AI CONNECT

Our digital network.

This is where the construction industry, technology and research meet to shape the future together.

AI TALK

Interviews and online round tables in coffee break format.

Round Tables

In a relaxed atmosphere, start-ups, companies and research institutions discuss current topics related to

AI, robotics and digitalization in construction.



"Bots and Concrete" Part 1

 

  • Painter, bricklayer, machine. “Can machines do it better?” – Practical test of robotics on construction sites. Participating strart-ups, companies and universities:
  • Dr. Lena-Marie Pätzmann/ Sitegeist (concrete cleaning robot)
  • Magdalena Kailbauer/ Baubot (drilling robotics)
  • Ing. Gunnar Godawa/ Hochtief
  • Dr. Manuel Bös/ Liebherr
  • Prof. Dr. Ing. Frank Will/ TU Dresden Chair of Construction Machinery Dr. Christian Richter/ TU Dresden Chair of Construction Machinery
  • Georg Nischalke-Fehn/ IFA Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Bots and Concrete Part 2

  • Bots and Concrete” – Painter, Bricklayer, Machine. “Do machines make it better?” – Part 2: Humans and Robots – Occupational Safety Participating companies and universities:
  • Dr. Lena-Marie Pätzmann/ Sitegeist (concrete cleaning robot)
  • Magdalena Kailbauer/ Baubot (drilling robotics)
  • Ing. Gunnar Godawa/ Hochtief
  • Dr. Manuel Bös/ Liebherr
  • Prof. Dr. Ing. Frank Will/ TU Dresden Chair of Construction Machinery Dr. Christian Richter/ TU Dresden Chair of Construction Machinery
  • Georg Nischalke-Fehn/ IFA Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
  • Building with bits

  • "Building with Bits" – When construction projects think for themselves. "Construction Management with Brains" – Intelligent construction management through AI. Guests:
  • Project developer P B GmbH & Co. KG
  • BAU.AI (AI-optimized construction management)
  • Pelicad (rendering with AI)
  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kraus (ZM-I KI GmbH)

  • Current: Round Table "Bots and Concrete" Part 1

    AI Talk – Expo Real Edition
    Interviews and opinions from Expo Real 2025

    Interview with Kai Panitzki, Investor at BitStone Capital

    Conducted by the AI Architecture Group at Expo Real 2025 in Munich


    Mr. Panitzki, you invest in start-ups developing robotics and AI for the construction industry — such as Alago and Okibo. What’s behind these investments?


    Kai Panitzki: We’re interested in everything that makes the construction process more efficient and safer. Okibo develops robots that take over painting work on large construction sites — a real relief for the trades. The robot works precisely, evenly, and can continue painting overnight.

    Alago, on the other hand, takes a different approach: they are building an AI system that understands the entire planning and construction process. It analyzes protocols, recognizes interdependencies, and supports the coordination of complex construction workflows — essentially a digital site manager.

    Both examples show that AI and robotics are increasingly converging. Construction is becoming more data-driven — and that’s exactly where the future lies.


    You are Managing Partner at BitStone Capital/Realyze Ventures. How is your network structured, and what are your investment criteria?


    Kai Panitzki: We operate as an independent investment network, currently with around 25 active holdings in the fields of planning, construction, and operations. Behind it stand about 35 partners and investors.

    Our goal is to identify innovations early — precisely where they can have real impact on the industry. That’s why we’re systematically building a comprehensive map of the ConstructionTech ecosystem. At the moment, we’re tracking more than 2,700 start-ups worldwide, categorized by their focus areas. This helps us maintain an overview of which solutions are emerging, where overlaps occur, and where true gaps still exist.


    Within the AI Architecture Group network, we’ve observed that many start-ups often need support. Being part of a network makes them stronger. Do you share this view?


    Kai Panitzki: Absolutely. That observation matches our own experience. Networks like yours play an important role — they bring together research, industry, start-ups, and occupational safety.

    When people start talking early on, duplicate developments can be avoided, and synergies can be used more effectively.


    Where do you currently see the greatest opportunities for AI in construction?


    Kai Panitzki: Across the entire value chain — planning, building, and operating.

    AI supports building intelligence, for example in controlling heating, ventilation, and energy flows to achieve more sustainable operations. But it also transforms construction processes themselves: progress tracking, protocol analysis, defect management — all of this can already be automated today.

