Replacing century-old concrete tests with IoT

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Photo credit: Concrete AI

During a site internship, Qingyang Chang managed the concrete test cubes that dictate construction schedules. He realized small lab-cured samples poorly reflected the actual strength of massive structures. This prompted him to launch ConcreteAI to measure material strength directly.

😟 Problem

The construction industry estimates concrete strength by crushing lab-cured test cubes days after pouring. These small samples often underestimate early-age structural strength by 30%. Consequently, contractors face unnecessary delays, use excessively carbon-heavy mixes, and waste resources.

💡 Solution

• The startup provides hardware and software tools to monitor and validate concrete performance on site.
• The SmartHub features a reusable IoT sensor tracking temperature to estimate real-time strength and send mobile alerts.
• The SmartCure system provides a specialized curing tank that replicates actual structural temperatures for backup test cubes.
• The Cloud dashboard automates data entry and compliance checks through an AI-powered reporting platform.

Photo credit: ConcreteAI

📊 Market size

The Asia-Pacific region pours over 4 billion cubic meters of concrete annually. The company’s initial launch markets in Singapore, Australia, and Malaysia account for around 70 million cubic meters each year.

🤝 Team

• Qingyang Chang. CEO and co-founder. She is a civil engineer specializing in construction technology. 
• Xin Yi Ooi. CTO and co-founder. She is an engineer-entrepreneur focused on AI, IoT, and construction technology.
• Isaac Siow. COO and co-founder. He is a civil engineer focused on improving construction productivity and quality through real-time concrete monitoring technology.

🚀 Traction

• Deployed across more than 60 projects in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and Bahrain.
• Secured clients including Singapore’s Land Transport Authority, Changi Airport Group, and City Developments Limited.
• Cut the daily construction cycle by 30% and achieved months-early completion on a deep tunnel project.
• Named a finalist at the Construction Startup Competition 2026.

🏆 Competition

Incumbents include Giatec, Maturix, and Converge. ConcreteAI differentiates itself by pairing real-time IoT monitoring with physical validation through its SmartCure system. The company also offers both reusable and disposable sensors for comprehensive project coverage.

💰 Financials

The startup sells and rents its hardware and software packages on contracts spanning six to 36 months. ConcreteAI has raised S$1.5 million (US$1.17 million)  from NUS GRIP, Iterative VC, Feedback Ventures, and angel investors. A subsequent funding round is planned for 2027.

🚩 Risks

• ConcreteAI’s schedule claim depends on acceptance, not just measurement. Austroads’ maturity-method guidance supports real-time strength estimation, but ties early construction actions to formal approval.
• ConcreteAI’s broader system may be a differentiator and a bottleneck. Pairing real-time monitoring with physical validation can strengthen the evidence package, but it also asks customers to adopt more process on site. McKinsey’s construction productivity work highlights persistent barriers to technology adoption. 

Currency converted from US dollars to Singapore dollars at an exchange rate of US$1 = about 1.281 Singapore dollars.