Innovation Teams Can't Scale - Adoption Automation Blueprint from Multi-Billion Project Leader
"I love my iPhone, but you don't hear people say, I love my consultant."In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we welcomed Angelos Nicolaou from Sektor AI who shared fascinating insights about construction tech adoption, the "anti-consultant" movement, and why technology must equal profitability.Tune in to find out about: ✅ How Sektor helps companies avoid wasting billions on unused technology ✅ Why large companies with tiny innovation teams need external firepower ✅ The race to adopt AI and how smaller companies can now compete with giants ✅ Why the consulting model is ripe for disruption through automationThe construction industry often treats each project like "a new startup" with new teams and processes built from scratch. Sektor is changing that through tech adoption that delivers measurable results.Listen to the full episode on Spotify!
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Bricks & Bytes
Why Construction Scheduling is Still Stuck in 1995 (And How to Fix It)
"I make a horrible employee. I'm not a good employee at a big company."That's how Nitin Bhandari, third-time founder and CEO of Planera, describes why he keeps starting companies instead of joining them.In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Nitin Bhandari and we got to learn about his journey from wireless networks to construction tech, the critical mistakes first-time founders make, and why scheduling software has stayed stuck in the stone age while every other industry moved forward... and many more!Tune in to find out about:✅ Why he spent 9 months just learning construction before building anything✅ How he landed customers who wanted to invest their own money in his company✅ The real reason construction scheduling is broken (it's not what you think)✅ Why hiring for culture fit matters more than most founders realizeListen now on Spotify and discover how an outsider is transforming one of construction's most critical workflows.-----------------------Chpaters00:00 Intro01:30 Introduction and Background03:28 Nitin's Journey as a Founder07:43 The Importance of Product Management09:21 Lessons Learned as a Third-Time Founder10:40 Entering the Construction Industry12:17 Understanding the Construction Market13:30 Hiring for Culture Fit16:20 Selling the Vision to Employees20:28 The Motivation Behind Founding Planera22:32 Identifying the Core Problem in Scheduling26:30 Innovating Scheduling Solutions31:20 Landing Initial Customers34:24 Evolving Sales Strategies in Construction Tech38:17 Effective Go-to-Market Channels40:02 Shifting Focus: From Product to Customer41:39 The Role of Marketing in Growth44:21 The CEO's Evolving Role47:16 Communication as a Team Sport49:13 Hiring Key Talent: The Head of Sales51:41 Running Effective Meetings54:55 Challenges in Construction Tech56:49 Understanding Total Addressable Market (TAM)01:00:39 Innovative Pricing Strategies01:03:27 Navigating Tough Times as a Founder01:05:23 The Role of AI in Construction Tech01:07:15 Exciting Initiatives and Future Plans
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Bricks & Bytes
AI Won't Save Bad Construction Companies - Solving Tech Adoption Problems from VC Perspective
"AI in construction isn't just hype - we're in construction, so we know nobody will deploy solutions based on hype alone."In today's episode of Brick and Bytes, we had Vivin Hegde from Zakua Ventures sharing insights on construction tech investments and market trends.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why robotics is becoming essential in construction (labor shortage is only getting worse)✅ The three-tier approach to AI adoption in construction tech✅ Why FlexNode's modular data centers could grow faster than any construction tech startup in 15 years✅ How geopolitical uncertainty is reshaping construction tech investment prioritiesVivin also shared fascinating details about their recent investments in excavator automation, real estate platforms, and next-gen robotics. If you're interested in where construction tech is heading, this episode is packed with valuable insights!Listen now on Spotify:
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Bricks & Bytes
12 Hour Quotes - Shepherd’s Industry Leading Insurance for Construction Companies + Path to $10m Revenue
Most insurance carriers use 5-10 different systems just to price one submission. One CEO figured out how to do it in 12 hours instead of weeks.In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Justin Levine and we got to learn about how he's revolutionizing construction insurance by rewarding tech adoption, scaling to double-digit millions in revenue, and why reality capture tools reduce claims by 40-50%... and many more!Tune in to find out about: ✅ How Shepherd shifts tech funding from contractors to insurance providers ✅ Why underwriters completely ignore technology when pricing policies ✅ The broken insurance process that takes weeks vs their 12-hour turnaround ✅ How construction tech partnerships create win-win scenarios for everyoneJustin's journey from civil engineer to risk manager to successful exit with TradeTap to building Shepherd shows exactly how deep industry knowledge combined with the right business model can disrupt billion-dollar markets.Listen now on Spotify to hear the full conversation about transforming construction insurance.Chapters---------------Chapters00:00 Introduction to Shepherd and Its Business Model04:53 The Evolution of TradeTap and Its Acquisition10:08 Transitioning from Startups to Corporate Culture14:52 The Unique Approach of Shepherd in Insurance19:59 Understanding the Underwriting Process and Technology's Role25:01 Shepherd's Market Position and Customer Base35:40 Understanding the Enterprise Sales Model43:41 Go-to-Market Strategy and Sales Dynamics51:07 Organizing for Growth and Market Fit01:00:28 Partnership Philosophy and Building Relationships
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 $40 million Series B raise for their financial services platform in transportation.
