alcemy founders receive ULI Germany Leadership Award 2022

Leopold Spenner and Dr. Robert Meyer, the two founders of the Berlin-based start-up alcemy, were honored by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) with this year’s ULI Germany Leadership Award in the Young Leader category. Every year, the ULI recognizes individuals who have the courage to make a lasting contribution to shaping cities through innovation and commitment. The company alcemy has developed software that uses smart algorithms to produce low-CO₂ cements and concretes. In a ceremonial setting and with a laudatory speech, Dr. Markus Wiedenmann, Managing Director and CEO of Art-Invest Real Estate Management and German Chairman of the ULI (center), presented the ULI Germany Leadership Award to the two alcemy Managing Directors, Dr. Robert Meyer (left) and Leopold Spenner (right), at the Wintergarten Berlin Varieté (© Stefan Wieland)

The ULI Germany Leadership Awards 2022 were presented at an evening ceremony on 10 November 2022. The awards, which have established themselves in the real estate industry as a distinction for forward-looking, sustainable thinking and action, are presented in five categories: Young Leader, Innovation, Urban Planning/Administration, Real Estate Industry, and Lifetime Achievement. Award winners in the Young Leader category are Leopold Spenner and Dr. Robert Meyer, founder of alcemy. Using artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive quality control, their startup helps the construction industry become more sustainable and thus remain viable for the future. alcemy’s AI-powered technology enables cement and concrete plants to produce low-CO₂ building materials cost-effectively and efficiently. The focus is on the entire value chain. As the concrete and cement industry is responsible for about eight percent of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, the two founders’ mission to revolutionize the industry with the help of AI represents an important step towards a livable future. “We are very proud of this award. It’s great to see that the real estate and construction industry is increasingly focusing on decarbonizing the concrete value chain and giving the topic the necessary prominence in the design of green and sustainable buildings,” said Leopold Spenner, co-founder and CEO of alcemy.

In a ceremonial setting and with a laudatory speech, Dr. Markus Wiedenmann, managing director and CEO of Art-Invest Real Estate Management and German chairperson of the ULI, presented the trophy to the two managing directors at the Wintergarten Berlin Varieté. “Almost one tenth of global CO₂ emissions can be attributed to the production of our most important building material, concrete and cement respectively. In addition to the use of alternative building materials, the most urgent goal must be to start here and optimize this production step. This is exactly what our prize winners are doing this year. alcemy is making a direct impact on the decarbonization of the cement production process by reducing the necessary aggregates to a minimum with the help of artificial intelligence. Leopold Spenner and Dr. Robert Meyer impress not only with their very deep and detailed expertise, but also with their special personal drive, which does not arise from economic interests, but from the will to make the construction of buildings fundamentally more sustainable. Their product has already made it possible to control five million t of cement and thus already save more than 80000 t of CO₂,” said Dr. Markus Wiedenmann. For the ULI Germany Leadership Award, the jury submitted their nominations in advance and decided in a joint session who would receive the award.

The ULI is a global, member-led research and education organization with more than 45000 members. Its goal is to contribute to and advance the quality of life in cities and communities through knowledge transfer and experience sharing. Today represented in more than 80 countries, the institute was founded in 1963 in Washington D.C. As a multidisciplinary forum for experts in the real estate industry and urban development, it not only shapes the real estate industry, but also assumes – as does alcemy with its technology – a comprehensive social responsibility.

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