Vienna, Austria, October 2, 2025
News Summary
Vienna-based deep-tech startup Optimuse closed a €4.0 million Seed round to expand its AI-driven building design and simulation platform. Led by seed + speed Ventures and Blum Ventures with participation from Matterwave Ventures and Gründungsfonds, the funding will accelerate international growth and broaden distribution. Optimuse combines machine learning and physics-based modelling to create digital twins from existing plans, simulate heating, cooling and ventilation systems, and compare thousands of design variants. The company says the platform can speed preliminary engineering, reduce construction costs through better system sizing, and deliver significant emissions savings.
Vienna deep-tech startup Optimuse raises €4.0 million Seed
Optimuse (Optimuse GmbH). has closed a €4.0 million Seed round in October 2025 to scale its AI-driven building design and building simulation and optimisation platform. The round was led by seed + speed Ventures and Blum Ventures, with participation from Matterwave Ventures and Gründungsfonds (also referenced as aws Gründungsfonds). The company is headquartered in Vienna, Austria and plans to use the fresh capital to accelerate international growth and expand distribution of its AI platform for sustainable building design and renovation.
What the company does and why it matters
Optimuse builds software that uses machine learning and physics-based modelling to create realistic digital building models (digital twins) from existing plans. The platform simulates and optimises heating, cooling, ventilation, and building envelope systems early in the planning process, comparing thousands of design and engineering variants and recommending optimised solutions for new construction and renovation projects.
Claims and practical benefits
The company reports that it can make preliminary engineering 70% faster, can cut construction costs by 10% through better sizing of systems, and can deliver 20% additional emissions savings. Its value proposition balances initial investments, operational costs, and CO₂ savings when recommending solutions, aiming to make construction and renovation projects faster, more cost-effective, and more sustainable.
Target users, sectors and use cases
The platform is sold to developers, builders, and planners and is used across residential, commercial, and industrial projects. Example use cases include renovation projects that model modernisation paths such as heating replacement and conversions from gas to heat pumps, and new construction projects that optimise system sizing to reduce investment and operating costs.
Technology and team
Founded in 2021 by Dominik Pezzei, Fabian Pitscheider, and Felix Maximilian Hofer, Optimuse combines expertise in construction, building physics, building technology, and AI. The company currently employs around 20 people. Its core technical capability blends building physics with machine learning to transparently simulate building systems and generate recommendations early in the engineering phase.
Investors and strategic backing
The round was led by Berlin-based seed + speed Ventures and CVC Blum Ventures. Additional participation came from Matterwave Ventures and Gründungsfonds. seed + speed Ventures is a Berlin‑based specialized venture capital firm founded in 2016 that focuses on empowering early‑stage software startups in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and invests primarily in B2B software solutions at the Pre‑Seed and Seed stages. Blum Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of the Austrian industrial company Blum Group, a furniture fittings producer; Blum Ventures invests in Seed to Series A stage companies, particularly in the DACH region, the UK, and the Nordics.
Market opportunity and competitive positioning
The company points to the scale of the challenge: buildings account for nearly 40% of global energy use, and early design choices can lock in inefficiencies for decades. Optimuse positions itself against larger, generalised construction software providers by zeroing in on the nuts and bolts of systems engineering with deep, physics‑based energy modelling and transparent simulation of building systems. That contrasts with solutions focused on project management or scheduling automation (examples include Konstruksi.AI and Teragonia), which lack the same degree of physics-based energy modelling.
Regulatory and market drivers
Tightening EU sustainability regulations are increasing demand for tools that reduce guesswork in complex building decisions. The fresh capital is expected to support European and global expansion as Optimuse targets both DACH region customers and broader international markets.
Leadership outlook
The company’s management highlights increasing technical complexity and regulatory pressure in building projects and presents the platform as a tool to speed up variant comparison and help customers plan, transform, and operate buildings in a future‑proof and cost‑efficient manner. Investor representatives describe the technology as combining sound engineering and practical simulation to identify renovation measures that are technically feasible and economically viable, and they see the solution as relevant for the sustainable transformation of building stock.
Website and contact
More information about the company and its product is available at https://www.optimuse.com/.
FAQ
Q: Who raised the funding?
A: Optimuse (Optimuse GmbH).
Q: How much funding did the company raise and in what round?
A: €4.0 million, Seed.
Q: When was the funding reported?
A: October 2025.
Q: Who led the investment round?
A: seed + speed Ventures and Blum Ventures.
Q: Which other investors participated?
A: Matterwave Ventures and Gründungsfonds (also referred to as aws Gründungsfonds in some sources).
Q: Where is the company based?
A: Vienna, Austria.
Q: What product does Optimuse offer?
A: AI-driven building design / building simulation and optimisation platform.
Q: What are the key claimed benefits?
A: Optimuse can make preliminary engineering 70% faster, can cut construction costs by 10% through better sizing of systems, can deliver 20% additional emissions savings.
Q: Who are the founders and when was the company founded?
A: Founding year: 2021. Founders: Dominik Pezzei, Fabian Pitscheider, and Felix Maximilian Hofer. Dominik Pezzei’s role: Managing Director and Co‑founder.
Q: What sectors and use cases does the platform target?
A: Application sectors: residential, commercial, and industrial projects. Example use cases: used in renovation projects to model modernisation paths such as heating replacement and conversions from gas to heat pumps; used in new construction projects to optimise system sizing and reduce investment and operating costs.
Q: What is the company’s team size?
A: Company team size: currently employs around 20 people (combining expertise in construction, building physics, building technology, and AI).
Q: What is the stated use of funds?
A: Stated use of funds: accelerate international growth and expand distribution of its AI platform for sustainable building design and renovation.
Q: Where can I find more information?
A: Company website: https://www.optimuse.com/
Key features at a glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Company | Optimuse (Optimuse GmbH). |
| Headquarters | Vienna, Austria |
| Funding | €4.0 million, Seed (October 2025) |
| Lead investors | seed + speed Ventures; Blum Ventures |
| Other investors | Matterwave Ventures; Gründungsfonds (aws Gründungsfonds) |
| Product | AI-driven building design / building simulation and optimisation platform |
| Key claims | Can make preliminary engineering 70% faster; can cut construction costs by 10% through better sizing of systems; can deliver 20% additional emissions savings |
| Founders | Dominik Pezzei; Fabian Pitscheider; Felix Maximilian Hofer |
| Team size | Around 20 people |
| Website | https://www.optimuse.com/ |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- TheSaaSNews: Optimuse raises €4 million in Seed round
- Wikipedia: Optimuse
- EU-Startups: Vienna-based Optimuse raises €4M Seed
- Google Search: Optimuse AI building simulation
- TechFundingNews: Optimuse seed funding
- Google Scholar: building energy modelling simulation AI
- EU-Startups: Propcorn secures €600k Pre-Seed
- Encyclopedia Britannica: proptech
- EU-Startups: Silana raises €1.5M for robotics
- Google News: Silana robotics clothing production
Author: Construction FL News
FLORIDA STAFF WRITER The FLORIDA STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at constructionflnews.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Florida and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Florida Build Expo, major infrastructure projects, and advancements in construction technology showcases. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida and the Florida Home Builders Association, plus leading businesses in construction and legal services that power the local economy such as CMiC Global and Shutts & Bowen LLP. As part of the broader network, including constructioncanews.com, constructionnynews.com, and constructiontxnews.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into the dynamic construction landscape across multiple states.
