Construction is one of the largest sectors in the global economy, with its significance reflected in GDP contributions. Despite its size, the industry is under immense pressure, grappling with escalating challenges in meeting the demand for new buildings driven by a growing global population. 

Offsite manufacturing, which involves assembling buildings in factories rather than on-site, offers a solution. This approach promises to deliver buildings that are both cheaper and faster to build without sacrificing quality. As a result, a significant portion of new buildings worldwide is increasingly being constructed offsite.

Adopting automation in offsite construction is essential for overcoming the challenge of limited capacity, and moving construction to factories presents an ideal opportunity to leverage automation. However, despite its potential to boost capacity and efficiency, automation is still underutilised. In many advanced offsite manufacturing facilities, work remains predominantly manual, and translating designs into production information is a lengthy process.

The underlying reasons why happen to be quite consistent across the industry. To begin with, every building is different, and interpreting its design to shop floor terms remains an arduous process. Moreover, production planning remains an afterthought, with legacy processes accumulating complexity and switching costs. Most importantly, design and manufacturing are usually disconnected, leading to significant efficiency losses.

DataForm Lab's software platform is unique in its ability to seamlessly link design and manufacturing for offsite construction. The platform enables manufacturers to automatically configure projects, instantly translate designs into production drawings and machine code, and simulate and optimise factory operations through dynamic scheduling.

DataForm Lab’s platform also helps businesses understand when, how and in what form automation can be integrated into offsite manufacturing, to maximise efficiency and capacity. Offsite manufacturers can create, simulate, and compare automated production line designs instantly, ensuring that integration aligns with both technical and commercial organisational goals.

DataForm Lab is already at work in some of the most prominent offsite manufacturers worldwide. Its platform, which is both material and sector agnostic, is utilised by manufacturers of 3D and 2D timber and steel systems to successfully complete housing, commercial, educational, and hospitality projects. The significant impact of DataForm Lab’s solution is evident through:

• 90% time savings in translating designs into production information,

• 25% increase in manufacturing performance with zero capital expenditure,

• Four times faster manufacturing automation integration, customised to each manufacturer’s unique business model.

The £1.1 million seed round will enable the team to expand, accelerating an ambitious product roadmap and meeting the rapidly growing demand for their innovative solution.

Eva Magnisali, Founder & CEO of DataForm Lab, with her background in architecture, engineering, and robotic programming, founded DataForm Lab to bridge the gap between design and manufacturing. Her first-hand experience in the field highlighted the industry's inefficiencies, inspiring her to develop a practical, forward-looking solution.

Eva commented, “We are here to challenge the current industry perceptions about digitalization and automation. Our mission is to increase capacity in construction by optimising the manufacturing performance of offsite factories. Once the day-to-day design-to-manufacturing workflows are automated, the integration of manufacturing automation technologies becomes the obvious, de-risked next step.”

George Tziralis, partner at Marathon Venture Capital, added: “Our buildings are still being constructed manually, not produced by machines; automation is still nowhere to be seen in one of the largest sectors of the economy. Eva brings a rare blend of practical experience across design, manufacturing and robotics, along with a relentless drive to put automation at work. We are excited to work together and help bring her vision forward.” 

DataForm Lab invites offsite manufacturers to explore how their platform can optimise productivity and unlock new capacities by implementing a clear automation roadmap. For further information, contact eva.magnisali@dataformlab.com.

About Dataform Lab

DataForm Lab is a pioneering team of construction automation specialists committed to accelerating the adoption of automation in offsite construction. With expertise in software development, robotic programming, and design automation, DataForm Lab offers an innovative perspective and solution to the industry.

What sets DataForm Lab apart is the seamless integration of design and manufacturing, enabling the full benefits of automation. They are not merely developing another software tool; they are creating a comprehensive roadmap for implementing design and manufacturing automation, driving a significant business-wide impact. The company facilitates a strategic and targeted approach, paving the way for long-term success.

With DataForm Lab’s platform, design is optimised for manufacturing performance, and production line operations account for design variations. This creates a continuous feedback loop, significantly enhancing efficiency in offsite manufacturing.

About Marathon Venture Capital

Marathon Venture Capital is a seed-stage venture capital fund helping ambitious founders build world-class technology companies. With over €100 million in capital raised, Marathon is the first investor in fast-growing startups such as Causaly, Learnworlds, and Hack The Box. To learn more, visit www.marathon.vc. For further information, please contact george@marathon.vc