What’s happening in the Leaplab accelerator program?
Curious about the latest happenings from the 2nd edition of Leaplab, Cemex Ventures’ exclusive startup accelerator launched in November 2023? Here is the inside scoop on what’s happening as this year’s startups take their #Leap!
Taking a brief look back, Cemex Ventures Leaplab was established to create connections between Cemex’s global operations and high-potential startups. The 2023 Leaplab cohort is comprised of 5 promising startups: Introid (Mexico), Mixteresting (Austria), Movener (Chile), Verusen & Waterplan (United States). These companies specialize in pivotal areas such as industry 4.0, electromobility, decarbonization, and water security. They are deploying their solutions, through real-scale pilots, throughout 14 weeks at nearly 100 Cemex sites in 11 countries.
So, let’s catch up on the latest updates from the 2023 cohort!
Table of contents
Program overview: 2023
The 2023 program is supported by a team of over 80 internal and external Master Speakers, Mentors, and Pilot Leaders who are actively contributing to the startup cohort’s success.
Master talks
Leaplab’s accelerator program boasts an unmatched lineup of expert Master Speakers who specialize in construction, disruptive business models, and technology. Distinguished speakers at the helm lead discussions on crucial startup topics such as Talent Management, Business Strategy, Fundraising, and Scaling. These global specialists contribute their wisdom and expertise not only from Cemex but also from other internationally acclaimed organizations like Bayer and Whirlpool. These master talks were specifically designed to provide startups with strategic insights that shape their business and value proposition.
Additionally, the 2023 edition Master Speakers bring invaluable perspectives from leading venture capital firms such as Cemex Ventures, Zacua Ventures, and Puente Ventures, along with lessons learned from successful startups like DroneDeploy and Carbon Upcycling, companies in our investment portfolio.
Mentoring sessions
Leaplab Mentors engage in personalized one-on-one sessions with the aim of creating a secure and supportive environment where each startup can freely inquire and receive guidance for optimizing their businesses. They offer insights on a range of relevant topics, including:
- Product & technology roadmap: Mentors offer guidance on market trends, potential challenges, and best practices in product and technology management. Their objective is to assist startups in redefining their product vision, establishing achievable goals, allocating resources efficiently, and navigating the technical aspects of their business. This guidance aims to ensure sustainable growth and competitiveness in the market.
- User interface & experience (UI/UX): This mentoring session is designed to provide guidance and elevate the design aspects of each startup’s product or service. Leaplab mentors assess the existing UI/UX strategy, analyze user feedback, and provide constructive insights for areas of improvement. Additionally, they assist startups in aligning design choices with their target audiences, enhancing usability, and crafting a more engaging and intuitive user experience.
- Customer centricity: Mentors offer insights and strategies to assist startups in comprehending their target audience, collecting customer feedback, and refining their products or services based on customer input.
- Business strategy & development: Through collaborative discussions and feedback, cohort startups acquire a profound understanding of their business landscape and are equipped with the knowledge and tools essential for refining their strategies, fostering growth, and navigating the complexities of their key markets.
- Pitching practice: Startups collaborate closely with mentors who offer valuable feedback and guidance on crafting a compelling and concise pitch. This process aims to capture attention, convey the uniqueness of their business, and ultimately enhance their prospects of securing funding and support.
Pilot leaders
Cemex’s experienced specialists with in-depth knowledge of the construction industry, play a pivotal role in guiding and supporting the testing process. They facilitate the acceleration journey for entrepreneurs within the program, fostering cross-experimentation and co-creation with startups directly at Cemex sites. Leveraging their expertise, these leaders validate and refine the cutting-edge solutions presented by startups in real-scale pilots.
Status: Real-scale pilots
Pilots are at the core of our exclusive Leaplab accelerator, where our startup cohort gets access to Cemex’s global infrastructure, network, and assets to test their solutions in a real-world setting.
Pilot briefings
Below is an overview of each pilot in the ongoing startups from Leaplab’s program:
Introid: The objective of this pilot is to conduct comprehensive testing of Introid’s AI-based solution across various use cases, including identification of safety risks and productivity.
Mixteresting: The startup’s solution is being tested to assess its capability for efficient, cost-effective, and low-CO2 concrete mix designs.
Movener: This pilot’s goal is to validate Movener’s E-Power system’s reliability and effectiveness in reducing trucks’ diesel consumption through their hybrid conversion.
Verusen: The pilot objective is to evaluate the tool’s capabilities for automatic inventory replenishment parameterization and standardization of product naming.
Waterplan: Our testing effort aims to assess the advantages of Waterplan’s platform for effective monitoring and reporting of water risk.
What comes next?
Demo Day: The final phase of the program involves each of the 5 startups coming together with Cemex pilot leaders and presenting their results and lessons learned from the testing period to Cemex’s CEO and Executive Committee.
Connection Day: In-person event dedicated to facilitating strategic connections and relevant interactions for the startups in the program.
Stay tuned because very soon we will announce exciting news about the pilot outcomes of the 2023 cohort, and we don’t want you to miss it! Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
