With the global population rapidly growing, providing people with decent housing solutions is an evermore pressing social issue.

In a world where urban areas are presented both with the concerning levels of homelessness and the environmental threat of pollution, architecture is facing a grave challenge that has to be overcome. Change is needed and inevitable to ensure a better future for the generation, and as in many other industries nowadays - this is where AI technology steps in.

Using the power of artificial intelligence to modernize urban planning is the core idea that Håvard Haukeland, Carl Christensen, and Anders Kvåle had when they started Spacemaker.

Spacemaker is the groundbreaking Oslo-based AI platform that seeks to provide space for architects to cooperate on rapid and risk-free real estate projects. This way, they aim to supply people with sustainable and affordable housing according to the highest standards.

Haukeland, Christensen, and Kvåle joined their forces to change the world of urban development forever.

Symbiosis of Three Great Minds

What makes the concept of Spacemaker unique is the overlap between the different industries it’s based on. This idea didn’t come out of the blue - it is the result of long stories of education and experience conjoined in one startup.

Ever since his young years, the 38-year-old founder and CEO of Spacemaker, Håvard Haukeland, stood out in his environment thanks to his interest in creating and building things. So, he chose an educational path in the field of architecture. Having graduated Arts, Communication, and Technology in The Norwegian School of Information Technology, he finally obtained his Master of Architecture in The Oslo School of Architecture and Design in 2013.

The tech-savvy part of the story belongs to Carl Christensen (38). As he was always fascinated with the wonders of modern technology and the endless possibilities of computers, in 2005 he crowned his academic portfolio with a Master of Science in Computer Science and Engineering in the KTH Royal Institute of Technology. With a rich educational background in computer engineering like this, he was bound to contribute to something great in this technology-centered future.

As the final piece of the successful puzzle, we get to meet the 39-year-old Anders Kvåle. Having graduated from the Norwegian School of Economics (2006) and the Columbia University - Columbia Business School (2010), he brings the classical entrepreneurial spirit to Spacemaker.

Merging of Promising Portfolios

Apart from the extensive academic background, each of the founders of Spacemaker carries years of experience in various fields.

After spending some time as a director and scriptwriter in Seefeld-TV, then an intern at Dahle & Breitenstein Arkitekter and Space Group Company - Håvard Haukeland finally dived into the architecture industry.

He participated in the development of crucial Norwegian urban transformation during his career in one of the most prosperous Scandinavian architect offices, LINK Arkitektur. His job position included plenty of detailed studies, as well as keeping in touch with public authorities and regional politicians. He also worked with customer relations and software services.

In addition to that, Carl Christensen’s 11 years of experience in Bekk Consulting AS - climbing the ladder from consultant to project manager and Anders Kvåle’s parallel professional engagement as co-founder of management consulting firm Arkwright played a crucial role in the creation of the company.

The collaboration between these exceptional people was justifiably promising. They started the Spacemaker platform with the idea to merge architecture with AI to reach the demanding modern standards of urbanization - and their growth was inevitable.

Startup of the Future

Spacemaker was launched by Håvard Haukeland, Carl Christensen, and Anders Kvåle in Oslo, Norway, in late 2016.

The founders reached for the stars from the very beginning. They had an idea that was about to make a significant change in the world of construction, and they aimed for it to reach millions of people in the industry - architects, developers, and engineers.

Spacemaker seeks to increase the quality of urban building sites through technological progress. The purpose of involving AI technology lies in the acceleration of urban planning. This platform empowers architects by boosting their opportunities to design and outline urban plans.

Through simplifying the whole process of urban development planning, the usage of complex AI technology saves time and prevents exposure to risks, which is essential to architecture. The founders’ main, noble idea behind this concept was to create as many new sustainable and safe homes for everyone.

However, Haukeland, Christensen, and Kvåle are aware that not all aspects of architecture can be controlled through complex math algorithms. Their goal is not to completely automate the human role of the architect and replace them with technology, on the contrary - they offer technology for architects to use to their advantage.

Fundings and Achievements

As a unique, up-to-date concept which uses technology to make the most of building sites’ potential, the platform started sparkling interest from its earliest days.

Around two weeks after their first project, 100 clients reached out to the founders of Spacemaker to form an alliance. Soon after that, the founder and CEO Haukeland was nominated as leadership talent of the year in Norway. One of Spacemaker’s biggest investors in 2017 implied that the platform should aim for nothing less but international success.

Spacemaker grew to 20 employees in its first year and it already started attracting the first significant funding rounds. The Innovation Norway, The Research Council of Norway, and Simula Research Laboratory invested 15 million Norwegian kroner ($1.8 million) for the platform’s digital resources as a part of a 4-year scientific research project with support from Aspelin Ramm, AF Eiendom, Stor-Oslo Eiendom, and SINTEF, amongst others. Another round of 22 million Norwegian kroner ($2.65 million) in investments by various investors followed in September 2017.

This successful trend continued until 2019 when Spacemaker AI received $25 million in investments from a Series A round to help their research and development. The main notable investors were Northzone and Atomico, with the contribution of Round Hill Ventures, OBOS, NREP, and Construct Venture.

On November 24, 2020, the Spacemaker platform became part of the American multinational software corporation Autodesk in an acquisition deal worth $240 million.

Final Thoughts

Haukeland, Christensen, and Kvåle’s story continues to be an ambitious and encouraging one. With an average annual income of $5 million, Spacemaker successfully challenges the status of competitors like Imerso, Alice, and Reconstruct.

Adding to the sky-high funding rounds, the recognition in the form of numerous awards is another proof of Spacemaker’s prosperity. The company was pronounced the B2B startup of the year in Norway in 2019 and it also gained a place among the 500 most innovative startups selected by Hello Tomorrow, a renowned competition for deep tech entrepreneurs.

According to Haukeland, selling the company wasn’t primarily one of their plans, but that changed when Autodesk reached out to them. The founders realized they shared a similar vision with this eminent American architecture and engineering corporation, and that being operated by Autodesk would pave the way for many more opportunities to come.

Therefore, the founders are optimistic for the future development of Spacemaker on the market - and rightfully so.

Considering the unstoppable rise of technology and the promising concept of artificial intelligence in society, urban architecture is one of the crucial areas to boost. Housing is a priority and everyone should have the right to quality service, fast solutions, and safety when it comes to it.

With its current number of 100 employees in Oslo and Boston, Spacemaker is actively leaving a significant mark not only on Scandinavian building sites - but also on the global market, embarking on a mission that many other promising entrepreneurs with proper backgrounds should consider joining.