We are pleased to interview Alessandro Pilone, Co-founder and CEO of Skanio, a company transforming the building service and renovation by creating a unique survey and sales digital experience.

Using the latest LiDar 3D Reality Capture technology and making it available for a digital survey, Skanio creates a digital elevator database by capturing a digital representation (twin), providing improvements in efficiency, sustainability and safety.

Skanio is one of the 50 selected companies in Cohort 1 and part of the Sustainable and Circular Construction group.

What’s the biggest problem in your industry that you’re tackling and how? 

In Europe alone, there are over 190 million buildings and 4.4 million elevators that are more than 20 years old. Buildings are Europe’s single largest energy consumer, responsible for about 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions. Modernization of the building plays a crucial role in meeting the climate change mitigation targets. The current ways of working for buildings remain complex, manual, and inefficient, relying on a limited number of skilled professionals. As the number of aged buildings increases every year and postponing renovations increases maintenance costs & energy consumption and decreases safety, reliability, and property value.

What keeps you awake at night about your startup?

I’m sure many are sharing my experience that the construction industry has always been more about new buildings. There is always a shortage of resources and less money to be used for renovations. It’s a long process to get things done, the sales team and engineers are always on the road, there is a serious need for measurements and images, possibilities of human errors exist, etc. It’s not easy to have the right people do the right things at the right time without having accurate and comprehensive data.

In your wildest dreams, what would success look like for your company?

Transforming building processes and tools to create a safer and sustainable built environment, particularly in renovation, and repurposing, with a focus on enhancing circularity in buildings. Key focus areas are: reducing CO2 emissions, minimizing material use and waste, promoting off-site construction, and utilizing 3D Virtual Surveys and Digital Twins (BIM).

Our Open Call 2 is now live. We invite ventures operating in Supply Chain, Mobility, Energy, Circular Models, and Smart Cities to apply here.

Potential network stakeholders (investors, lead customers, mentors and supporting partners) are welcome to apply here.

This project has received funding from the European Union under grant agreement Nº101121100. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.