Neocrete, the deep-tech company on a mission to decarbonise the world’s most-used building material, has been named the winner of the Pitch & Invest Programme at Reset Connect London 2026, beating a field of more than 100 climate start-ups to take the title.

The win earns Neocrete a place representing the UK at the Startup World Cup Grand Final in San Francisco this November, where start-ups, tech leaders and venture capitalists from across the globe compete for a $1 million investment prize.

Emissiv took second place, with Eco Brixs finishing third, after two days of live pitching on the Pitch & Invest Stage at Excel London on 23–24 June.

All three companies are part of the JLL Foundation, the non-profit backed by global real estate firm JLL that supports climate-impacting start-ups with zero-interest loans and hands-on business mentorship.

Founded in New Zealand in 2018 and now expanding across the UK and Europe, Neocrete has developed a low-carbon “activator” that supercharges abundant materials such as volcanic ash and fly ash, replacing a large share of the cement in concrete without compromising strength or durability. Cement accounts for roughly 8% of global carbon emissions, and Neocrete’s technology can cut the cement required in a concrete mix by up to 50% - with the company targeting cement-free concrete by 2027.

With a newly opened London office and live testing programmes underway with UK and EU customers, Neocrete’s win at Reset Connect London marks a timely step in its European expansion.

The Pitch & Invest Programme is the competition at Reset Connect London where the UK’s most promising sustainability start-ups compete for investment, profile, and a place on the world stage. This year, more than 100 ventures submitted pitch decks, from which 36 finalists were shortlisted by the programme’s panel of investment judges.

Those finalists pitched live across eight sector heats spanning the sustainable and digital transition: Tech & AI, Engineering & Manufacturing, Energy, Urban Regeneration, Corporate Sustainability, Retail, Fashion & FMCG, Food & AgriTech, and Female Founders. Each heat winner advanced to the Grand Finale on the Main Stage, where Neocrete was crowned national champion at 14:30 on Wednesday 24 June.

• Winner - Neocrete: low-carbon concrete technology that replaces cement with activated volcanic and industrial ash

• Runner-up - Emissiv: transparent radiative cooling coatings that cut the energy needed to keep buildings cool

• Third - Eco Brixs: a closed-loop recycling enterprise turning plastic waste into products and green jobs in Uganda

“Reset Connect's Pitch & Invest Competition is an outstanding platform for shining a spotlight on clean technology innovations that can make a real difference. The energy, quality of the audience, and connections created throughout the event were exceptional.

Winning the competition was incredible for Neocrete, and we're grateful for the opportunity to share our vision on such a respected stage. I'd encourage any climate tech startup to get involved! It's a fantastic platform to accelerate visibility, build meaningful connections, and help turn innovation into impact.” - Zarina Alexander, CEO, Neocrete