Six-figure investment from Dar Ventures will help advance Howie’s AI-driven AEC data platform
Howie, a Vienna-based startup developing AI-driven data-management and analytics tools for the AEC sector, has received a six-figure strategic investment from Dar Ventures, the venture capital arm of Dar and the founder of the Sidara design group.
The funding supports Howie’s work on a platform intended to centralise and analyse project information, including drawings, images, reports and other structured and unstructured data, to give AEC firms a clearer view of project performance.
Ewa Lenart, Howie’s Founder and CEO, who spoke at AEC Magazine’s NXT BLD this year, said the investment provides access to Dar’s sector knowledge and global network as the company continues to develop its product.
Nader Aboushadi, group chief treasurer at Sidara and director of Dar Ventures, said Howie’s focus on data management and automation aligns with the organisation’s priorities around adopting AI in AEC workflows.
The new investment follows earlier support from Pi Labs and the Vienna Business Agency. It comes as Howie prepares for its first priced financing round in Q1 2026 and aims to expand its customer base from five AEC firms to around 20 enterprise clients over the next year, with a broader market rollout planned across Europe and the MENA region in 2027.
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Howie is developing the platform in collaboration with several industry partners, including Heatherwick Studio, M&P Group and Sudop Group. Their involvement is intended to ensure the system reflects the requirements of large architectural and engineering practices.
With backing from Dar Ventures, Howie plans to extend its analytics engine, broaden integrations with BIM models, drawings, images, reports, sensor feeds and archive data, and build out its enterprise deployment footprint.
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