Dutch Startup Raises €1.5 Million to Turn Construction Waste Into Tradeable Assets
Netherlands, Sunday, 10 May 2026.
MAECONOMY transforms billions of euros worth of materials trapped in concrete and steel into verifiable digital assets through AI-driven analysis and blockchain technology. The Netherlands-based company creates digital material passports that enable construction companies to trade reusable building components before demolition even begins, addressing the fact that Europe’s construction sector generates over one-third of all EU waste.
Investment Led by LUMO Labs and LIOF
The €1.5 million funding round was led by LUMO Labs and LIOF, positioning MAECONOMY to accelerate development of its circular construction materials marketplace [1]. The investment, announced in April 2026, enables the Dutch startup to scale its platform that digitalizes building and material data to create a more sustainable construction sector [1]. LIOF Investment Manager Ralf Hendriks emphasized the economic impact potential, stating that “waste transforms into a valuable raw material, with demonstrable CO₂ reduction. For LIOF, this is an investment that directly links sustainable innovation to economic impact in Limburg” [1].
From Prototype to Million-Euro Investment
MAECONOMY’s journey began at the Brightlands Smart Services Campus in Heerlen, where founder and CEO Vince Meens developed the initial concept [2][3]. During a Venture Vault Event at the campus, Meens successfully attracted the attention of the first major client and investors with a prototype [2]. Walter Pijls, CEO of the Brightlands Smart Services Campus, describes MAECONOMY as a prime example of their mission as an AI incubator, demonstrating “what is possible when talent and a strong network come together” [2]. The company, founded in 2023, is housed at the Brightlands campus in Heerlen [3].
AI-Driven Technology Creates Digital Material Passports
MAECONOMY combines data from public sources, including the Dutch Land Registry (Kadaster), with advanced algorithms to create digital insights into the quantity, quality, and financial residual value of materials in existing buildings and infrastructure [2]. The platform uses AI-driven material analysis, digital material passports, and blockchain technology to enable the trading of materials as financial instruments [1]. Meens explained the technology’s potential by noting that “our platform introduces a new principle where materials in buildings can be standardized, verified and traded, even before they are harvested” [1]. The system creates what the company describes as a “library of buildings” to make predictions about structures not yet analyzed [3].
Rapid Expansion and Market Impact
The new capital injection will fund significant expansion, with MAECONOMY growing from nine to twenty-five employees [2]. Following initial implementation with the Municipality of Heerlen, six additional municipalities have joined the platform [2]. The system calculates both financial value and CO₂ savings from material reuse, with a reservation system for released materials laying the foundation for a “raw materials exchange” for the built environment [2]. MAECONOMY’s approach addresses a critical industry challenge, as founder Meens illustrated with an analogy: “Children are used to playing with their Lego blocks multiple times. Nobody builds a Lego house and then asks their parents for new ones. Why do we do that in society?” [3]. The platform supports EU sustainability frameworks including CSRD and the EU taxonomy, positioning materials as verifiable and tradeable circular assets [1].