VAULTED: The Venture Leader Cleantech developing sustainable floor solutions

02.10.2024 16:26, Rita Longobardi

Meet Francesco Ranaudo, CEO of VAULTED. The Cleantech startup dramatically reduces material usage in floors, with 70% less concrete and 80% less steel compared to conventional slabs. In November, Francesco and the other nine Swiss National Cleantech Team members will travel to Munich on a business development and investor roadshow.

Name: Francesco Ranaudo
Location: Zurich
Nationality: Italian
Graduated from: ETH Zurich
Job title: Co-founder & CEO
Number of employees: 7
Money raised: 1.25M
First touchpoint with Venturelab: Innosuisse Start-up Training Business Creation and Venturelab’s events and seminars since then.
 
Can you tell us who your product or solution helps, and how?
VAULTED designs and delivers bespoke prefabricated floor structures aimed at reducing emissions and material use, while promoting a circular economy. Our flagship product, the Rippmann Floor System (RFS), can achieve reductions of up to 70% in mass, 90% in steel use, and 80% in equivalent carbon emissions compared to conventional concrete floors. Our clients benefit from lower building costs, a reduced carbon footprint, faster and more reliable construction, unique design, and much more.

What market are you addressing and what is the potential of your startup in that market?
We target the entire spectrum of the building construction market, from residential applications to offices, schools, car parks, warehouses, and factories. The Rippmann Floor System (RFS) is a “system”, meaning it can be tailored to meet the specific structural and architectural needs of any project. Additionally, we designed it to comply with any structural code, and therefore scalable worldwide.

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
The concept was developed over 10 years of research by the Block Research Group at ETH Zurich. Our first product is named after Matthias Rippmann, our late friend and colleague who developed the initial prototypes. Philippe, Tom, and I realized we were ready to move forward when we successfully built the first large-scale funicular floors in the HiLo unit at Empa NEST.

What do you expect from the Venture Leaders Cleantech roadshow, and how will it help you achieve your vision?
This program will help VAULTED refine its structure, business model, and product-market fit for international expansion. I expect to connect with international advisors and mentors who can support our efforts to establish a strong market presence outside Switzerland.
 
What are your team’s key achievements to date?
In our first year since incorporation, we secured commissions for over ten thousand square meters of RFS, and we have already matched this number in the first half of this year. It has been an amazing journey so far!

What is the most challenging and rewarding aspect of being a founder?
Creating something from scratch is always gratifying, and contributing to sustainable practices makes it even more rewarding. The most challenging part is managing resources: when you are small, every little thing counts and every misstep is doubly costly.

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder?
I am not aware of all the problems, and I don’t know all the solutions. So, listen to your clients and trust your team! 

What is your favourite productivity hack/tool and why?
I reserve two hours each day to focus on specific tasks. During those two hours, I am a ghost: no meetings, no emails, and no phone calls.

What was your dream job when you were a child?
I have always been a maker. The joy of making things and bringing ideas to life has always driven me.