    Then there’s robotics in the trades: robots that paint, drill, or sand relieve skilled workers and ensure consistent quality.

    I’m convinced that in five years, AI in construction will be as self-evident as BIM is today.


    Would you like me to adapt it further into a publication-ready layout (e.g. for your AIAG website or LinkedIn post), with subheadings, intro paragraph, and short author line? That version reads more naturally for online readers while keeping the professional tone.

    AI News

    Topics related to AI and the construction industry.

    Artificial Intelligence is transforming the real estate industry

    Whether in market analysis, project planning, or marketing — more and more developers and investors are experimenting with smart tools.
    A recent survey conducted within a brokerage network found that
    87.3% of real estate professionals already use AI in their daily processes.
    Four out of five respondents primarily apply AI for
    content creation — for example, to produce marketing materials or property listings.
    But that’s just the beginning.

    A market study from Zurich identified 24 specific AI applications along the entire real estate lifecycle.
    Many solutions focus on the
    operation phase of buildings: AI systems automatically control building technology, optimize cleaning and waste management schedules, or review contracts and large data sets.
    Owners and investors benefit from
    data-driven valuation models, portfolio analyses, and CO₂ reduction potential — in short, value creation through data.

    Surprisingly, AI adoption in the planning phase remains limited. Only a few firms use intelligent tools early on, even though that stage is crucial for shaping energy consumption and operating costs.

    For now, the industry is still in an experimental phase. Many tools are prototypes, with plenty of pilot projects but few scalable solutions — and reliable data often remains scarce.
    Companies are now facing strategic choices:
    Should they
    develop AI solutions in-house, adopt proven external tools, or configure systems via low-code platforms?

    One thing is clear: A solid data foundation and clear strategic goals are essential for AI to become more than just a buzzword.
    This trend is also reflected at
    EXPO REAL 2025, where AI-driven digital planning processes are a central topic in the conference program.
    The real estate industry is already debating how to move
    from hype to hands-on practice.

    September 24, 2025

    AI SPOTLIGHT

    With AI Spotlight, we put the most innovative startups in the construction, AI, and robotics industries in the spotlight.

    Start-ups in focus

    • We present start-ups' ideas, technologies, and visions in short portraits, presentations, and interviews – from smart construction management and digital planning to robotics on the construction site.
    To the start-ups

    Start-ups in focus

    We introduce three start-ups.


    Pelicad - Rendering with KI

    Pelicad is a German AI startup that is fundamentally revolutionizing architectural visualization with automated cloud software. The team, led by Robin Roemer, Sebastian Witt, and Yannic Nicolas Schwarz, specializes in the fast, high-quality, AI-supported rendering process of 3D CAD models. What does Pelicad do? The platform transforms CAD and BIM data into realistic architectural renderings in minutes. Users upload their 3D model (e.g., an .ifc file), specify materials, location, and atmosphere, and can automate the visual design using prompts or reference images. Pelicad's AI automates the entire visualization workflow, adhering precisely to the specified geometries and allowing creative freedom with regard to lighting, environment, and style. The solution is aimed at architectural firms and project developers who want to generate high-quality 3D representations efficiently, flexibly, and without special rendering skills. Innovation & Benefits Pelicad uses AI directly on real 3D data, instead of working purely with 2D images like many competitors – this creates particularly precise and credible visualizations. The software runs as a cloud service, is easy to use, and automates previously expensive, labor-intensive processes in architecture. The platform offers various licensing models, is scalable, and enables companies to create visualizations faster and communicate more effectively with clients. Market Position The startup sees itself as an "inspiration engine" for architectural firms, but pursues a clear vision with international expansion goals: to make visualizations as easy and flexible as sketching. Pelicad is positioning itself as a technological pioneer and is benefiting from the emerging demand for AI-based workflows in the construction sector. We believe that Pelicad makes architectural rendering scalable, fast, and creatively controllable with AI, offering architectural firms a true digital efficiency boost through automated image generation from 3D data.

