Investments
1KOMMA5° Raises the Stakes: €100M AI Push for 2027
October 20th, 2026Apleona Under Bain Capital: 6 Deals in 18 Months
September 10th, 2026
Azure Access Acquired by dormakaba to Strengthen US Strategy 2026
This Research Note examines dormakaba’s August 2026 acquisition of US firms, Azure Access and Apollo Security. We assess the strategic rationale of the deal and explore the group’s North American growth strategy and business model change for access control products in the USA. This article updates our previous September 2025 article on dormakaba’s North American […]
SCorp-io: French Scale-Up Providing BMS to Over 300 Medium-Sized Commercial Buildings
This Research Note examines SCorp-io, a French scale-up providing building management systems (BMS) for medium-sized commercial buildings. We highlight the gap in the French market for energy management in medium-sized buildings, comment on deployments and funding raised by SCorp-io, as well as competition in the European market. SCorp-io is one of 169 startups funded in […]
8 Incumbents Betting Big on Smart Building Startups in 2026
In the first half of 2026, 23% of strategic investments in smart building startups involved a major industry player, participating either as sole investor or as part of a funding round. The incumbents are no longer observing the startup ecosystem from a safe distance. They are actively shaping it. Our new report, Startups in Smart […]
Investment in AI Construction Startups Doubles to $616M in H1 2026
This Research Note examines investment trends across the Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) lifecycle, drawing on our Startups in Smart Buildings Report H1 2026, which analyzed early-stage AEC startups developing AI-powered platforms for workflows, productivity and evidence-based decision-making. A Software Landscape in Transformation The AEC software landscape is being reshaped by a wave of early-stage […]
Smart Building Startups Rebound: Funding Jumps 71% in H1 2026
Smart building startups are back in favor with investors. In the first half of 2026, we tracked 169 funding rounds worth more than $5.3 billion flowing into young companies serving the commercial buildings sector. That represents a 71% jump in value compared with the same period last year, and 34% more deals. After three years […]
Johnson Controls Data Center Strategy: 5 Key Moves Since 2021
While Johnson Controls has been primarily focused on portfolio transformation and divestments in recent years, the HVAC giant has also been accelerating its position in the data centers vertical, as the May 2026 partnership and investment in Armada demonstrates. This Research Note highlights Johnson Controls’ acquisitions, strategic alliances, and product launches over the past five […]
Kieback&Peter & Trane Technologies: A Deal Reshaping European Building Automation?
In this Research Note, we examine Kieback&Peter, one of the long-established German manufacturers and systems integrators of building automation solutions and services. We highlight their June 2025 outlook forecast, 2024 results, and review acquisitions & strategic partnerships before commenting on the Trane Technologies stake in the company acquired in October 2025. This article updates our previous […]
Otis Takes Majority Stake in WeMaintain: Targets 60% Connected Elevators in 2026
This Research Note examines the majority investment by Otis, a leading elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation, and service company in French startup, WeMaintain, announced on 13th April 2026. This article updates our Research Notes on WeMaintain in July 2025 and Otis in May 2025. WeMaintain Profile Founded in 2017, WeMaintain offers tech-enabled predictive maintenance operations […]
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