#038 - Vlad Opanasiuk - Construction Transformation: Automation, Open Source & Tech Integration
In this episode, we sit down with Vlad Opanasiuk, CEO of REDD, emphasizing the unique challenges and opportunities in automating construction processes. He shares insights from a startup accelerator, highlighting the importance of quick execution and adaptability in the industry.
During the episode, we dive into:
Automation in construction beyond robot factories.
Vlad's experience in a startup accelerator (Entrepreneur First).
Construction industry challenges in venture capital circles.
Construction digital integration
Data collection driving AI success
If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review! This helps us get more amazing guests to give you guys the best and most informative content on technology in the built world.
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Vlad Opanasiuk, CEO @ REDD (Revolutionary Engineering & Digital Design)
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Today's Sponsor: beta - Construction and technology network platform
- connecting the tech industry with traditional partners.
Check www.the-beta.com
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Timestamps:
00:09 - Owen's Intro
00:54 - Shout out to our sponsor
01:09 - Podcast Starts - What is design automation?
05:37 - How do you think the industry is about automation?
09:13 - Incubator and launchpad
12:10 - How venture capitalist invests
14:57 - Ideas don't really matter
16:10 - None of the team had technical background
19:11 - Construction industry is a difficult industry for VC circles
21:58 - Not everything is software
23:00 - We are not selling designs. We are selling risks
26:00 - BIM and ML integration
30:15 - REDD - Revolutionary Engineering & Digital Design
33:10 - Outsourced RnD Department
34:00 - Is this for investor or engineer?
37:15 - What is the main obstacle and why is it not possible to do?
39:21 - how deep the product is, what's the range of this product?
43:48 - Plant based replacement concept
48:55 - Off topic question
52:20 - Ending
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Bricks & Bytes
#078 - 3 ESG Metrics That Your Startup Needs Before Approaching Investors In Construction Tech - Jimmy Jia - Pi Labs
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we have Jimmy Jia, Venture Partner, ESG at Pi Labs.
We learn about how ESG is transforming investment decisions, what ESG metrics startups should focus on, and much more!
Tune in to find out about:
How ESG metrics are becoming key drivers for construction tech investors
The right time for startups to begin tracking ESG factors
Tips from an ESG investor on how startups should approach funding
If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd really appreciate if you could leave a rating and review.
(00:00:00 - 00:02:00) - Intro
(00:02:00 - 00:04:41) - About Energy Efficiency of buildings
(00:04:41 - 00:10:26) - About Sustainable Finance
(00:10:26 - 00:15:30) - ESG issues and complexities
(00:15:30 - 00:29:30) - Financial accounting for sustainability
(00:29:30 - 00:36:40) - Building green startups
(00:36:40 - 00:43:32) - Balancing work and environmental goals
(00:43:32 - 00:43:46) - Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
#052 - Josh Levy - From Construction to Contracts : How Document Crunch is Improving Contracts
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes we have Josh Levy, CEO of Document Crunch. We discuss the importance of building a strong team culture, contracts in the construction industry, maintaining work-life balance as a CEO and many more!
Tune in to find out about:
Key factors in building a team within your business,
Common Issues with construction contracts,
How to sell software in construction industry,
Interview techniques when hiring,
Challenges of being a CEO,
Learning and improvement culture in early stage startups.
If you enjoy today’s episode, leave us a comment. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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Josh Levy | CEO of Document Crunch | ConTech
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We are travelling to Chicago to Procore Groundbreak on September 19th and 20th to interview innovators in construction technology - let us know if you are coming!
If you are, use promo-code BRICKS100 for $100 off your ticket price.
Check https://www.procore.com/groundbreak
—-----------------------------------
Today’s Sponsor: beta – Construction and technology network platform
– connecting the tech industry with traditional construction partners.
Check www.the-beta.com
----------------------------------------
Timestamps:
(0:00:00-0:14:00) - Intro
(0:14:00-0:18:15) - Difficulties in complying with every construction contract procedure
(0:18:15-0:20:20) - Common issues with construction contracts
(0:20:20-0:28:38) - Experience selling software to the construction industry
(0:28:38-0:30:25) - Key factors in building the team at Document Crunch
(0:30:25-0:34:30) - Interview techniques when hiring
(0:34:30-0:43:35) - Challenges of being a CEO
(0:43:35-0:44:39) - Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
#020 - Mark Hurst - Scaling your startup & Proptech Espresso
On todays show we welcome Mark Hurst who runs HurstX.
