A materials technology company has been awarded a €7m capital loan by The Finnish Climate Fund to develop a unique AI digital platform that cuts emissions in the construction industry.

The AI digital platform, built by technology company Betolar, is the first digital solution financed by The Finnish Climate Fund, a state-owned special-assignment company with a focus on climate change.

Betolar’s climate change-ready AI brings side streams and other raw materials used to replace cement, as well as their industrial recipes, to a digital platform with the goal of becoming a digital marketplace and meeting place for low-emission concrete manufacturers and side stream producers.

“Our aim is to create a business ecosystem based on data generated from geopolymer technology to supplement our business model,” said Matti Löppönen, CEO of Betolar.

“The marketplace boosting the emission reductions is a significant part of Betolar’s long-term AI utilisation strategy. Funding received from The Finnish Climate Fund plays a clear role in our business and financing plan.”

The business model will supposedly reduce the emissions produced by the raw materials used in construction on a larger scale.

The loan is priced in accordance with the market-conform interest rate pursuant to the European Union’s interest rate reference table. It will be distributed in three instalments depending on the AI digital platform’s achievements, which were pre-arranged by Betolar and The Finnish Climate Fund.

“Betolar is the first digital solution funding recipient of the Finnish Climate Fund and, if successful, this solution will have large-scale emission reduction potential globally,” said Paula Laine, CEO of The Finnish Climate Fund.