# Saint-Gobain Group Saint-Gobain Group is an Asset Manager based in Courbevoie, France. ## Overview - **Organization type:** Asset Manager - **Headquarters:** Courbevoie, France - **Region:** Europe - **Address:** Tour Saint-Gobain, 12 Place de l'Iris, Courbevoie, France - **Founded:** 1665 - **Assets under management:** Undisclosed - **Website:** saint-gobain-northamerica.com ## Regulatory record - **Reports private funds:** No ## About Saint-Gobain was founded in 1665 under Louis XIV as the Manufacture Royale des Glaces, tasked with producing mirrors for the Palace of Versailles. The firm is now chaired by Benoit Bazin and operates in 76 countries with a focus on sustainable construction materials. Its venture function, NOVA by Saint-Gobain, formalized in 2021, acts as the external innovation engine for a global industrial that reported €47.9 billion in sales in 2024 (per the firm's official communications, 2025). NOVA by Saint-Gobain deploys capital across built-environment technologies, targeting pre-seed through Series B rounds with check sizes typically ranging from $1 million to $5 million. The strategy spans building materials innovation, construction robotics, energy efficiency software, and carbon capture for heavy industry. Geographic focus concentrates on North America, Europe, and Israel. Portfolio holdings include modular housing platform Plant Prefab. The unit functions as both a direct investor and a co-investment partner alongside traditional venture firms, creating a sourcing channel that feeds the parent corporation's R&D pipeline. Saint-Gobain operates 7 cross-functional research centers and employs approximately 160,000 people globally. In May 2024, NOVA by Saint-Gobain participated in a $56 million Series C for carbon-negative concrete startup CarbonCure Technologies, signaling an ongoing commitment to embodied-carbon reduction in building materials (per the firm, May 2024). The venture group runs alongside the Saint-Gobain Surface Solutions division but reports directly into the corporate strategy function, granting it procurement access to the parent's technical teams without operational entanglement. A structural differentiator is the venture arm's integration with 7,000+ corporate R&D staff, giving portfolio companies a product-testing sandbox inside a €47.9 billion distribution channel. This reverses the typical open-innovation model: instead of a manufacturer licensing external IP, the startup gets a live customer before closing its Series B. ## Sectors - Construction Materials - Industrial Tech - Energy Transition & Renewables - Mobility & Transportation ## Offices - St. Paul, MN, United States - Kaiseraugst, Switzerland - Hatfield, United Kingdom ## People - Benoit Bazin — Chairman and Chief Executive Officer - Sreedhar N. — Chief Financial Officer ## Questions ### Who runs investment decisions at NOVA by Saint-Gobain? NOVA operates under Basma Kharrat, Vice President of External Venturing, reporting into Saint-Gobain's corporate strategy group. Investment committees for direct deals include representatives from the relevant operational division — glass, insulation, or construction products — alongside NOVA's investment team. Final approval authority rests with the corporate development executive committee. ### How does NOVA by Saint-Gobain source proprietary deal flow? NOVA leverages Saint-Gobain's global network of 7 research centers and commercial operations in 76 countries. Technical staff inside the parent company flag promising startups building on-site performance monitoring, material science innovation, or construction automation tools. A separate scouting presence in Silicon Valley and Tel Aviv supplements this internal radar, targeting pre-Series A founders before traditional venture funds engage. ### Does NOVA by Saint-Gobain participate in fund commitments or only direct deals? NOVA is primarily a direct-investment vehicle making equity investments in startups, but it also acts as a limited partner in early-stage climate-tech and construction-tech venture funds. This dual posture lets the group map emerging technologies while retaining the option to co-invest alongside fund managers in later-stage rounds when strategic alignment deepens. ### What investment stages does NOVA by Saint-Gobain typically target? NOVA targets pre-seed through Series B rounds, with typical initial checks between $1 million and $5 million. The team prioritizes startups that have moved beyond laboratory proof-of-concept into pilot deployments, often using Saint-Gobain's own construction sites or manufacturing facilities as test beds. Follow-on investment is reserved for companies actively integrated into Saint-Gobain's commercial or product development pipeline. ### How is the venture arm separated from Saint-Gobain's corporate balance sheet? NOVA operates as a division inside Saint-Gobain Group, not a separate legal entity, meaning its capital comes directly from corporate treasury allocations. Investments are marked on Saint-Gobain's balance sheet, and gains flow back into group-level earnings. The unit maintains operational independence through a dedicated investment committee, but portfolio companies should expect procurement-level engagement with the parent from diligence onward. ### What does NOVA by Saint-Gobain explicitly avoid investing in? NOVA does not invest in pure software-as-a-service companies without a physical materials or hardware component. It also avoids late-stage growth equity, consumer-facing home renovation apps, and traditional real-estate brokerage platforms. The mandate is strictly built-environment technology with a measurable pathway to reducing carbon intensity in construction. ## Related profiles - [Pstake Finance](https://altss.com/profile/pstake-finance) --- Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/saint-gobain-group Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology