Construct Venture invests in Minuendo

AF Gruppen and OBOS invest in new startup. This time Construct Venture is investing in startup company Minuendo, who make the next generation hearing protection.

The investment is being made through the company Construct Venture, which will build up a portfolio of growth companies that contribute to change the way the industry works.

“Minuendo has addressed a HSE challenge that currently doesn’t have a satisfactory solution. The challenge with current hearing protection solutions is that you can’t know for certain whether they have the desired effect, either due to leaks, poor products or user error. This new technology has been in development under the auspices of SINTEF for a long time, and with Minuendo’s development of the product and their competent team, we view this as an interesting investment,” says Jan Fossgård, Director of Construct Venture.

Focus on health

The company will develop the next generation hearing protection based on technology from the research community at SINTEF. Together with selected partners the objective is to optimise intelligent hearing protection that with certainty protects the user from noise, has optimum natural sound reproduction in a variable noise environment, and addresses the need to monitor and provide the user with notifications to prevent any hearing-related damage.

“Unfortunately, there are far too many employees in the building and construction industry who have or are at risk of hearing damage. With this technology it is possible to monitor the noise level both outside and inside the ear. This will provide insight that may contribute to prevent hearing damage, and our hope is that we together can prevent new cases in the future,” says Espen Jahr, who heads AF Gruppen’s occupational health service.

Will ensure competitiveness

With its focus on startups through Construct Venture, AF Gruppen and OBOS want to contribute to establish a smarter and more future-oriented supplier industry in building and construction that also gives the industry competitiveness. The partnership is industrially supported based on smart capital, where AF and OBOS can contribute with industry expertise, processes and well-functioning systems, in addition to financial strength. The companies are also making their projects available for the trialling technology and testing of concepts on a large scale.

“Not only will Construct Venture be an attractive investor for startups in our sector, but as major players in the industry we also want to contribute with our industrial expertise in the value chain. This will give young and interesting business concepts directed at our sector a unique opportunity,” Fossgård believes.

About Construct Venture:

With its focus on growth companies through Construct Venture, AF Gruppen and OBOS want to contribute to establish a smarter and more future-oriented supplier industry in building and construction that also gives the industry competitiveness. The partnership is industrially supported based on smart capital, where AF and OBOS contribute with industry expertise, processes and well-functioning systems, in addition to financial strength. The companies are making their projects available for testing and developing technology concepts on a large scale.