The overall winner was TALPA Inspection. The company uses drones and robots to perform corrosion assessments on reinforced concrete structures, with a current focus on retaining walls—certainly a massive market in Switzerland. Their technology utilizes patented non-contact sensors to conduct electrochemical measurements within a water stream, making direct electrode contact with the concrete surface obsolete. This significantly streamlines the deployment of drones, robotic arms, and mobile robots for inspections.

The inaugural Circular Award for innovative approaches to the circular economy was awarded to Impact Build. A newly founded ETH Zurich spin-off, Impact Build aims to decarbonize the construction sector through robotic manufacturing. Initial visuals look very promising.

We wish both winners continued success!