Optimuse raises €4.0M to scale AI building simulation platform

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 to scale AI-driven building-simulation platform

Summary — big funding, clear use of proceeds

Vienna-based deep-tech startup Optimuse (Optimuse GmbH) has closed a Seed funding round of €4.0 million in October 2025. The round was led by seed + speed Ventures and Blum Ventures, with participation from Matterwave Ventures and Gründungsfonds (also referred to as aws Gründungsfonds in some reports). The capital will be used to accelerate international growth and expand distribution of Optimuse’s AI platform for sustainable building design and renovation.

What the company does

Optimuse builds an AI-driven building design / building simulation and optimisation platform that creates realistic digital building models from existing plans and uses machine learning combined with building physics to simulate and optimise heating, cooling, ventilation, and building envelope systems early in the planning process. The platform compares thousands of design and engineering variants and recommends optimized solutions for both new construction and renovation projects across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.

Why investors backed it

Investors backed Optimuse for its focus on deep, physics-based energy modelling and transparent simulation of building systems. The company positions itself as a specialist in system-level engineering — aiming to reduce upfront and operating costs while cutting carbon emissions — and to complement rather than directly compete with large, generalised construction software providers. The funding will support European and global expansion, with a particular relevance to the DACH region.

Claims and measurable results

Optimuse reports that its platform can make preliminary engineering 70% faster, cut construction costs by 10% through better sizing of systems, and deliver 20% additional emissions savings. The company also highlights practical use cases such as modelling renovation paths for heating replacement and conversions from gas to heat pumps, as well as optimizing system sizing on new builds to reduce investment and operating costs.

Team, founding and positioning

Founded in 2021, Optimuse was launched by Dominik Pezzei, Fabian Pitscheider, and Felix Maximilian Hofer. Dominik Pezzei serves as Managing Director and Co‑founder. The company employs around 20 people combining expertise in construction, building physics, building technology, and AI.

Market context and problem addressed

Buildings account for nearly 40% of global energy use and play a major role in carbon emissions. Early design choices can lock in inefficiencies for decades; tightening EU sustainability regulations increase demand for tools that reduce guesswork in complex building decisions. Optimuse’s value proposition is to balance initial investments, operational costs, and CO₂ savings when recommending solutions, offering clarity in early engineering phases by quickly comparing variants and recommending sustainable and economical options to developers, builders, planners, and operators.

Competitive landscape

The company emphasizes its niche of deep, physics-based energy modelling and claims differentiation from broader construction AI platforms. Some other startups prioritize project management or scheduling automation but lack the detailed energy simulation and transparent system engineering that Optimuse focuses on.

Investor background

seed + speed Ventures is a Berlin-based specialised venture capital firm, founded in 2016, that focuses on empowering early-stage software startups in the DACH region and typically invests at 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.

Practical takeaway

The fresh seed capital is intended to expand Optimuse’s geographic reach and distribution, pushing the company from an early-stage European player toward a broader international footprint while promoting tools that make construction projects faster, more cost-effective, and more sustainable.

Quick facts

FAQ

How much funding did Optimuse raise?

Funding raised: €4.0 million.

What type of company is Optimuse?

Company type: deep-tech startup.

Where is Optimuse based?

Company base / headquarters: Vienna, Austria.

What does Optimuse’s product do?

Product: AI-driven building design / building simulation and optimisation platform.

When was the funding reported?

Funding date / reported date: October 2025.

Who led the funding round?

Lead investors: seed + speed Ventures and Blum Ventures.

Who are the founders of Optimuse?

Founders: Dominik Pezzei, Fabian Pitscheider, and Felix Maximilian Hofer.

What are the stated uses of the funds?

Stated use of funds: accelerate international growth and expand distribution of its AI platform for sustainable building design and renovation.

What performance claims does the company make?

Claimed benefits / results (company claims): can make preliminary engineering 70% faster; can cut construction costs by 10% through better sizing of systems; can deliver 20% additional emissions savings.

What is the company’s website?

Company website: https://www.optimuse.com/

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Key features table

Feature Description
Core capability Uses AI to simulate and optimise heating, cooling, ventilation, and building envelope systems early in the planning process
Digital modelling Creates realistic digital building models (digital twins) from existing plans
Variant comparison Compares thousands of design/engineering variants and recommends optimized solutions
Claims Preliminary engineering 70% faster; construction costs 10% lower; 20% additional emissions savings
Target users Developers, builders, planners, and operators for residential, commercial, and industrial projects
Use of funds Accelerate international growth and expand distribution of platform for sustainable building design and renovation

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