Mark has worked as tech executive, investment banker, management consultant and held operations and business development positions in the proptech space.
In this episode we deep dive into:
Scaling companies
Sales
Advisory roles
Web3 applications within proptech space
If you’re enjoying our podcast, please check us out on Spotify or Apple and wherever you listen to your podcast. And if you enjoyed - please leave us a review! This helps us get more amazing guests to give you guys the best and most informative content on technology in the built world.
Link to the Mark's substack: https://rew3.substack.com
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Mark Hurst - CEO at HurstX Solutions and host of Proptech Espresso Podcast
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Today's Sponsor:
@Beta Construction and technology network platform - connecting the tech industry with traditional partners.
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Timestamps:
(00:00:00-00:01:34) - Intro
(00:01:34-00:02:17) - Sponsor
(00:02:17-00:05:32) - History of Mark Hurst journey in Proptech
(00:05:32-00:07:45) - Networking as a significant part of Mark’s journey
(00:07:45-00:10:13) - Mark’s definition of Proptech
(00:10:13-00:11:22) - Real estate industry as the biggest asset in the world
(00:11:22-00:14:37) - History of Mark’s Proptech Espresso Podcast
(00:14:37-00:19:24) - What are the key tips that you could give to people involved in sales within the industry?
(00:19:24-00:22:10) - Engagement with customer as a critical part of the sales process
(00:22:10-00:25:10) - Why would someone want to partner with Hurst Tech?
(00:25:10-00:28:15) - Is there any process that you follow when working with founders and startups?
(00:28:15-00:31:15) - Things that help you grow your business
(00:31:15-00:35:13) - Mark’s thoughts on Web3 in the real estate industry
(00:35:13-00:36:33) - Construction use cases for blockchain
(00:36:33-00:39:20) - Web3 in residential and commercial construction
(00:39:20-00:40:54) - If you had an unlimited budget where would you invest it?
(00:40:54-00:41:38) - What book could you recommend?
(00:41:38-00:42:28) - More about Mark
(00:42:28-00:42:45) - Outro
Unicorns, Coast's $40M Raise, and $34 Billion in Construction Tech Funding - Why Headcount Growth Might Be Misleading
Construction tech funding is booming, but is it all hype?
In this episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we learned about Coast's impressive $40 million Series B raise for their financial services platform in transportation.
We also got insights on the surprising growth in construction tech funding, reaching 0.53% of total venture capital.
Plus, we heard a critical take on using headcount growth as a measure of startup success.
Tune in to find out about:
✅ Why Coast is attracting big investment
✅ The unexpected trends in construction tech funding
✅ Why unicorns in the sector are both rising and falling
✅ What really matters when evaluating startups (it's not just numbers)
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Sign up to the #1 Newsletter In Construction Tech. Join over 1,000 like-minded Founders, Investors and Techies disrupting the way we build. Forever : https://bricks-bytes.beehiiv.com/subscribe
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Company Mentioned
Coast
Brex
Veev
Nexii
Autodesk
Trimble
FlashTrack
Procore
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Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:32 Introduction to Coast: Financial Services Platform for Transportation
06:12 Coast's Funding and Investors
10:23 Assessing the Viability of Coast's Target Market
13:42 Analysis of Coast's Funding Rounds and Revenue Growth
18:07 Discussion on Investor Perceptions and Series B Funding
19:09 Market News: ConstruTech Funding Landscape
23:21 Analysis of Funding Trends in ConstruTech
27:45 Hype and Funding Rounds in Construction Technology
32:18 The Growth of Highly Substantiated Companies
36:26 The Asian Market and Funding Rounds
37:25 The Changing Landscape of Exits
41:41 Headcount Growth as a Metric for Startup Evaluation
read more
Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
Fencing - The Hidden Gold Mine in Construction Tech & Nexii's Surprising Comeback
Is the fencing industry secretly one of the most profitable sectors in construction?
In this episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we learned about EverFence's $7.7 million Series A funding, showing strong interest in the fencing market.
We also discussed Nexii's attempt to relaunch after going into liquidation, highlighting the challenges in offsite modular construction.\
Plus, we got candid insights from Patric on why advice from generalist VCs might be hurting construction tech startups.
