Countdown to HCM’s Europe startup challenge
05 October 2026
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Countdown to HCM’s Europe startup challenge
Hitachi Construction Machinery (HCM) is looking for companies with ready-to-test, proven and scalable solutions that can shape the construction and mining sites of the future. They are invited to take part in the LANDCROS Innovation Studios Challenge Europe 2026, launched in July, following two earlier editions held in the USA and Australia.
The Challenge has three categories in which startups can choose to apply:
Autonomous operations: reducing labour dependency, operational variability and safety risks.
Site intelligence and planning: turning site data into simulation, decisions and learning that enable customers to plan with accuracy, avoid rework and increase productivity.
Life-cycle decision intelligence: using data to help customers buy better, operate smarter and replace equipment at the right time.
The three themes were created by HCM and validated by its industry partners, including CRH Ventures, Ferrovial, Loxam, Leonard (VINCI), Brick & Mortar Ventures and Zacua Ventures. Following the entry deadline on 30 September, HCM and partners will review the applications and select several startups to pitch their ideas at a Demo Day in Amsterdam on 3 December 2026.
A true solutions provider
The selected startups will collaborate with HCM experts and gain access to a rich data pool. They will also be given the opportunity to undertake a paid pilot tailored to their proposal, and benefit from contact with decision-makers and partners across the European construction and mining industries.
“We want to grow as a true solutions provider, and we believe some of the best ideas for our machines and sites are already out there,” says Francesco Quaranta, President & CEO of Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV. “Bringing this challenge to Europe is a direct way to find the startups behind those ideas and build with them.”
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