The largest global real estate developments are currently taking place in Saudi Arabia and they want to work with you. Saudi Arabia has seen significant investment in the real estate sector in recent years, with a particular focus on developing world-class cities and urban areas.
The global construction sector faces several challenges including escalating material costs and supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, environmental concerns, and maintaining quality control across diverse and complex projects while meeting tight deadlines. Additionally, integrating new technologies like AI, BIM, IoT and automation requires significant investment and training.
Addressing these issues demands innovative solutions and collaborative efforts that enable more cost-effective, safe, time-efficient and sustainable solutions in the sector, all the while adapting to the growing scale and complexity of developments.
This Construction Challenge at Cityscape Global aims to foster creativity and collaboration among stakeholders in the construction & real estate sector worldwide. The goal is to work together on innovative solutions that promote environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and good governance, aligning with global sustainability goals and frameworks.
Can you demonstrate a solution that addresses these challenges in the construction sector? Do you want to contribute to creating world-class cities with reduced environmental impact? If so, submit your pitch for an opportunity to be on stage at the world’s largest real estate event, in Riyadh on 11-14th November 2024.
What are some examples of solutions we are looking for?
- Efficiency during design and delivery phases: Solutions that implement BIM for integrated project delivery, adopt lean construction principles, integrate AI into the material specification process, or utilize digital design tools and parametric modeling.
- Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR): Solutions that use AR/VR for immersive design visualization, enhanced stakeholder collaboration, or virtual training and simulation for construction processes.
- Robotics & unmanned machinery: Solutions that deploy autonomous construction vehicles and drones, automate the construction processes or utilize robotic systems for repetitive tasks to improve efficiency, safety, and precision.
- Prefabrication & off-site manufacturing: Solutions that embrace prefabrication, modular construction and off-site manufacturing techniques to accelerate construction schedules, improve quality control, or reduce on-site labor and material waste.
- Project controls and risk management: Solutions that use robust project management software, predictive analytics, AI for risk assessment, or contingency planning with scenario analysis.
- Logistic optimization: Solutions that optimize transportation routes and material delivery with advanced logistics planning software, implement just-in-time inventory management, or use drone technology for site surveys and monitoring.
- Quality control and quality assurance: Solutions that implement comprehensive quality management systems, use sensor technologies for real-time monitoring, or ensure quality assurance with third-party certifications and performance testing.
- Progress monitoring technologies: Solutions that utilize IoT sensors, remote sensing for real-time monitoring, or construction management software with integrated progress tracking features.
- 3D printing: Solutions that explore 3D printing technology for rapid and cost-effective construction, enhanced strength, durability, customisability or sustainability of projects.
- Affordable Housing: Solutions that develop cost-effective construction technologies, modular housing solutions, and innovative construction techniques for affordable housing projects
- Sustainable building materials: Solutions that incorporate eco-friendly, low-carbon, or recycled materials to reduce environmental impact and enhance building sustainability.
What are we not looking for?
- Vendor lock-in solutions
- Solutions that are not cost effective
- Solutions that are difficult to implement logistically
- Solutions with no track record of success
About the Show and Competition Format:
Cityscape Global is the world’s largest real estate event, welcoming over 160,000 attendees. 380 industry-leading speakers, 300 exhibitors and every Saudi Arabian GIGA Project under one roof, in 2023.
The event is growing even further in 2024, with an expected audience of 200,000+ and 500 speakers across 6 stages, covering a broad range of topics and areas related to urbanism, technology, investment and the future of living. This edition is taking place at the Riyadh Exhibition & Conference Centre – Malham on 11 – 14 November 2024.
- 20 semifinalists will be chosen to present live at the show, per category
- Each semifinal consists of 10 participants and 5 judges, with back-to-back pitches over a 1.5-hour time period.
- The live semifinals will be viewed by an audience of government stakeholders, key developers, and leading investors present at Cityscape Global
- 1 finalist will be chosen per semifinal, to present on the Cityscape Global Mainstage as part of the Innovation Challenges final showdown, where the 6 finalists will present again in front of an audience of 1,000 industry experts and globally renowned judges
- 1 final winner is selected per category by the judges
What does the winner receive?
Prize money to be determined.
1st Place Winner per category receives:
- A possible pilot project with one of the jury members’ companies
- Media Exposure and interviews during Cityscape Global 2024
- Complementary 9 sqm (3x3) equipped booth at Cityscape Global 2025 (worth $9,604 USD)
- Complementary Panel speaker slot in Cityscape Global 2025 – “The Winners circle -12 month on” content session
- Marketing exposure and interviews pre-event for Cityscape Global 2025
- Access to Professional Mentors (via sponsors)
- Possible access to 12-month complementary office space in Riyadh (via sponsors)
The 6 overall Finalist receive additional benefits:
- Marketing exposure and interviews pre-event for Cityscape Global 2025
Selection and invitation:
20 companies per category (60 total) will be selected and invited to Cityscape Global 2024.
- There is no submission fee, and a complimentary Event Pass to Cityscape Global 2024 will be provided
- Entrants must cover their own flight, accommodation and other expense during the event
- Additional benefits: Cityscape Innovation Challenge participants receive a discounted rate on a Startup-Pod-Package at the exhibition, for $3.500 USD
Rules to participate
- Participant must be a registered company.
- Innovative solutions must comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
- Participant must be able to demonstrate a working prototype/product/service.
The pitch deck (max. 20 slides)
Your initial submission will be evaluated by a jury to evaluate your solutions. On the pitch day, semifinalists will be able to use a more comprehensive slide desk.
This must include:
A. Elevator pitch about your company
B. Product Description. Provide a clear description of your innovative solution/product/business
C. Using a business case / success case, describe the added value of your solution
D. Introduce your founding/key team members and provide an overview of how many team members in total FTE
The pitch document may be submitted as a presentation deck or in letter format, and must be in English language. Uploaded files must be in PDF format: A4 size (portrait/landscape), max. 30MB. Links to videos, examples, websites etc. may be included.
Timeline
- Application deadline: 13th September 23:59 Central European Time
- Selection Period: 17th August – 13th September
- Announcement & Invites: 13th September (60 companies overall)
- Semifinal Preparation submission: Slides to be sent in by 31st October 2024 (no late submissions will be accepted)
- Semifinals: 11-13th November 2024
- Final: 14th November 2024
Concept program Semifinals & Finals:
- Pitches: 4 minutes
- Jury questions: 4 minutes
- Jury deliberations
- Finals including award ceremony on the Main Stage of Cityscape Global on the 14th of November 2024