#036 -Eric Helitzer - Simplifying Material Procurement In Construction
How do we simplify material procurement in construction?
In this episode, we talk with Eric Helitzer, CEO of Subbase.
Eric discusses his transition from traditional construction to construction technology and his approach to streamlining construction procurement.
We cover important topics such as:
The significance of understanding problems to develop effective tech solutions
Tips for validating ideas before investing time and resources
How to encourage a culture that supports innovation and technology adoption
Integrating technology into existing workflows without disrupting processes
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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Eric Helitzer | Founder & CEO of SubBase
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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 - 00:55 Pre-Intro
00:56 - 01:48 Owen's Intro
01:49 - 2:06 Sponsor
02:24 - Main podcast starts
04:09 - "You have to be on job site to understand what it physically looks like and what it physically feels like to work in construction."
04:34 - Story of Eric
06:10 - 2008 to 2014 career
06:38 - Procore Software
09:11 - "Subbase was born"
10:30 - Partnering to someone with no experience in construction
11:48 - A tool that enhance workflow
13:00 - About Subbase
14:00 - Complexities in process
15:00 - Streamlining the experience
19:06 - Raised first official round of funding
20:30 - Subbase becoming end-to-end solution
21:00 - 5 to 10 year vision
22:46 - "if you were to build a startup in construction tech, where would you start?"
24:00 - Amount of rejection you are going to receive
30:32 - You have to iterate very quickly
32:00 - No one has a clear playbook
35:20 - Other trends worth pursuing
38:00 - Strengthen relationship by providing better user experience
40:46 - "Any thoughts on how people incorporate technology into existing workflows?"
45:45 - Hobbies of Eric
47:00 - " if I wasn't working in construction"
48:05 - Where people can find out about Eric
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Bricks & Bytes
#010 - Brandon Johnson - Generating leads in construction
Next episode of Bricks&Bytes with very driven Brandon Johnson, CEO of SeracTech.
Brandon’s latest venture SeracTech helps converting planning applications into sales opportunities.
Please join us for this exciting conversation with Brandon.
read more
Bricks & Bytes
#051 - Ron Nussbaum - From Marines to Tech Founder: Communication, Construction Tech, and Bootstrapping a Startup
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes we got a chance to talk with Ron Nussbaum, founder of BuilderComs, to discuss the importance of communication in the construction process, social media presence, team building more:
We also touch on Ron's transition from the US Marines to Construction and his present venture - BuilderComs.
Tune in to find out about:
Importance of focussing on solving customer’s PAIN points
Importance of communication in Construction
How to build a successful team in your business
75 Hard Challenge
Importance and leveraging of social media presence
If you enjoy today’s episode, leave us a comment. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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Ron Nussbaum | Founder of BuilderComs | 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
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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:
(0:00:00-0:07:43) - Intro
(0:07:43-0:12:22) - Introduction of BuilderComs and Ron’s experience transitioning from Marines to Construction to Tech Startup Founder
(0:12:22-0:17:28) - How to address a long-standing customer pain point in the construction industry
(0:17:28-0:23:16) - How to find ideal team members
(0:23:16-0:25:14) - Role as a CEO, founder, and hands-on contributor
(0:25:14-0:32:47) - Importance of building audience and brand recognition
(0:32:47-0:37:10) - Bridging the Knowledge Gap in Construction
(0:37:10-0:41:25) - 75 Hard Challenge: A Life-Changing Routine
(0:41:25-0:42:56) - Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
#055 - Kingma Ma - Getting Inside a VC's Mind: Pitching, Investing, Common Mistakes, Due Diligence and Funding
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we have Kingma Ma, Managing Director UK at PT1 and Member Board of Directors at UK PropTech Association (UKPA).
In this episode, we discuss PT1’s investment thesis, mistakes businesses make when pitching their services to VCs, VC's approach to investing in startups, ConTech in the UK vs. Europe and much more!
Tune in to find out about:
The VC investment process
Most common framework VCs follow for investing in businesses
What makes a great founder
PT1’s due diligence process
If you enjoy today’s episode, leave us a comment. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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Kingma Ma | Managing Director UK at PT1 | 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!
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
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Timestamps:
(0:00:00-0:06:55) - Intro
(0:06:55-0:09:35) - Day in the life of an MD in the UK
(0:09:35-0:21:00) - PT1's framework for investing in businesses
(0:21:00-0:30:30) - PT1’s due diligence process
(0:30:30-0:32:50) - Comparing ConTech in the UK vs. Europe
(0:32:50-0:35:15) - Determining the potential success of a startup
(0:35:15-0:39:10) - Common mistakes businesses make when pitching their services
(0:39:10-0:41:00) - VC's approach to investing in startups
(0:41:00-0:58:20) - Best practices for VCs when communicating with investors
(0:58:20-0:59:07) - 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 $40 million Series B raise for their financial services platform in transportation.
We also got insights on the surprising growth in construction tech funding, reaching 0.53% of total venture capital.
Plus, we heard a critical take on using headcount growth as a measure of startup success.
Tune in to find out about:
✅ Why Coast is attracting big investment
✅ The unexpected trends in construction tech funding
✅ Why unicorns in the sector are both rising and falling
✅ What really matters when evaluating startups (it's not just numbers)
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Company Mentioned
Coast
Brex
Veev
Nexii
Autodesk
Trimble
FlashTrack
Procore
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Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:32 Introduction to Coast: Financial Services Platform for Transportation
06:12 Coast's Funding and Investors
10:23 Assessing the Viability of Coast's Target Market
13:42 Analysis of Coast's Funding Rounds and Revenue Growth
18:07 Discussion on Investor Perceptions and Series B Funding
19:09 Market News: ConstruTech Funding Landscape
23:21 Analysis of Funding Trends in ConstruTech
27:45 Hype and Funding Rounds in Construction Technology
32:18 The Growth of Highly Substantiated Companies
36:26 The Asian Market and Funding Rounds
37:25 The Changing Landscape of Exits
41:41 Headcount Growth as a Metric for Startup Evaluation
read more
Bricks, Buck$ 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 $7.7 million Series A funding, showing strong interest in the fencing market.
We also discussed Nexii's attempt to relaunch after going into liquidation, highlighting the challenges in offsite modular construction.\
Plus, we got candid insights from Patric on why advice from generalist VCs might be hurting construction tech startups.
Tune in to find out:
✅ Why fencing companies can see up to 200% profit margins
✅ The pros and cons of asset-heavy vs. asset-light models in construction
✅ How bad VC advice is affecting construction tech startups
✅ Why founders should be wary of VCs who can't admit what they don't know
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Company Mentioned:
EverFence
Ergion
Nexii
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Sign up to the #1 Newsletter In Construction Tech. Join over 1,000 like-minded Founders, Investors and Techies disrupting the way we build. Forever : https://bricks-bytes.beehiiv.com/subscribe
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Bricks, Buck$ 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/
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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
read more
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
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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/
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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