A survey-based mapping of the building and construction entrepreneurial ecosystem

The architecture, engineering and construction sector has long been known for its traditional methods and slow adoption of innovations. However, technologies such as Internet of Things, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and robotics have led to significantly increased development and use of innovative tools and processes in the architecture, engineering and construction sector. This article presents the results of an explorative online survey of the sector’s entrepreneurial ecosystem carried out in spring 2023. It aims to identify the most promising technologies, quantify their potential, and investigate the dynamics of startups’ collaboration with academia. The results show that most startups focus on addressing the construction phase (76.1%) of the building life cycle, while only 15.9% deal with the end-of-life phase. Developed technologies most commonly include Data analytics and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. While 64% of startups consider collaboration with academia important, respondents identified several barriers and challenges of collaborating, such as bureaucracy and time-consuming processes. We conclude with a discussion on entrepreneurial ecosystems and academia-startup collaboration.