    CONSTRUCTION AI- Planning Agents

    BAU AI is developing an innovative, AI-powered "all-in-one" platform specifically for the construction industry. The goal is to digitally support and optimize all phases of construction projects – from planning and task management, scheduling and procurement to document management and project monitoring. It offers an intelligent AI agent that automates task management, optimally plans resources (personnel, equipment, materials), simplifies procurement and scheduling, analyzes and organizes documents, creates intelligent reports, detects delays and bottlenecks early on, and enables real-time communication with partners and suppliers. The solution is particularly aimed at small and medium-sized construction or trades companies and is designed as a cloud-based platform. Its innovation and advantage: Automation of entire workflows: AI agents replace many manual, error-prone routines in the daily business of construction management, scheduling, and administration. Real-time early problem detection: The AI agent detects bottlenecks, delays, and cost risks, and immediately proposes countermeasures or alternative solutions. Centralized platform instead of isolated solutions: All project participants work in a single environment, eliminating data silos and increasing collaboration efficiency. Time and cost savings: The high degree of automation enables projects to be completed faster, more cost-effectively, and with less stress. Low barrier to entry: The application is ready to use immediately, affordable—and even free to use during the beta test. Market position: Young startup, big ambitions: BAU AI was founded in 2025 with a small, specialized team and relies on rapid, practical product development. Focus on SMEs: Unlike many other construction software systems, BAU AI explicitly focuses on SMEs with the lowest possible costs and implementation effort. Beta and pilot phases: BAU AI specifically seeks pilot customers to test the system and contribute feedback to its further development. Market differentiation: While many AI startups in the construction industry focus on planning automation, BIM, or sensor technology, BAU AI focuses on digital construction site management for daily operations. We believe that BAU AI is one of the most promising construction tech startups of 2025. Its comprehensive platform and AI agent approach stands out because it specifically digitizes small and medium-sized construction companies – in all project phases, not just planning. BAU AI's innovation lies particularly in its combination of automation, rapid process optimization, and simple, cost-effective implementation. The key advantage: Not an isolated solution, but a complete workflow system that thinks ahead, proactively identifies risks, and thus saves time, stress, and money. Especially for companies with little digitalization to date, BAU AI is an entry-level option with real efficiency gains and a competitive advantage.

    Sitegeist Robotics

    Sitegeist Robotics is a German high-tech startup specializing in the automation of construction sites using modular construction robots. The vision: to revolutionize productivity, increase work quality, and sustainably improve safety on construction sites. Sitegeist's mission is to enable companies to increase their productivity tenfold, achieve consistent, high-quality results, and significantly optimize employee safety. Innovations & Applications: Ease of Use & Modularity: Sitegeist's construction robots are deliberately designed to be user-friendly and ready for use on construction sites. Their modular design makes them flexibly adaptable to a wide variety of tasks in the construction process. Main Applications: High-pressure water remediation: Complex remediation work is completed significantly more efficiently; hazards and strain on workers are reduced, as no breaks or hazardous work by humans are required. Sandblasting: Thanks to automation, Sitegeist delivers consistent, high-quality results, reaches even hard-to-reach areas (e.g., corners, columns, ceilings), and can effortlessly treat large areas. Drilling: Automated drilling enables perfect hole placement and consistent depths – in any material, regardless of complexity or size. Customized solution: The platform is adaptable: Customers can describe their requirements and receive specifically tailored automation solutions. The Sitegeist team actively supports implementation and customization. Benefits: Massive productivity gains: Faster, more efficient, and more reliable than conventional working methods – robots are available around the clock. High work quality: Results are consistently high; automation reduces the error rate. Workplace safety: Reduction of hazardous situations, physical strain, and the risk of accidents on the construction site. Flexibility: A robot can be quickly converted to various applications through modular extensions – cost-effective for companies with changing projects. Market position: Innovator of automation in construction: Sitegeist addresses a highly relevant market trend: the increasing demand for automation and digitalization on construction sites, not least due to the shortage of skilled workers, pressure for efficiency, and growing safety requirements. B2B focus: The target group is primarily medium-sized and large construction companies that want to optimize processes. Long-term vision: Sitegeist aims to become the leading provider of modular-based construction robotics solutions and relies on close collaboration with construction companies to develop customized systems. Summary & Evaluation (we think) Sitegeist Robotics is one of the most ambitious companies actively working to make digital transformation and automation a reality on construction sites. What particularly impresses us is their practical relevance: The robots are not just a technical innovation, but are directly tailored to real-world challenges (e.g., renovation work, sandblasting, drilling). The combination of high flexibility, ease of use, and adaptability makes Sitegeist a promising partner for all companies looking to take their productivity and safety to a new level. With this approach, Sitegeist Robotics has the best chance of playing a key role in shaping the future of construction and sustainably strengthening the industry's competitiveness.