Here are the 2024 contenders. Remember these are the top 50 out of 400, just making the list is a significant achievement with lots of excellent companies shy of the 50 most powerful. If you would like to know how the Automate Construction Power Ranking system works scroll to the bottom for the rubric. 

Mighty Buildings | Power Ranking: 14 

Makes the list for their substantial fundraising and PR despite a relatively low number of delivered units. UV cured polymers and plastic in general are lesser than concrete, mortars, or adobe in my opinion.

R-Squared | Power Ranking: 15 

Young start up from Texas operating a Black Buffalo system, promising activity but too early for a mature power ranking.

Muddy Robots | Power Ranking: 16 

Adobe printing company started by Berkley Prof. Ronald Rael using local dirt, clay, and straw for unique structures with various new patterns. Existing building codes in many states stipulate a much lower psi requirement for adobe structures vs concrete.

Black Buffalo | Power Ranking: 16 

Printer manufacturer from South Korea who is fairly well funded and operates a unique system which has yet to be fully tested in the field though they do have some impressive permitted projects in Virginia.

Laticrete | Power Ranking: 16 

Materials company that operates a concrete printing arm, and they’ve been interested in the industry for years working with printed farms and others.

RIC | Power Ranking: 16 

Chinese company partnered with Kuka to provide robotic arm concrete printers, notably innovative for their vertically integrated mixing system.

Mudbots | Power Ranking: 17 

Concrete printer company with some virality in 2017, 2018 but no publicly announced completed projects. Innovative mixing R&D, yet lack of demonstrations is concerning.

Sq4D | Power Ranking: 17 

Early contender with a unique self assembling V one printer, hopefully they are working on their V2 however there’s been little to no activity. High publicity and innovation score, low in other metrics.

TAM | Power Ranking: 17 

Besides Laticrete this company has the highest commercialization among those previously mentioned. They’ve successfully sold multiple large printers around the globe.

Tvasta | Power Ranking: 17

 This concrete printing company operates in India and they have done an exceptional job adapting and developing unique solutions for their region with local materials, developing their own printer.

Vertico | Power Ranking: 17

High commercialization high activity and high reliability, vertico does great work but they have very little interest in construction.

Geopolymer International | Power Ranking: 18 

Highest yet on the innovative scale for their unique implementation of Geo polymer material which is a silica-based binder. No completed construction projects.

Contour 3D | Power Ranking: 19 

Among the highest yet mentioned in code compliance, this Aussie printing company completed a permitted addition to a building.

Figure | Power Ranking: 19 

Promising humanoid robot start up with potential to assist on job sites with simple tasks in 2 to 5 years. Top score for innovation and funding but a 1 out of 5 in activity, commercialization and construction because all of their energy is in R&D at the moment.

Heidelberg | Power Ranking: 19 

Materials company investing into printed concrete formulation notably innovative for managing the European concrete laws which stipulate cement concentration maximums in concrete far below what most printing companies use elsewhere.

MAI | Power Ranking: 19 

Mixing company with a mixing system used on some concrete printing sites which has plastic compartments for mixing making it easier to disassemble and power wash. Hopefully as the industry grows they put more attention towards their construction automation arm.

Wasp 3D | Power Ranking: 19 

Four out of five for innovation due to their unique choice of material, local dirt which can be much cheaper than concrete. Unfortunately they have a low number of true construction projects.

Additive Techtonics | Power Ranking: 20 

Additive tectonics gets a four out of five in code compliance and innovation for their utilization of a powder bed for printing quite different from the systems all other companies on this list are currently using. Low construction activity brings them down in other areas of this ranking system.

Besix 3D | Power Ranking: 20 

Small arm of a large construction company Besix, this team scores well in code compliance reliability and construction.

FIBO | Power Ranking: 20 

Construction equipment company scoring high in commercialization code compliance and construction but low in other areas.

M-Tech | Power Ranking: 20 

Concrete mixing company serving the most 3-D printed concrete sites scoring high in commercialization and construction. Disappointing progress and investment into their 3DCP products considering the market expansion.

Macro 3D | Power Ranking: 20 

Concrete printer developed by young entrepreneur scoring a 4 in innovation for their unique system.

Print4d | Power Ranking: 20

Ex Besix founder who started his own company developing his own system from scratch scoring high in reliability and commercialization, successfully selling printers but no publicized construction projects yet.

XTreee | Power Ranking: 20 

French printer company developed their own system from scratch scoring high in commercialization and a respectable 2 or 3 in all other categories.

UTU | Power Ranking: 20 

Promising Ukrainian start up with a completely unique system, admittedly I have a lack of insight here as they are the newest to me among these 50.

Harcourt | Power Ranking: 21

Lots of training and R&D activity, high reliability low number of construction projects. 

Hyperion | Power Ranking: 21

Respectable scores in all categories, four out of five in innovation for their factory in the field concept with an inflatable tent.

MiCob | Power Ranking: 21 

Unique concrete printer developed in India with successful construction projects and military contracts.

Sika | Power Ranking: 21 

Materials company scoring twos and threes across the board.

3D Plotter | Power Ranking: 21.5 

Scara printer developed for mostly clay or Adobe but capable of printing mortar mixes as well, yet to be seen on construction sites but highest yet for commercialization. They have sold dozens of printers and been a great tool for many people getting started.

Bemore3D | Power Ranking: 22 

Unique printer manufacturer from Spain with successful projects in Africa, scoring high in innovation.

Winsun 3D | Power Ranking: 23 

Early concrete printing company with massive R&D in 2016-2020 but fewer projects announced since, hopefully more coming soon.

Apis Cor | Power Ranking: 23

In house printer, mixing system, and delivery truck, this company scores high in innovation for a vertically integrated system and a top score in publicity.

