14Trees

14Trees operates at the intersection of construction technology and social impact, leveraging large-scale 3D printing to address the critical need for affordable housing and infrastructure. Established in 2016, the company is a joint venture between Holcim, a global leader in building materials, and British International Investment (BII), the UK's development finance institution and impact investor. More recently, Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund joined as an investor in a Series A-1 round to help the company scale.

The company's formation was driven by a mission to accelerate the production of sustainable and affordable buildings, initially in Africa. The name '14Trees' originates from its first product, Durabric, an alternative to wood-fired bricks that saves an estimated 14 trees for every house built. The Managing Director, Francois Perrot, has a background in economics, with doctoral research focused on how corporations can alleviate poverty through profitable business models, a philosophy that directly informs the company's strategy. Recognizing that even with improved materials the immense infrastructure deficit, such as a 36,000-classroom shortage in Malawi, would take decades to close with conventional methods, 14Trees pivoted to construction 3D printing.

14Trees provides a turnkey solution that supports clients from design to execution. Its business model focuses on deploying proprietary 3D printing technology, including printers, software, and a specialized cement-based ink called TectorPrint, to construct buildings with significant speed and a lower carbon footprint. The technology reduces the CO2 emissions for new homes by up to 70% and drastically cuts construction time; walls for a house can be printed in as little as 12 hours, and a school in 18 hours. This efficiency allows 14Trees to tackle large-scale projects, targeting governments, NGOs, and private developers as clients. By automating construction, the firm aims to make building more affordable, projecting a long-term goal of being 20% cheaper than traditional methods while creating skilled local jobs for machine operators and material specialists.

The company has achieved several world firsts, including building Africa's first 3D-printed house in Lilongwe, Malawi, and the world's first 3D-printed school in the country's Salima district. Another significant milestone is the Mvule Gardens project in Kenya, which is Africa's largest 3D-printed affordable housing community with 52 homes. This project also achieved the IFC-EDGE Advanced certification for its resource-efficient design. After initially using third-party printers, 14Trees developed its own proprietary printer, IROKO, in collaboration with a South African equipment manufacturer to create a more scalable and cost-effective business model. Having established its capabilities in Africa, 14Trees is now expanding its focus to become a global prop-tech player, targeting projects in Europe and the United States, including the construction of low-carbon data centers.

Keywords: 3D construction printing, affordable housing, sustainable construction, prop-tech, social infrastructure, additive manufacturing, low-carbon buildings, construction automation, development finance, impact investing, Holcim, British International Investment, large-scale 3D printing, TectorPrint, IROKO printer, building materials technology, African infrastructure, real estate technology, digital construction, green building