Communication on German construction sites is still predominantly analog. This often results in lost information and disorganization. The Dortmund-based startup Valoon is addressing this problem with an AI-supported platform that utilizes popular messenger apps, such as WhatsApp. Valoon provides construction site employees with project-specific chats on a familiar communication platform. Rather than complex software, Valoon relies on messenger services that most people already use on their smartphones.
The young company uses its own AI-based platform to automatically analyze WhatsApp messages, photos, and voice messages and convert them into structured construction site documentation – with no additional effort required on the construction site. Office teams benefit from comprehensive reports and an intelligent dashboard. The solution is already being used by more than 1,000 construction projects around the world.
Valoon recently took first place in the OUT OF THE BOX.NRW 2025 state competition. On top of the €25,000 prize money, the company received a special additional prize from NRW.Global Business: a ticket to Slush, one of the world's leading tech conferences for startups, in Helsinki.
What was Valoon's vision when it was founded, why is NRW a strong location for digital startups, and what are the young company's plans for the future? Founder and CEO Marvin Rosian answers these and other questions in an interview with NRW.Global Business.
Mr. Rosian, what inspired you to start Valoon, and which construction site challenges did you hope to address with your innovative software?
We four Valoon founders have known each other for a long time. Before Valoon, we spent several years leading Germany's largest AI research project in construction. During that time, we noticed that software and AI typically function well in offices, for example, for engineers and architects, but not on construction sites. The reason is simple: construction workers and tradespeople want to build, not operate software. At the same time, we observed that messenger services, especially WhatsApp, were the only software used on construction sites of all sizes. This is precisely where we come in, bringing digitalization and innovation directly to construction sites so that construction workers don't have to install a new app or undergo extensive software training.
How does your platform manage to combine the user-friendliness of a messenger with the complexity of a construction site documentation system? What does the everyday use of your service look like on construction sites?
Our employees and subcontractors can continue to use their preferred messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, on the construction site. There, they can chat and send photos as well as order materials, record times and services, and fill out daily construction reports. Thanks to our collaboration with Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, we can offer these features to people on the construction site. The information is then transmitted directly to Valoon via WhatsApp. If necessary, and this is relatively often the case, the messages are also automatically translated, for example from Polish, Croatian, or Romanian into German. We collect all the information and evaluate it for the site manager on a central dashboard. This is done at Valoon but can also be integrated into our customers' existing IT systems, especially for larger construction companies.
Your solution also relies heavily on artificial intelligence. Could you explain the role it plays in your software?
AI supports us in many ways, from translating languages automatically to classifying information and recognizing objects in photos. It is important to us that AI remains just a tool. Key interactions still take place directly between site management and construction workers.
In what ways do startups like Valoon benefit from being based in NRW? What role do the research landscape and innovation environment here play?
As a construction startup, we have several advantages in NRW. First, we have access to the many small and medium-sized construction companies in NRW. Second, we have access to "big players" in the market, such as Goldbeck in Bielefeld and Hochtief in Essen. We consider NRW to be the most attractive state in Germany in terms of potential customers, for both us and other B2B startups. Furthermore, with its many universities and research institutions, NRW offers us excellent access to highly qualified personnel. Before joining Valoon, I worked at the Fraunhofer Society in Dortmund, where I transitioned from research to practice. The innovation environment in NRW is very well positioned, especially with regard to incubators and accelerators. For example, our home city of Dortmund has many attractive start-up programs, such as the relatively young Innoclub.
As the winner of the OUT OF THE BOX.NRW Award, Valoon is traveling with NRW.Global Business to the "Slush" tech conference in Helsinki. What expectations do you have of this event?
This will be our first time attending Slush, and we are looking forward to experiencing a world-renowned conference and the insights we can gain there. In particular, we are excited about the German Pitching Stage and the German networking evening. Most of all, we are looking forward to interacting with other German and international startups. Since we are planning a financing round at the end of the year, Slush is the perfect opportunity for us to connect with investors and expand our network. We are grateful to NRW.Global Business for giving us the chance to attend, and we just plan to go with the flow.