Swiss construction technology startup Foldcast has secured €160,000 (CHF 150,000) from Venture Kick to advance its recyclable paper mould technology for concrete construction and move towards commercial deployment.

A spin-off from Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Foldcast was founded by Fabio Amicarelli and Ena Lloret-Fritschi to develop a construction method combining recyclable paper-based moulds with design software and digital manufacturing to produce material-efficient concrete elements.

The company is addressing the environmental impact and material inefficiencies associated with conventional concrete construction. Concrete is estimated to account for around eight per cent of global CO₂ emissions, while traditional wood and metal formwork can limit the production of structurally optimised shapes and add to construction costs.

Foldcast uses flexible paper moulds to produce customised concrete elements, allowing material to be placed where structurally needed. Its software supports the design and optimisation of structural components, while digital manufacturing is used to produce the corresponding formwork. The company says the approach can reduce material consumption and associated emissions while maintaining structural performance.

Foldcast is initially targeting sustainability-focused real estate developers and institutional asset owners in Switzerland and other European markets. In the longer term, the company plans to work with precast concrete manufacturers as production and licensing partners.

The new funding will support Foldcast's transition from technology validation to market entry. The company plans to complete two pilot projects, develop a minimum viable product for its software, establish industrial production partnerships in Switzerland and strengthen its sales and business development activities.

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