Constructions 3D | Power Ranking: 23 

French printer manufacture scoring high in innovation with a three in all other categories besides commercialization and publicity where they currently sit at a 2 out of 5.

Cybe | Power Ranking: 23 

Printer manufacture with successful projects around the globe scoring high in activity and innovation. 

Hive | Power Ranking: 23 

Texas printing company with a very busy year scoring high in activity and innovation for their on site mixing truck.

14 Trees | Power Ranking: 24 

African printing company scoring a four in innovation and construction for completing over 10 units with a competitors system then developing their own printer in house.

Cobod | Power Ranking: 24 

Danish printer manufacture with systems operating in the most countries around the globe however their sales strategy resembles a multi level marketing scheme with the goal of turning customers into paid distributors. 

Mense Korte | Power Ranking: 24 

Architecture firm with multiple projects pushing boundaries of printing possibilities scoring very high in commercialization and code compliance also reliability and construction. Low scores in activity and funding, 3DCP is not their daily focus and architecture firms don’t require upfront capital like construction.

Mobbot | Power Ranking: 24 

French company with triple fours in commercialization code compliance and innovation, civil projects are great use cases for their printing system but no building construction.

Nidus 3D | Power Ranking: 24 

Canadian printing companies scoring high in innovation and construction for printing in challenging conditions with novel solutions.

PERI | Power Ranking: 27 

Major construction equipment company with triple fours in commercialization code compliance and innovation and a whopping five in construction for their legacy projects and boundary pushing printed buildings.

Printed Farms | Power Ranking: 27 

Four out of five in commercialization, innovation, publicity and construction for completing some of the earliest US projects and the biggest printed building in the world.

Fastbrick Robotics | Power Ranking: 27 

Top score in innovation for their one-of-a-kind bricklaying system also a four out of five in funding publicity and construction.

Emergent 3D | Power Ranking: 28 

California printer operator with good commercial activity and very skilled with construction in a challenging region with full permitting.

Botbuilt | Power Ranking: 28 

Robotic arm based automated framing system for pre-fabricated parts with a top score in code compliance considering the finished product is indistinguishable from legacy construction methods.

Diamond Age | Power Ranking: 29 

Top score in funding and innovation also ranking high in construction and activity this team has implemented the most in-house construction automation tools on site of any company on this list.

Built Robotics | Power Ranking: 29 

This company makes large construction equipment like dozers typically operated by one human and automates it so that the machine can complete the same task without the person inside. They score 4 in nearly every category.

Boxabl | Power Ranking: 31 

Boxable makes a pre-fabricated unfolding house that has recently received Arizona code compliance and hopes to expand this nationally they earn top scores in funding and publicity also very high in innovation

Icon | Power Ranking: 33 

Very active on site builder utilizing completely novel methods operating many printers on a day-to-day basis, top score in funding, innovation and publicity, fours in all categories besides commercialization and code compliance where they got a respectable 3. Due to great fundraising and government contracts it is not clear what level their commercialization is and they have a limited region of operation in TX with more relaxed permitting departments than other states.

***please see the rubric and disclosure below***

POWER RANKING RUBRIC

Activity

How busy is the company or tech working directly on construction automation projects?

1. No current projects
2. Small activity
3. Daily building
4. Notably high activity 
5. Scaled multi team 24 hr activity (None yet achieved)

Funding

How much access to capital does the company have

1. Bootstrapped
2. Pre Seed
3. Seed
4. 10M+
5. 100M+

Commercialization

Is the company doing projects, selling systems, and operating like a typical contractor

1. No commercial revenue
2. Small or subsidized commercial revenue
3. At least some work is sold with the expectation of profit
4. Regularly doing projects with expectation of profit
5. Gold rush (None yet achieved)

Code Compliance

Is the product sold following typical codes and regulations permissible everywhere?

1. No code is followed in any projects or project ending non compliance
2. Light local restrictions allow activity
3. Permitted projects in typical regions
4. Permitted projects in extra challenging regions
5. Identical to traditional methods in ease of permitting

Innovation

Is the company doing new things all the time?

1. No notable improvements over last year
2. Small progress
3. Clearly innovating
4. Wildly unique
5. Vertically integrated innovation

Reliability

Does the company follow through on promised projects, predictions, and products? 

1. Multiple cases of no follow through
2. Typical startup challenges
3. Consistently delivers
4. Exceptional delivery & delivery rate
5. Top tier reliability (None yet achieved)

Publicity

Do people know the company exists?

1. Why are you so secret? Get the word out!
2. Minor publicity
3. Substantial publicity
4. Above average media exposure
5. Enormous PR 

Construction

Do they build stuff and operate like a normal construction company or construction equipment provider?

1. Operating like early startup
2. Some construction 
3. Contractor or commercial equipment provider
4. Experienced GC
5. Major construction player

Reach out via the contact tab on this website if you have any questions regarding this list.

Disclosure: I own small equity positions in some of the companies mentioned from public Reg A offerings. My investment does not reflect my opinion on the quality of the investment, I gamble on every public Reg A offering I can find and afford in the construction automation industry. I have never accepted payment from any company on this list for videos or appearance on this list. Companies I hold positions in from public Reg A offerings include Boxabl, Apis Cor and multiple others which do not appear on this list. It should be made clear that I am not a professional investor and see these as a gamble with no consideration for the outcome. So far I have invested in every construction automation company available publicly via Reg A that I find simply because they do construction automation and for no other reason. Seriously, my least favorite company on the list of 400 could do a reg A offering and I would still invest if they had a reasonable minimum investment that I could afford. Was this a legal enough disclosure? I don’t know it’s more about personal journalistic ethics for me anyway please don’t arrest me love you all.