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Why does Packhunt Win the DigiDare's Innovation of the Year Award?

Jury calls Packhunt's marketplace "Important and Bold".

Oct 12, 2023

In a celebrated award ceremony on November 15th, Packhunt's team took the stage, proudly clinching the coveted Innovation of the Year. But what set this project apart in the eyes of the jury among a pool of other innovative solutions this year?

The DigiDare Awards, an initiative of digiGO BIM Loket, part of digiGO have been driving the digitization of the built environment, primarily in the Netherlands. Now in its 5th year, the Awards saw an impressive 46 submissions, with only 10 making it to the shortlist. From this exceptional group, the jury carefully selected Packhunt as one of the three finalists. This achievement was even more special as we found ourselves among esteemed partners like LBP | Sight. Discover more about the three finalists here.

So why did the jury vote for Packhunt as the Innovation of the Year?

What Sets Packhunt Apart?

Packhunt stands out as the pioneering marketplace exclusively focused on digital solutions for construction. Offering software, products, data, and digital services for computational designers, architects, engineering firms, contractors, and developers, Packhunt accelerates the construction industry's digitization.

Recovering Investment into Digitalization via Packhunt

Packhunt Founder and CEO, Jeroen Coenders explains, "If a company invests in a digital solution, that company can easily recoup that investment through this marketplace. In this way, we give companies a reason to invest in digitalization." With Packhunt, users create their solutions using Grasshopper, the popular parametric design and visual programming language tool. Coenders adds, "Where we used to have to code in text, we can now do this visually. Programming visually lowers the threshold of programming."

Competitors can use each other's solutions

Packhunt not only allows users to share or sell what they've built but also fosters collaboration. Coenders notes, "Competitors can use each other's solutions. We initially did not expect it to be so extreme, but we now see that happening. Through Packhunt, small contractors, architectural firms, and engineering firms gain access to tools from larger companies."

So why did the Jury vote for Packhunt?

The jury, in their report, commented to consider Packhunt as a "bold and important" initiative. It was highlighted, that it takes courage to set this up and is an example of a new culture of openness, perfectly resonating with today's motto: "Less talk, more digitization!".

How did the team react?

Anke Rolvink, co-founder of Packhunt emphasised the collaborative aspect of the product: "This recognition is not just an award; it's a validation of the efforts of the entire team of 30 people and a testament to the impact we are making in reshaping the construction industry digitally. We want to foster innovation and collaboration with knowledge sharing in this industry, leading the way towards a more connected and efficient future for construction professionals. That's what we need more of.".

"It's an honour to receive the DigiDare award and a testament to the vision and the entire team. We're extremely excited to see our digital marketplace resonate with the building industry and see more and more people joining and launching their own solutions." - Product Owner, Babette Hohrath.

Read more about the nomination and ambitions of our platform & marketplace here.