Tune in to find out:
✅ Why fencing companies can see up to 200% profit margins
✅ The pros and cons of asset-heavy vs. asset-light models in construction
✅ How bad VC advice is affecting construction tech startups
✅ Why founders should be wary of VCs who can't admit what they don't know
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Company Mentioned:
EverFence
Ergion
Nexii
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Sign up to the #1 Newsletter In Construction Tech. Join over 1,000 like-minded Founders, Investors and Techies disrupting the way we build. Forever : https://bricks-bytes.beehiiv.com/subscribe
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bricks-bytes/
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
GUEST: Holobuilder’s Path To $34m Exit, Mo Akbari’s Journey Building The Pioneering Reality Capture Tool
Ever wonder how a startup goes from $8M to a big exit in construction tech?
In this episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we learned about HoloBuilder's journey from raising $8M to being acquired by Faro.
We also found out that despite big investments, the reality capture market still has room to grow. Companies like Cupix and Faro are leading, but there's space for new ideas in robotics and AI.
Plus, we got insights on how some VCs are betting on AI startups, hoping to find the next big winner.
Tune in to discover:
✅ Why job site pizza beats expensive marketing in construction tech
✅ The potential of scan-to-BIM technology
✅ How some AI startups raise millions with just a pitch deck
✅ Why product adoption matters more than fancy tech in construction
Listen to the full episode on Spotify to learn more about construction tech and startup funding strategies.
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Sign up to the #1 Newsletter In Construction Tech. Join over 1,000 like-minded Founders, Investors and Techies disrupting the way we build. Forever : https://bricks-bytes.beehiiv.com/subscribe
---------------------------
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X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bricksbytespod
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmNbunUTIIQDzbJgGJt9_Zg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricksbytes/
----------------------------
Company Mentioned:
Faro
Frankfurt Airport
Siemens
Autodesk
Contilio
Disperse
OpenSpace
Cupix
Doxel
HoloBuilder
Matterport
Hansel Phelps
Buildots
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Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Overview
01:09 The Journey of HoloBuilder: From Manufacturing to Construction
08:41 The Go-to-Market Strategy of HoloBuilder
14:20 The Decision to Exit HoloBuilder
23:15 The Three Components of Reality Capture in Construction Tech
28:03 Competition in the Reality Capture Space
35:18 Success Factors in Reality Capture Solutions
39:56 The Evolving Reality Capture Market and Market Leaders
41:33 Funding Challenges and Valuation Drops in Construction Tech
45:26 The Importance of Adoption and User Engagement in Construction Tech
57:34 Niche Markets and Disrupting Workflows in Construction Tech
01:09:43 Building Strong Customer Relationships in the Construction Tech Industry
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
€5.7M VC Bet To Retrofit Europe’s Housing Stock, "Pay What You Want" models and Nemetschek to India - Bricks, Bucks & Bytes
Could a "Cloud Installer" approach help insulate 30 million European homes faster?
In this episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we learned about Varm's €5.7M seed round for their innovative insulation business. They're using a "Cloud Installer" approach to scale across Europe.
We also discussed Nemetschek Group entering India's construction software market, starting with university partnerships.
Plus, Patric Hellermann shared why he's excited about Varm and his thoughts on "pay what you want" pricing for software.
Tune in to find out about:
✅ How insulation can cut energy costs by up to 40%
✅ Challenges of selling €2,500 software licenses in India
✅ Varm's plan to train and equip local insulation businesses
✅ Why "pay what you want" pricing might not work for high R&D software
---------------------
Sign up to the #1 Newsletter In Construction Tech. Join over 1,000 like-minded Founders, Investors and Techies disrupting the way we build. Forever : https://bricks-bytes.beehiiv.com/subscribe
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X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bricksbytespod
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmNbunUTIIQDzbJgGJt9_Zg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricksbytes/
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Companies Mentioned :
Foundamental
VARM
Koala Insulation
Enpal
Thermondo
1.5 degrees
Service Titan
Autodesk
Bentley
Hexagon
Nemechek Group
Trimble
Rayon
AOPropTech
Emerge
Pale Blue Dot
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Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and Funding Round
02:32 Varm's Focus on Insulating Existing Buildings
05:41 Cloud Installer: Varm's Business Model
10:09 Blow-In Insulation: A High ROI Measure
28:06 Introduction to Nemechek Group's Expansion into India
31:59 The Potential of the Indian AEC Software Market
36:26 Challenges of Pricing Models in the Indian Market