French multinational, Saint-Gobain the world leading manufacturer and distributor of building materials invests in UK robotics company Q-Bot, as part of a £3.6m Series A investment.

22 December 2019

Saint-Gobain is pleased to announce their investment in Q-Bot, the UK’s leader in robotics for the construction industry. Saint-Gobain is a €42-billion-turnover French multinational that develops, manufactures and distributes materials and building solutions for construction, transportation, infrastructure and industrial applications

Q-Bot was founded in 2012 with the objective of using robotics, artificial intelligence and digital tools to inspect, maintain and upgrade buildings. Q-Bot has already had a strong impact on improving energy efficiency, through the inspection and insulation of 1,000’s of homes across the UK. Q-Bot’s technology includes robots that can apply, shape and finish building materials as well as survey a building to create a ‘digital twin’. Q-Bot’s solutions connect the built environment with the digital revolution to rethink processes that have not changed for hundreds of years.

Mathew Holloway, Q-Bot’s CEO and Co-Founder: The investment by Saint-Gobain will leverage Q-Bot’s world class technology with Saint-Gobain’s expertise in building materials and global distribution network. Saint-Gobain manufacturers a number of building products that rely on an ever-dwindling network of skilled workers. By using robotics and digital tools we can turn physically demanding and repetitive jobs into rewarding new career paths, whilst improving quality and reducing cost. We are committed to empowering workers with innovative solutions, giving them the opportunity to work safer, faster and do more, with less constraints.”

With this investment, Q-Bot and Saint-Gobain plan to bring a range of innovative building solutions to the global
construction industry. Saint-Gobain Group has developed a valuable expertise in construction materials and services, and has been offering some of the most innovative product solutions in the market. As Q-Bot is developing smarter tools and processes to undertake work, it seemed like a natural partnership. The Franco-British collaboration will create real value for workers and customers, reducing risk and cost, while improving quality, safety and productivity.

Zahia Toutou-Melinge, Senior External Venturing & Business Development Manager at Saint-Gobain NOVA, explains: Establishing a relationship with Q-Bot makes perfect sense: we share a commitment to help make work safer, ensure high quality output, reduce fatigue, and increase productivity on jobsites. Applying digital and robotics technologies in construction works will help us achieve these goals.”

 

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About NOVA by Saint-Gobain

(www.nova-saint-gobain.com) Since 2006, NOVA External Ventures seeks to create mutually beneficial partnerships between Saint-Gobain and the global startup community. We connect Saint-Gobain’s 350 years of manufacturing excellence, materials expertise and deep market knowledge with disruptive technologies and business models. The team is located in key global hubs including North America, Europe, and Asia to create opportunities for transformative innovation across the world. Over the last eleven years, NOVA has established partnerships with startups in various stages and in various forms: codevelopment, licensing, commercial agreements, direct investments and joint-ventures; has strategic partnerships with startups’ incubators worldwide; and is also a limited partner in a number of global funds.

 

For more information, please contact Q-Bot at info@q-bot.co or +44 (0)208 877 2709 or Saint-Gobain NOVA at
nova@saint-gobain.com or +33(0)38 90 01 73.