Building the Future: Sustainable Construction with Hemp and 3D Printing

Abhishek is the founder of the company called Ecotecht , which is based in Finland , and the company is in the prefab construction business design , construction and it's a very unique concept . When I saw the concept , I was actually on the panel judging Abhishek's performance in his presentation to the investor community and to the media and I voted for him .

I voted for the company because I thought it was a very unique , interesting concept and he had his stuff together , which was very impressive . So he's going to tell us a little bit about himself as an entrepreneur and also a little bit about the company called Ecotech and what this company does .

But the company is in the prefab business using a number of natural resources . We'll talk more about that and we'll talk more about Abhishek's journey . Abhishek , let me start with the first question , and the first question is how did you come up with the concept ?

Tell us first of all about yourself , but briefly about your company , and how did you even come up with this concept , not only to do prefab , but to do prefab using a number of different resources nature-based resources and what , what you've done and what you've manufactured , tell us yes , hi , yeah , hi .

So that exposure at early days of education in architecture always encouraged me to do some creative work , and especially towards the sustainability . For example , though she was talking about sustainability long time back in 1960 . So this is why I think that it starts from there .

Also , my education here in Stockholm Royal Institute of Technology , where I got exposure about the robotics and basically how we could use the machines and the robots to look for construction . So what we do here is we make these 3D printers which basically manufacture these one elements which are sustaining .

Actually , it's power , it's not just reducing the CO2 emission , but it's capturing the CO2 emission from the ground , and for that , over the years , I was working in London , I spent five , six years in Denmark , australia , and now I also work with India for the Indian government in affordable housing projects , and there I see that , yes , this is what , this gap

between what's happening in the construction . Now there's a huge opportunity to have to get the help of the robots , and especially these 3D printers , in manufacturing . So this is how we came up with this idea and we started this company in Helsinki .

It's excellent fire resistance , mold resistance , yeah , and it's also cheaper , making these panels lighter , so it's easy to transport , handle them . And also the buildings are lighter , so we need less foundation . So there are like so many benefits of this material . And now we are also exploring for other bio-based material rice husks , fibers and so on .

So basically , the idea is to , instead of mining , so we use a lot of sand and cement and we have , like you know , very limited sand . So I give you one example Europe is getting sand from Africa , for example . So how we could replace these with the natural resources ?

And also it's good for the farmers , it's a new revenue stream for them and it's also good for the economy in the rural areas .

So it is available globally I would say at least in Europe , us and Canada , that we have done the studies and it's in abundance .

So , especially , we did the studies that we did let's say , the 25% of the people who are more educated . Their income level is higher . They always prefer to pay a little bit more , but prefer the sustainable products . It's a huge market , though .

This is why we think that , though this is why I feel everything that it's really lucrative , and we applied for the US patent . We got the patent in Finland . Our US and Canada patents are pending and hopefully soon .

Number two you're minimizing the use of construction materials that we're all used to , which is wood and concrete , and that requires sand and so forth . And also , what does that mean for the cost of the product , the final product ?

Will the houses built , or prefab homes or prefab facilities , be cheaper for the consumers or businesses , or is it going to be even more expensive ?

And when we do the comparison , of course , it is clearly much cheaper . As of now , people still figure out the logistics and the supply chain system . I would say that the product is still the same price , but it has a huge potential for the affordable housing usage .

And then , yeah , and there are also many one number of , for example , advantage compared to wood . Now also one number of , for example , advantages compared to wood . Wood takes 25 to 40 years to grow and it requires a lot of land and we need forest . We don't want to cut down the forest . So this hemp , it takes only four to six months to grow .

It takes very little water . Again , it treats and reaps the soil with the nitrogen inside , so it's good for the farmer . So , basically , what the farmers do is between the crops they grow , the hay they use and repossess the hay . So this is also compared to what we have , a huge advantage .

And wood yeah , in Finland the wood is available , but let's say Southern Europe or in many parts of the world , the wood is super expensive and also it has challenges . When you have to have high-rise buildings or for mold resistance or fire resistance . Maintenance cost is huge over the period of time compared to concrete .

Yeah , it's definitely hits the advantage we have of the cost .

We're talking about residential homes . They're made from two by fours , they're made from wood , they're made from you know , there's some pref about residential homes . They're made from two-by-fours , they're made from wood . There's some prefab technology , but they're made from plastic .

They're made from plastic or artificially manufactured isolation material and insulation material and so forth and so on . So how will hemp be ? Because it's a natural product , how will that be more fire resistant , for example , or flood resistant or any other disaster resistant ?

a very good point . Again , this hemp fiber , we use it with the lime and we call it hemp kick . Basically it's a concrete , but the concrete is supported by this hemp fiber for the density resistance and so on . So it's covered with the lime and the concrete is supported by this hemp fiber for the tensile resistance and so on .

