The construction and real estate industry is undergoing radical change: digital platforms, AI-supported services, and PropTech are reshaping business models that remained stable for decades. The DACH region alone is home to more than 1,000 active startups – and major players are taking notice. Drees & Sommer SE, a consultancy specializing in construction, real estate, and infrastructure, is now consolidating its startup activities under The Bau Ventures, a new early-stage investor for startups. One of its goals is to identify the most promising startups at an early stage and leverage Drees & Sommer’s expertise to support their development.
“Our clients expect solutions that make an impact quickly – whether on costs, revenue, or sustainability. The Bau Ventures allows us to offer targeted support for innovative products and services and bring them to market,” says Drees & Sommer CEO, Steffen Szeidl.
Three pillars of sustainable innovation
The Bau Ventures is built on three clearly defined pillars. The first, Build First, focuses on developing and rapidly scaling proprietary digital business models – from initial idea to market entry. The second pillar, Co-Creation, comprises early-stage investments in startup companies that receive not only capital, but also operational support in areas such as product development, technology, and market access. The third pillar, Strategic Investments, includes targeted investments in startups and funds that deliver clear added value both to clients and to Drees & Sommer. Follow-on investments are possible if development progresses successfully.
Access to markets, projects, and technologies
The Bau Ventures focuses on PropTech, ConTech, energy, infrastructure, e-mobility, and urban resilience, closely linked to key technologies such as artificial intelligence, IoT, robotics, and digital twins.
“Through The Bau Ventures, startups receive not only financial support, but also access to projects, markets, and expertise that they wouldn’t be able to gain independently,” says Sascha Hempel, Drees & Sommer SE partner and chair of the Digital Ventures Board. “Innovation is not a question of chance – it’s the result of strategic partnerships, bold investments, and operational excellence. If you want to shape the future of the construction and real estate industry, you have to help develop it – and that’s exactly where we come in.”
Initial investments and co-creation successes
Drees & Sommer and The Bau Ventures have sent a strong signal by joining European early-stage venture capital fund PT1 as a limited partner. PT1 invests in technologies surrounding clean energy, sustainable infrastructure, and the digital transformation of the built environment. In addition, smart building specialists aedifion, who develop innovative solutions for improving the CO2 profile of new and existing properties, continue to be supported by The Bau Ventures in the form of a follow-on investment.
“By promoting innovation and combining it with our expertise, we create solutions that deliver real value for our clients while improving the sustainability of the sector,” sums up Drees & Sommer Board member Marc Schömbs.
About The Bau Ventures
The Bau Ventures GmbH is a venture studio and early-stage investor. We invest in and build solutions for the digital and sustainable transformation of the built environment—from PropTech and ConTech to energy and infrastructure—and work with key partners to accelerate product development, piloting, and scaling.