Startup story #1 - Foldcast

How paper, deep expertise and software can help us make concrete buildings more sustainable and at the same time offer more creative freedom to architects? The team of Foldcast, an USI spin-off, knows the answer. Fabio Amicarelli, one of the co-founders and PhD candidate at the Academy of architecture, shares some details of their journey in this short interview.

How did the Foldcast story begin?

The initial concept of using paper as material for formwork, mould used in construction to pre-cast concrete elements, originates from years of cutting-edge research conducted by Prof. Ena Lloret Fritschi, which was further developed as part of my PhD. I wanted to create something concrete that could be implemented in the industry and make an impact, so one could say that I already had an entrepreneurial approach even without realising it.  We started with some small-scale tests around 1.5 years ago and saw how folding a very thin sheet of paper following specific patterns could make it more resistant to the pressure of the material. The first results were very encouraging also design-wise, we fell in love with those shapes and decided to continue working on the project. The next step was filing a patent application with the support of the Technology Transfer Office at USI. This is how Foldcast was born. 

What is your vision for the project?

Construction is a very conservative industry. However, the global building floor continues to grow and so does the amount of CO2 emissions it generates, which creates pressure for finding new solutions. We are the pioneers of using paper-based moulds and our goal is to bring this new approach to the concrete construction industry to enable better architectural designs and “lighter” buildings that use the resources more efficiently. 

What is the feedback you received from the industry players?

Since the very beginning we started approaching different stakeholders: real estate developers, architects and engineers. Initially, they were surprised by the fact that thanks to our proprietary technology, paper-based moulds can sustain the weight of concrete, but our full-scale prototype, created with the Mueller-Steinag group, leaders in the pre-cast concrete sector, proves that it works, and we can actually build with it. 

It is your first entrepreneurial experience. How did you transition from researcher to startup founder?

It definitely was a big step and an important challenge. I am an architect by training, so business-wide there were gaps that I needed to fill. It is a constant learning. In this regard, the support and help I received through the Business Concept course from Innosuisse, the Boldbrain Startup Challenge and the USI Startup Centre were crucial. Thanks to these initiatives we could turn a research project into a business one. My past experience as a professional football player also helps me on this entrepreneurial journey. It taught me how to deal with pressure, stay focused and draw energy from competition. 

3 quick questions to wrap it up:

• How do you recharge the batteries? - Spending time in nature and travelling the world
• How would you define your entrepreneurial journey in one word/phrase? - Being proactive and learning from failure
• How do you deal with setbacks? - Reminding myself why I decided to do it and focusing on the next goal

For more information on Foldcast: https://www.startup.usi.ch/en/node/9520