So it's covered with the lime and the concrete and I would say , for two hours it's around the same fire resistance as the normal concrete and the wood is nowhere near to when it comes to numbers of fire resistance . This is also one of the main advantages that we have seen in history .

We have seen cities burning down in Europe or across the world and in decades . We can't stop it . But , yes , if we design our building and we choose the material wisely , we could minimize the impact of spreading the fire and so on .

So , yeah , I just wish that if California they have used our panels , the damage could have been , yeah , less of a minimum , I would say .

What have you learned for the past three , four , five years of doing this , of growing this business , of getting new customers and actually this entire process of growth ? What have you learned and what advice can you give to others of what to do and what not to do ?

So this is what I give advice to all the founders that if you're not sure or if you have some doubt , it's better to think about it again , because when days are not great or good and it's eventually , then at that time that's where the test will start that how you or how one as a founder is taking the decisions during the heart , because when we have the

money now and we have the investment , of course people wants to work with you and want to work with this good idea and have big prices and so on . But the question is that , okay , there will be some days that what we have expected may not happen , because we are doing something very new , never happened before , and there are so many uncertainties around us .

We are also , I would say , navigating , or it's a venture , right . So you go on the ship , you are exploring a new world and with your own knowledge and everything , you want to get the success . But again , you will never know , unless and until you reach there right . So this is why I would say that also the team is super important . Now I realize it .

Of course , all the venture capitalists they say that , oh , not the team . So they look at the team initially , but I would say that that is the key . So just I would say that involves the founders or yourself in this venture If you really are passionate about it . Even if you are passionate about it , you may fail , but in the end you enjoy your journey .

I am passionate about it , so I'm not losing everything . I'm enjoying this journey here . It's not a burden or a problem for me . That's what I would like to suggest that if you are really passionate , then you should do it , because this is what the world needs . It's a wonderful journey and you will meet people like yourself , for example , in sustainability .

We are in this . I made a lot of connections . We have a good community , so there's also the surrounding , or the people you meet are quite interesting , so it's just fun .

In terms of their belief in the benefits of limited carbon footprint or carbon emissions , their approach to sustainability is , in certain ways , is a little bit less dedicated , to put it mildly . And we just got he just got America out of the Paris environmental agreement that controls a certain amount of waste that's being shared with the atmosphere , and so forth .

Now , what would you say to the non-believers ? What would you say to people who are skeptical about sustainability ? What would you say to people who are like , okay , this carbon footprint stuff , I don't even know where to look to justify it , or I don't even know how to measure it , for that matter , what would you ?

point . And whenever I meet someone , I just say that it's not just about sustainability , but think about that prepares your businesses for the future . So we know that the resources are very limited . The prices will go up . After all , the raw materials , things are changing every day . Right Now .

If you are prepared in high trials , that can be very useful for our search . So , for example , I mean , let's say , this fire in California or there are floods , and so it's not just about sustainability , but also you have to look in terms of the profitability , or I would say , the economic benefit , and there are always for our product .

Almost we have this strategy to have an assessment . So what if we have a government who is not supporting the sustainable product ? Then we decided that , okay , in the end it's the customers that are going to choose our product .

Right , they make the decision and we have to find the customers , and there are many here globally who are willing to use the sustainable product and pay for it . Pay for it , they feel connected here . So that's the key here . So , and that's the key , in the end it will come down .

So even yes , the government supports the Indian market so that we get the push . But as an entrepreneur , I would say that we have to be ready for uncertain situations and make sure that the core is that the questioner and the benefits , the value proposition , the business stays as it is .

I think we will have the governor , who are addressing the sustainability issue . They are securing their future . This is how I see it .

And when you weigh those two factors , when you compare those two technologies , is it a better , a more profitable way to do it using your technology or not ?

So when we do the math , I would say that we are affordable compared to regular construction , Also because it's a robotics and CAD game , so all the designs can be sent to our twin gate and the quality . We are reducing the labor costs here . So if we combine everything , yes , we are in a much better position .

I would say , and this is why we are one of the biggest infrastructure and the cost is the major factor when we want to build something . Yeah , it's one of the main pieces of decision-making .

resistance test , water test and so on , test and now another , what we are the construction itself takes . So sometimes first it goes to the architects , then they make the decisions for the customers . They make the decision that they want to be this , use , this panel , and then there's a design phase which led towards three months . Then there's a permit .

