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Igor Stavrulov
Amatec - Fast-curing and eco-friendly alternative to concrete without compromise | CTO'22, HAX '23, V4C'23, IMPEL'24
Igor Stavrulov is the CEO and Co-Founder of Amatec, a startup focused on developing advanced building materials for the construction industry.13 He has a background as a serial entrepreneur and manager with a strong scientific foundation.3
Stavrulov co-founded Amatec in 2021, which is based in New York.2 The company has developed a fast-curing and eco-friendly alternative to concrete called High-Density Gypsum (HDG).3 This material dries/cures over 20 times faster than traditional concrete and has up to 85% lower embodied carbon without compromising strength or cost.3
Prior to Amatec, Stavrulov held several leadership positions:
- CEO of CJSC N-Standard (2012-2014)3
- CEO and solo founder of the Almega Group of Companies (1993-2010)3
- Vice President of the International Food Exchange1
- Head of the Laboratory of Mathematical Methods in Sociology at Lomonosov Moscow State University1
Stavrulov holds a postgraduate degree in Mathematics, Physics, and Computers from Moscow State University.1 His experience spans various industries, including technology development, food production, and scientific research.3
As of January 2025, Stavrulov has been leading Amatec for nearly 11 years, guiding the company through various accelerator programs and funding rounds.23
Highlights
The prospects of 3D printing
One of the main problems of automating construction today is the use of standardized legacy components like drywall, 2x4s, OSB, etc. It’s true that they are very simple to industrially produce affordably. However, the conversion of such components into finished homes requires an enormous amount of manual labor. When resorting to automation, oftentimes it’s just machines that mimic labor which only results in an ultra-high CapEx. Such is the problem: the components that we need to build homes are affordable, but when it comes to putting them all together to complete a finished house, that process becomes expensive - and automation hasn’t solved that. For this reason, all the hype we hear surrounding automation does not address how expensive it is, so is the construction industry on the right track? 3D printing seems to potentially solve this issue through its abandonment of legacy components and its growing trend worldwide is clear.
Amatec provides a different solution that abandons legacy components and this can significantly reduce the cost of the automation (stay tuned for the how).
#construction #3dprinting
Ken Semler Gary Fleisher Dave Cooper Jennifer Castenson Brian Potter Abe Murray Ivo van Breukelen Michael Mintz Maximiliano Sanchez
Do we need robots that blow air into balloons?
A couple days ago, I received an email from a well-known VC in the field of robotics which has taken me aback a little bit. In that email, I was told that robotization is a part of Amatec’s solution, but not the core focus. I want to turn to the community of experts and leaders of thought for your opinions.
Should the core focus of robotization be the robot itself? What is more important, a robot or its tasks? Do we need robots that blow air into balloons?
I believe that there are three levels to robotization:
- The most basic: When a robot replaces a human. A great example of this in the construction industry is the robot that lays bricks - which was historically sized to fit the human hand. I find this level of robotization to be the least optimal as it inherently transfers the limitations of humans onto the robot.
- The second level is a bit more advanced than the first one. If the primary task is to build a brick wall, then this level calls for the replacement of not only the human, but the brick itself as well - a new “brick” that’s optimal for the robot. Such robotization is more efficient.
- The third level is the most advanced - when we pay attention to the larger goal. At the end of the day, we don’t need bricks or robots. We need walls. Therefore, this level calls for thinking outside the box to find more novel methods of roboticizing the making of a wall. The 3D printer can be seen as an example of this. We at Amatec developed another technology that, without human labor, allows us to manufacture entire ready-for-assembly custom house kits. I believe this to be the triumph of robotization.
Perhaps I’m wrong about all of this. Therefore, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Abe Murray, Amy Marks, Bilal Zuberi, Bryan Lyandvert, Curtis Rodgers, Gary Fleisher, Ivo van Breukelen, Ken Semler, Nikhil Choudhary, Pascal BORNET, Patric Hellermann, Vivin Hegde
#robotics #construction #aec #contech #automation
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Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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