Fernando De los Rios, CEO of Hyperion Robotics, shares how the company is transforming concrete construction with advanced robotics and automation 

Could you start by telling us a bit about your journey into the construction and tech space? What led you to found Hyperion? 

I was an auditor at Ernst & Young for a couple of years after studying business. I was very passionate about technology but not so much about wearing suits every day, so I decided to leave the corporate world to become an entrepreneur. After founding a couple of startups, I partnered with my co-founders Ashish Mohite (3D printing PhD and guru) and Henry Unterreiner (chartered structural engineer, former designer at Arup) to bring automation to the construction industry. We quickly realised that sustainability was a huge problem in the industry, and crucial for our clients such as Iberdrola, and that we could make a huge impact in the industry, especially in infrastructure. This led us to become the experts in 3D printing for infrastructure, combining 3D printing, robotics and low-carbon concrete to help the industry build smarter, greener and faster. 

 3D printing, robotics, and low-carbon concrete are cutting-edge individually — what’s unique about the way Hyperion integrates these technologies into a cohesive solution for infrastructure delivery? 

Something we have realised in the past years is that the construction industry needs practical solutions that are easy to adopt, and fit existing supply chains and ways of working. At Hyperion Robotics, we have vertically integrated these technologies and developed an advance manufacturing process that allows us to provide contractors and developers (asset owners) with a superior, code-compliant product which is more efficient and sustainable, offering a conventional model (precast) for easy adoption in a conservative industry. 

Localised micro factories are an intriguing idea — how do they work, and what kind of logistical or environmental advantages do they offer compared to traditional methods? 

We have developed a robotic micro factory which is an asset-light automated production line – an easy to transport system that can be set up in a matter of days and run by local operators. With our solution, there is no need to spend tens or even hundreds of millions of pounds as with traditional precast factories. Instead, we can quickly assemble and deploy our robotic units to produce highly demanding jobs at scale, near site or even onsite if needed, leveraging locally available materials and workforce. 

Each robotic line is run by two certified operators (trained by Hyperion).   

With the UK targeting £700 billion in infrastructure spend over the next decade, how crucial is sustainability innovation like Hyperion’s to ensuring this wave of construction aligns with net-zero goals? 

The UK’s carbon reduction goals are as ambitious as its infrastructure spend. Unfortunately, current methods are no longer suitable to achieve this and new technologies such as Hyperion Robotics’, are crucial to generate efficiencies and sustainability, achieving net-zero goals. The UK understands that the climate emergency is now and there is no time to waste, this is why we are already helping clients like MMB, Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent reduce over 50 per cent in CO₂ on their projects while also saving costs and time. 

Concrete is one of the world’s highest-emission materials. How is your low-carbon alternative formulated, and how do you ensure performance without compromising sustainability? 

We have two main approaches to carbon reduction. First, we design optimised structures using just the right amount of materials to achieve the technical requirements (e.g. our foundations use 75 per cent less concrete, 75 per cent less steel and 75 per cent less CO₂ compared to conventional block foundations). Secondly, we have developed a suite of materials that range from a high-performance concrete to a low-carbon geopolymer concrete and can further reduce CO₂ by up to 90 per cent. We have invested hundreds of thousands of pounds in R&D and third-party lab testing to ensure that our materials and structures comply with the codes (Eurocode). We believe that combining both geometrical optimisation and low-carbon materials is the way of the future, and we have recently received a grant from the EU to develop a carbon negative concrete, taking our low-carbon approach to the next level. 

You’ve already delivered projects for major players like Iberdrola and Yorkshire Water — can you walk us through one of those projects and the key results Hyperion delivered? 

We have successfully delivered projects, primarily in the UK where we have delivered our core products: foundations, drawpits and water (distribution) chambers.  

Iberdrola, one of the largest renewable energy companies in the world, and its subsidiary Scottish Power (SPEN) were our first clients in this sector, where we designed, 3D printed and tested our low-carbon foundation for one of their substations, demonstrating huge benefits (75 per cent less materials, 60 per cent less CO₂ and 50 per cent programme reduction), while showing three times the strength needed compared to conventional methods.  

This project was a great milestone that generated global interest and helped jumpstart multiple collaborations in the UK with companies like MMB, Yorkshire Water, Severn Trent, Anglian Water and United Utilities. A couple of relevant examples are the foundations (pipe supports) we delivered to the Strongford Net Zero site from Severn Trent, where we helped our client MMB reduce 50 per cent of project costs, 50 per cent of CO₂, and realise 70 per cent of programme savings. On the delivery of water distribution chambers for Yorkshire Water, we provided 50 per cent cost reduction, 70 per cent programme savings and 30 per cent less CO₂, significantly reducing health and safety risks in both cases.  

We have also started a highly impactful collaboration with a large energy client that will be announced soon. 

Where do you see the industry headed in the next five years — and what role do you envision Hyperion playing in the transformation of infrastructure delivery, not just in the UK but globally? 

We envision becoming a world class construction technology leader with a strong presence across the UK and Europe within the next five years. By then, our robotic factories and micro factories will be delivering entire civil infrastructures for large-scale projects such as electrical substations, water treatment plants, and data centres.  

Through our innovative solutions, we will save millions of tons of CO₂ emissions and deliver significant cost reductions for our clients, while generating high-skill jobs and driving measurable social value in the industry and beyond. This process will take us closer to our North Star of eliminating one billion tons of CO₂ annually and creating a more sustainable, cost-efficient future for all. 

Is there anything else you’d like to add? 

With growing demand for sustainable infrastructure in the UK and Europe, Hyperion Robotics is positioned to lead a major shift in construction. We’re focused on scaling our impact, partnering with forward-thinking players, and delivering real value — one low-carbon foundation at a time.   

www.hyperionrobotics.com