Human-Robotic Augmentation to Bridge the Digital and the Physical World, Reigniting Pride in Skilled Construction Work & Building A New City
Podcast Ep.38 with Alicia Nahmad
Key Insights
Interview with Alicia Nahmad, CEO and born entrepreneur, who is translating advanced technology from academia into real-world progress in the built environment with the ambitious startup “The Circular Factory”
Construction has lots of problems that make introducing technology harder: regulations & permitting a lack of talent & skills, and lagging use of technology adoption. Alicia is set out to disrupt this industry with “The Circular Factory”
A big audacious goal, such as building a new city that creates shared prosperity, can be a catalyst for change by invigorating an entrepreneurial spirit; TCF is set out to redefine how construction looks like, with human-robotic augmentation, nearshoring, upskilling local labor and using local materials
Episode Description
Alicia Nahmad is a born entrepreneur, starting in the construction industry before doing her PhD. Now with The Circular Factory, she is translating advanced technology into real-world progress in the built environment.
The Circular Factory is a kaleidoscopic and ambitious startup that aims to fix the construction industry through on-site construction mini-factories with software-driven robotic arms, 3D printing and sourcing local material and labor.
Alicia talks to Niklas about how the construction industry has turned from a proud profession of highly skilled craftspeople into an old-fashioned industry that lost its reputation and missing on advances in the digital world.
Construction has many problems, from a prevalent waterfall model of construction project management leading to cost overruns and time delays, lack of skilled talent, lengthy permitting, and regulations that make introducing technology harder.
Alicia is set out to disrupt this industry with The Circular Factory. The first near-shoring mini-factory is based on the Caribbean island of Roatan, in the modern charter city of Prospera, where Niklas and Alicia will be neighbors.
(Pictures from the construction site in St. John’s Bay, Roatan)
We talk about how having an audacious goal such as building a new city that creates shared prosperity can be a catalyst for change by invigorating an entrepreneurial spirit and community, as well as attracting a local labor pool for upskilling.
The Circular Factory will open in mid-2023, and Infinita VC will soon announce a conference to invite builders, architects, and entrepreneurs to visit Prospera, celebrate the soft opening, and help us build a modern city.
Follow Infinita VC to stay tuned: https://linktr.ee/infinitavc
If you are an entrepreneur and seek a community of techno-optimists, join us for upcoming conferences in Prospera, the startup city:
Supercharging Health 2023 - A Próspera Builders’ Summit, April 21-23 on Roatan.
Decentralizing Finance 2023 - A Próspera Builders’ Summit, May 5-7 on Roatan.