Meet Emerge: WSP USA's new AEC tech incubator

Pooja Jain, WSP’s VP-Strategic Innovation, discusses the pilot programs her firm’s new incubator, Emerge, has initiated with four tech startup companies. Jain speaks with BD+C's John Caulfield about the four AEC tech firms to join Cohort 1 of the firm’s incubator. They are:

• DisasterTech developed the Decision Science Integrated Collaboration Environment (DICE) Platform to help disaster planning and response professionals make informed decisions based on situational understanding. The technology converges cross-sector real-time data and accelerates analytics using geospatial, charting, graphing and text analysis. The tool will enable WSP’s Emergency Management teams within Federal Programs that work strategically with CRS to help clients more efficiently simulate, exercise, plan for and communicate future risks to users and collaborators.
• UK-based Sphera is pioneering sustainable, science-led materials development to move the construction industry toward net zero. The company makes a carbon negative aggregate for use in lightweight concrete for use in a variety of concrete products. Sphera has used the aggregate to create the world’s first potentially carbon negative and carbon zero concrete. Sphera’s products offer an alternative for WSP’s design solutions that has the potential to create a substantial net reduction in the carbon footprint of infrastructure and buildings.
• Bayotech is an alternate fuel company focused on decentralizing supply and distribution of hydrogen gas to increase affordability, sustainability and accessibility of this low-carbon energy source for scale deployment of hydrogen fuel cell and other clean tech vehicles and equipment. The company’s model promotes efficiency and substantial net carbon reductions through the establishment of localized hydrogen hubs to reduce reliance on cross-country transportation and to reliably supply and distribute hydrogen on the spot to markets and clients looking to enhance the use of greener fuels, vehicles and equipment. Bayotech’s offering aligns with WSP’s hydrogen services initiative within the energy business line.
• Bundle is a one-stop shop for building materials procurement. Bundle connects builders and suppliers on one platform, streamlining procurement with technology and saving stakeholders both time and money. The platform also aims to include and track sustainability metrics for the building materials to help stakeholders assess and reduce the carbon footprint of the construction from the start.  Bundle’s offering aligns with the needs of the WSP’s built ecology practice and its client’s need to monitor and impact carbon footprint of new developments at all stages.