The ConTech field combines the concepts of "construction" and "technology" in the construction industry. The construction industry is the second largest industry after the automobile industry, but it is the polar opposite of the automobile industry, where factory automation (FA) is the standard, and is one of the fields where DX (digital transformation) is lagging behind.
In recent years, VC investment has surged from approximately $300 million (2016) to $9 billion (2019), and many startups are entering the industry as it offers many opportunities for disruption.
Construction on site, which has remained unchanged since ancient times, is done in order from the bottom up (for example, the framework and interior cannot be worked on until the foundation has hardened), so the construction period is long. Unlike work inside a factory, work outside is affected by the weather, and the process often does not proceed as planned.
Given this background, there is a growing need for on-demand, short-term procurement of materials at work sites, rather than planned delivery, and many startups are entering the market.
On the other hand, the biggest innovation in the construction industry is the introduction of BIM (Building Information Modeling). Governments around the world are moving towards making it mandatory for large buildings to be designed using BIM. BIM is attracting attention as an alternative to traditional CAD-based design, but its benefits go beyond improving the efficiency of design work.
Recently, a decrease in the number of workers has become a major issue at construction sites. In response to this, there is a movement to improve efficiency by remotely controlling heavy machinery, but there is also a limit to the number of operators. Meanwhile, with the advancement of robotics technology, numerous automated construction robots are active at construction sites around the world.
BIM is most effective when combined with robotics.
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