So we are waiting for a permit for last six months in Denmark and then then the foundation is here , we get the permit , the foundation is agreed and then we put the panel . So it takes , like I would say that , from one year to two years , even after the decision is being made . And this is where . But the good thing is that the ticket sizes are not .

We have orders , so minimum order is $25,000 or around $30,000 and can easily go to millions .

You go to a large residential construction company or even commercial company . Is this going to be an issue from an architectural design standpoint , aesthetic standpoint , manufacturing standpoint and standpoint manufacturing standpoint , and so forth ?

Every home is different , but when you look at it from outside , I would say that you won't notice it , that is it from concrete or wood , because any gliding can be done on top of it . If someone wants to have a finishing which is like plaster finish or tiles or wood , we can easily do that . So , aesthetically , I don't think you have any issues .

It's just that there are some changes required for the architects . But this is how , in every project , when we do theade , we try to and especially these architects are they always work with the new technologies that are very well known or eminent architects , and so we are working with them and they are quite used to it , who always work with something new .

What advice would you give him ?

I should have worked with them from early on because I know them . I know they not familiar in CEC . Instead of that , just started all over again and fresh , I would say that I should have tried to utilize my own connections in a much better way . That's what I , and that that would have accelerated the decision making , and but I gave his 30 .

So , in short , I would say the team is crucial here . So relationship building is going to be extremely important for anybody for that matter , right , yes , yes , and if you , luckily I have with all the offices or where I have gone previously , we have very good relationship .

And so , for example , one of my in the office where I have gone previously , we have a very good relationship . And so , for example , one of my in the office where I work , they said that we saw you on the next day there . Why didn't you tell us anything ? Why didn't you say it was so interesting , we could have done something for you ?

And I said that's true , but for some reason , even I don't know why , I forgot to tell them that what I did . And so this is where using your own connection , which I have built over the years , would have had a whole level .

So , in the university where I studied , in , uh , royal institute of technology , they are quite interesting , they are interested to do research with us .

So things like you know , I would say that work with someone who , which you have already worked or you have a relationship , and that will be much easier what other advice would you give young Abhishek or , for that matter , any global entrepreneur out there that is listening to this podcast ?

So I think if you feel that you have some ideas and you are not sure to you know try it or not , I would say you should try it . I would encourage you because it's just so much fun and you will know , because otherwise you're going to regret that oh , I shouldn't have started this idea or I shouldn't have worked on it .

If you feel that , please don't wait , start now .

So you will be surprised at how the reaction from you know it's wonderful .

trade issues or travel issues or what have you ? Resilience is what you also talk about . Right , you have to be resilient .

Or if you make a sales , one sale or investment deal I made hundreds of them , we made some few investment deal and then when we look into it , we just see , okay , we got it , so people will you just see okay , we got it , so people will you need to .

Maybe you may fail nine times , but even if you win one time , that's , I would say , success , that's the step forward .

If they are not , if it's their money , they are going to make the decisions right . My job is , or our job is , to go and explain what you do . You will not even any product , even Apple or , let's say , google or anyone . They will never get 100% sales right . Anyway .

You have to reach out to 100% or 30 of them they will be interested out of 30 , then will think about to buy and maybe 2 or 5 people will initially make that buying decision right . And this is how the sales and marketing part is done .

It's very similar that don't expect that you be ready for the surprises , and also I would encourage you to be cautious with the advices you give believe in .

So first , of course , you have to be open to so that you learn , keep learning and get the advices , but in the end you have to listen to your cat and don't bother If someone says that it's not going to work . They have no idea what they are saying . You are the one , or we are the one , who knows more about it because we are living in this entity .

So just by a few presentations or a few hours of meeting and then you will always see this is what also I like , that people who are professional or successful VC let's put it in that way they are the ones who are encouraging us and backing us . So there are all kinds of people you know more expertise or less expertise , with less success on this .

You know more success . You just see , it's very encouraging when we see that the quality people are actually appreciating us . So don't get discouraged by all the advice . Sometimes , if you ask the advice from VC , they just give you the advice because they have it all , but the majority of these VC folks are failing and so on . So don't get discouraged .

And even if you fail , it's fine . You are enjoying it and you are living it . So just keep going . You have to keep watching of life . So just keep going , I would say , or change it . You have to keep watching , right , of course

. So the idea which you started . I don't think or not . It never happened , it's already . It's kind of impossible that you will end up with that idea ahead with having it successful . Then you have to change , you have to make a change .

It's a novel idea , I think some people well , it's nothing new , but I think the way you implement it , the way you use the natural resources , you use hemp and so forth , the way you integrate it together , I think it has a lot of future , a lot of great capabilities .

We want to thank you for being our guest and we'd love to keep in touch and learn more from your progress and your successes . Thank you .