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MiCoB: Founder, Business Model, Funding, and Success Story

MiCoB: Founder, Business Model, Funding, and Success Story

MiCoB is an Indian construction-tech startup. It uses 3D concrete printing, robotics, proprietary materials, and digital manufacturing software. Together, these tools are changing how builders design and construct buildings.

IIT Gandhinagar researchers founded the company in 2018. Since then, MiCoB has moved from engineering research into commercial projects. Today, it works across defence, hospitality, infrastructure, and other construction applications.

In September 2026, MiCoB hit another milestone. It attracted a ₹30 crore investment commitment during Gautam Adani’s Vande Bharatam initiative. On top of that, MiCoB also won the overall title in the programme’s inaugural season.

MiCoB at a Glance

MiCoB combines construction engineering with digital manufacturing rather than simply selling 3D printers.

Key DetailInformation
Founded2018
OriginIIT Gandhinagar
FoundersDr. Shashank Shekhar, Dr. Ankita Sinha and Rishabh Mathur
IndustryConstruction Technology / Deep Tech
Core Technology3D Concrete Printing
Structures Delivered650+
States With Deployments13
Defence Bunkers500+ impact- and blast-resistant structures
Recent Investment Commitment₹30 crore
2026 RecognitionOverall Winner of Vande Bharatam

The Company says its platform combines printable concrete, automated batching, intelligent mixing, pumping, controlled extrusion, robotic deposition, software and quality-control systems.

That full-stack approach is important because construction printing is not just about making a robot move. The concrete, software, structural design and execution all have to work together.

Who Are the Founders of MiCoB?

MiCoB was founded by Dr. Shashank Shekhar, Dr. Ankita Sinha and Rishabh Mathur at IIT Gandhinagar in 2018. The founders brought expertise spanning civil engineering, materials, robotics, automation and construction technology.

micob_founders

Dr. Shashank Shekhar

Dr. Shashank Shekhar is a co-founder and CEO of MiCoB. His work has focused on taking 3D concrete printing from research into practical construction applications.

MiCoB’s official profile says Shekhar received a Commendation for Outstanding Performance in Entrepreneurship at IIT Gandhinagar’s 14th Convocation in 2025.

Dr. Ankita Sinha

Dr. Ankita Sinha is a co-founder and serves as Chief Marketing Officer. Her background connects engineering, innovation and the commercialisation of 3D concrete printing.

She was also featured in the CII-CIES Women in Innovation 2025 compendium, according to MiCoB.

Rishabh Mathur

Rishabh Mathur is a co-founder of MiCoB and has been involved in the company’s technology and construction-manufacturing development.

Together, the founders built MiCoB around a simple but difficult question: Can construction become more like manufacturing?

How Did MiCoB Start?

MiCoB began as an IIT Gandhinagar engineering initiative before evolving into a construction-technology company.

  • Research started around 3D concrete printing.
  • The team developed its own prototypes.
  • It worked on printable materials and printing systems.
  • Software and automation capabilities were developed internally.
  • The technology moved from controlled experiments to real construction projects.

The Department of Science and Technology’s NIDHI-PRAYAS startup document identified MiCoB as a BuildTech company working on automated 3D concrete printing. The document also recorded ₹367 lakh in funding raised at that stage and ₹90 lakh in revenue generated.

This early-stage government record provides useful historical context for MiCoB’s development rather than relying only on the company’s current profile.

What Is MiCoB’s Business Model?

MiCoB’s business model is based on providing integrated 3D concrete printing and construction-manufacturing solutions to organisations that need specialised or scalable construction.

Its model can be understood through several layers:

  • Construction execution
  • 3D concrete printing
  • Material technology
  • Robotics and automation
  • Digital manufacturing software
  • Project-specific engineering
  • Construction components and structures

MiCoB describes itself as a construction technology and execution company rather than simply a printer supplier. It works across design, materials, manufacturing, quality control, logistics and project delivery.

That means its revenue opportunity can come from actual construction projects and technology-enabled execution, rather than depending only on hardware sales.

Who Are MiCoB’s Customers?

MiCoB has worked across defence, infrastructure, hospitality, education and industrial applications.

Its published projects include:

  • Indian Army defence facilities
  • Indian Navy accommodation
  • Hospitality projects
  • Educational campus buildings
  • Industrial infrastructure
  • Energy-sector facilities
  • Remote and high-altitude structures

For example, MiCoB says it delivered a 2,200 sq. ft. 3D-printed warehouse at Lakadia, Bhuj, for WRSS XXI (A) Transco Limited, part of Adani Energy. The facility was completed in May 2024 and has a 20-foot clear internal height.

It has also delivered a 12,000 sq. ft. 3D-printed resort at Nagoa Beach, Diu, showing how the technology can move beyond small demonstration structures into commercial hospitality.

What Technology Does MiCoB Use?

MiCoB’s technology combines materials science, automation, robotics and software into a single construction workflow.

The company says its system includes:

  • Proprietary printable concrete formulations
  • Automated batching
  • Intelligent mixing
  • Material pumping
  • Controlled extrusion
  • Robotic deposition
  • Manufacturing planning
  • Digital toolpath generation
  • Quality-control systems

Its manufacturing platform includes Krypton, a planning and slicing system that supports print sequencing, path preparation and robot-ready output. MiCoB is also developing capabilities around automated reinforcement and AI-assisted inspection.

The important distinction is that the company is building an integrated manufacturing system, not merely attaching a concrete nozzle to a robot.