We also got insights on the surprising growth in construction tech funding, reaching 0.53% of total venture capital.
Plus, we heard a critical take on using headcount growth as a measure of startup success.
Tune in to find out about:
✅ Why Coast is attracting big investment
✅ The unexpected trends in construction tech funding
✅ Why unicorns in the sector are both rising and falling
✅ What really matters when evaluating startups (it's not just numbers)
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Company Mentioned
Coast
Brex
Veev
Nexii
Autodesk
Trimble
FlashTrack
Procore
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Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:32 Introduction to Coast: Financial Services Platform for Transportation
06:12 Coast's Funding and Investors
10:23 Assessing the Viability of Coast's Target Market
13:42 Analysis of Coast's Funding Rounds and Revenue Growth
18:07 Discussion on Investor Perceptions and Series B Funding
19:09 Market News: ConstruTech Funding Landscape
23:21 Analysis of Funding Trends in ConstruTech
27:45 Hype and Funding Rounds in Construction Technology
32:18 The Growth of Highly Substantiated Companies
36:26 The Asian Market and Funding Rounds
37:25 The Changing Landscape of Exits
41:41 Headcount Growth as a Metric for Startup Evaluation
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Bricks, Buck$ 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 $7.7 million Series A funding, showing strong interest in the fencing market.
We also discussed Nexii's attempt to relaunch after going into liquidation, highlighting the challenges in offsite modular construction.\
Plus, we got candid insights from Patric on why advice from generalist VCs might be hurting construction tech startups.
Tune in to find out:
✅ Why fencing companies can see up to 200% profit margins
✅ The pros and cons of asset-heavy vs. asset-light models in construction
✅ How bad VC advice is affecting construction tech startups
✅ Why founders should be wary of VCs who can't admit what they don't know
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Company Mentioned:
EverFence
Ergion
Nexii
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Bricks, Buck$ 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 $8M to being acquired by Faro.
We also found out that despite big investments, the reality capture market still has room to grow. Companies like Cupix and Faro are leading, but there's space for new ideas in robotics and AI.
Plus, we got insights on how some VCs are betting on AI startups, hoping to find the next big winner.
Tune in to discover:
✅ Why job site pizza beats expensive marketing in construction tech
✅ The potential of scan-to-BIM technology
✅ How some AI startups raise millions with just a pitch deck
✅ Why product adoption matters more than fancy tech in construction
Listen to the full episode on Spotify to learn more about construction tech and startup funding strategies.
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Company Mentioned:
Faro
Frankfurt Airport
Siemens
Autodesk
Contilio
Disperse
OpenSpace
Cupix
Doxel
HoloBuilder
Matterport
Hansel Phelps
Buildots
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Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Overview
01:09 The Journey of HoloBuilder: From Manufacturing to Construction
08:41 The Go-to-Market Strategy of HoloBuilder
14:20 The Decision to Exit HoloBuilder
23:15 The Three Components of Reality Capture in Construction Tech
28:03 Competition in the Reality Capture Space
35:18 Success Factors in Reality Capture Solutions
39:56 The Evolving Reality Capture Market and Market Leaders
41:33 Funding Challenges and Valuation Drops in Construction Tech
45:26 The Importance of Adoption and User Engagement in Construction Tech
57:34 Niche Markets and Disrupting Workflows in Construction Tech
01:09:43 Building Strong Customer Relationships in the Construction Tech Industry
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Bricks, Buck$ 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
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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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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