MiCoB’s Defence Success Story

Defence construction has been one of MiCoB’s strongest real-world testing grounds.

MiCoB reports that it has delivered more than 500 impact- and blast-resistant 3D-printed bunkers for defence applications. Overall, the company says it has delivered more than 650 3D-printed structures across 13 states.

The company’s official timeline also records the Indian Army’s inauguration of a two-storey 3D-printed dwelling unit at Ahmedabad Cantonment in December 2022.

The 71 sq. m structure was developed by Military Engineering Services in collaboration with MiCoB and was completed in 12 weeks, according to the company’s account.

These projects helped MiCoB test construction technology under demanding operational conditions rather than relying solely on laboratory demonstrations.

MiCoB Funding: How Much Has It Raised?

MiCoB’s latest major funding development is a ₹30 crore investment commitment announced through Vande Bharatam in September 2026.

The commitment was jointly offered by Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO of Flipkart, in his personal capacity, and Ashutosh Valani, co-founder of RENÉE Cosmetics. Business Today reported the commitment at a ₹110 crore pre-money valuation.

This point is worth stating clearly: the ₹30 crore commitment should not be described as a ₹30 crore personal investment by Gautam Adani.

Gautam Adani launched Vande Bharatam, but the reported MiCoB investment commitment came from Krishnamurthy and Valani. Separately, Karan Adani offered support for MiCoB’s ongoing and future construction projects.

MiCoB and Vande Bharatam

Vande Bharatam gave MiCoB both capital-related support and national visibility.

Gautam Adani launched the initiative in June 2026 to identify innovators, entrepreneurs and problem-solvers across India. The programme was designed to reach all 36 States and Union Territories and more than 800 districts.

More than 26,000 applications were received for the inaugural cohort, according to Adani Group.

MiCoB ultimately won the overall title at the programme’s September 2026 finale and received ₹50 lakh in prize money, in addition to the ₹30 crore investment commitment secured during the show.

Why Is MiCoB Different?

MiCoB’s differentiation comes from integrating several difficult technologies into one construction workflow.

Its potential advantages include:

  • Digital control over construction processes
  • Reduced dependence on conventional formwork in suitable applications
  • Automated material handling
  • Robotic construction
  • Customisable digital designs
  • Experience in difficult environments
  • Project execution rather than hardware-only sales

The company’s published project portfolio includes structures in desert, high-altitude and remote environments, showing that it is testing the technology across varied construction conditions.

Still, 3D printing does not remove every construction challenge. Reinforcement, structural requirements, finishing, transportation, site conditions and regulatory compliance remain important.

MiCoB Success Story: From IIT Research to Construction Scale

MiCoB’s story is essentially a transition from university research to commercial deep tech.

The company started with 3D concrete printing research at IIT Gandhinagar in 2018. It then developed its own materials, printing systems and software before moving into defence and other construction projects.

Its development has included government-backed early-stage support, defence applications, national startup recognition and commercial construction deployments.

By 2026, MiCoB reported more than 650 structures across 13 states, while its latest ₹30 crore investment commitment provided fresh momentum for scaling its Digital Construction Manufacturing platform.

What Is Next for MiCoB?

MiCoB’s next challenge is turning successful projects into a repeatable and scalable construction business.

The company is expanding beyond printing hardware into:

  • Digital manufacturing
  • Automated reinforcement
  • AI-assisted quality inspection
  • Parametric design
  • Construction software
  • Material automation
  • Larger infrastructure applications

Its long-term objective is to industrialise construction by making buildings and components more digitally planned, controlled and repeatable.

The ₹30 crore commitment could provide additional resources for that expansion, but the longer-term test will be commercial execution: more projects, repeat customers, reliable economics and scalable deployment.

FounderPin Perspective

MiCoB stands out because its story is not built around a single funding announcement. It is built around years of engineering, experimentation and real-world construction.

Starting at IIT Gandhinagar in 2018, the company developed its own 3D concrete printing capabilities and gradually moved into defence, hospitality, industrial and infrastructure projects.

The latest funding commitment adds another chapter. But the bigger business lesson is simpler: deep tech becomes valuable when difficult engineering can solve a real industry problem at commercial scale.

MiCoB is now attempting to prove exactly that in one of the world’s largest and most traditional industries: construction.

Frequently Asked Questions About MiCoB

1. What is MiCoB?

MiCoB is an Indian construction-tech startup founded in 2018 at IIT Gandhinagar. It develops 3D concrete printing, robotics, construction materials and digital manufacturing solutions for applications including defence, infrastructure, housing and hospitality.

2. Who are the founders of MiCoB?

MiCoB was founded by Dr. Shashank Shekhar, Dr. Ankita Sinha and Rishabh Mathur. The company originated from work on 3D concrete printing at IIT Gandhinagar and later developed its technology into commercial construction applications.

3. How does MiCoB make money?

MiCoB operates as an integrated construction-technology and execution company. Its business model includes 3D concrete printing, construction projects, material technology, robotics, automation, digital manufacturing software and engineering solutions for specialised construction requirements.

4. How much funding has MiCoB received?

MiCoB secured a reported ₹30 crore investment commitment during the 2026 Vande Bharatam initiative. The commitment came from Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy and RENÉE Cosmetics co-founder Ashutosh Valani at a reported pre-money valuation of ₹110 crore.

5. What is MiCoB known for?

MiCoB is known for applying 3D concrete printing to real construction projects, particularly defence infrastructure. The company reports more than 650 3D-printed structures across 13 states, including more than 500 impact- and blast-resistant defence bunkers.

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