"Why Your Construction Tech Stack Looks Like a Mess" - Construction Tech Stack Management Complexities
"Often it results in an almost Frankenstein technology stack where you may have different things for different reasons."This is the reality of construction tech adoption today.In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Josh Weyand from Trunk Tools and we got to learn about navigating the messy world of construction technology, why some solutions stay point solutions while others scale enterprise-wide, and the critical mistake vendors make when trying to sell to large contractors... and many more!Tune in to find out about:✅ Why building trust and credibility matters more than your product features when selling to contractors✅ The real reasons technologies don't scale (hint: it's not always about the product)✅ How to align your solution to business initiatives instead of hitting friction at every step✅ What makes construction-specific tools win over generic software solutionsWatch now to hear Josh's insights from his time as Director of Emerging Technologies at Suffolk and his current role helping builders solve real problems.Our Sponsor: Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.comBuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io📩 Subscribe to the Bricks & Bytes Newsletter: https://bricks-bytes.beehiiv.com/🌐 Visit our website: http://bricks-bytes.com/📲 Follow us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bricks-bytes/ Twitter: https://x.com/bricksbytespod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricksbytes/Enjoying the insights? Hit that Subscribe button to stay ahead in construction tech, AI, and the future of how we build.Chapters00:00 Intro03:45 Navigating Construction Technology: Insights from the Field 14:36 The Challenges of Scaling Tech Solutions 25:37 Peer Groups and Shared Success in Construction Tech 30:14 Overcoming Frustrations with Tech Vendors 31:47 From Pilot to Scale: Best Practices for Adoption 36:46 The Value of Piloting Technology 40:38 Understanding Innovation Theater 44:56 Buying Technology in Construction 48:18 Core Technologies for General Contractors 51:57 Transitioning to Trunk Tools 56:16 The Role of an Enterprise Solutions Engineer 01:00:40 Winning the Market with Construction Specificity
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Bricks & Bytes
From Seed to Series B - What Actually Worked Along the Way
"If I could do some things over, I would have hired marketing leadership earlier, even before sales."That's what Document Crunch CEO Josh Levy told his VP of Marketing, Lori Peters.In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Lori Peters from Document Crunch and we got to learn about why construction tech marketing is fundamentally different from other SaaS industries, how to scale from seed to Series B, and what's actually working in 2025.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why conferences are their biggest lead generation channel (while other SaaS companies avoid them)✅ How they expanded nationally by going where their customers were, not just selling remotely✅ The shift from marketing-led pipeline to fully integrated go-to-market teams✅ Why LinkedIn still dominates and how AI is changing organic search foreverWatch now to hear how a 10-year construction tech marketing veteran built a winning strategy from the ground up.Our Sponsor: Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.comBuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.ioChapters00:00 Intro03:26 Introduction to Document Crunch and Construction Tech06:28 Evolution of Marketing in Construction Tech09:23 Marketing Strategies Through Funding Stages12:23 Challenges in Scaling Marketing Operations15:11 Effective In-Person Marketing Channels18:29 Community Initiatives: Built by Builders and Crunch Community21:28 Targeting Customers and Tailoring Messages30:03 The Costly Disruptions in Construction30:58 Understanding Disputes and Their Impact32:28 The Role of Customer Advisory Boards34:43 Navigating the AI Landscape in Construction37:39 Building Trust in AI Solutions38:59 Leveraging Investor Relationships40:17 Partnerships and Trust in Marketing42:23 AI in Marketing Strategies47:30 Marketing Nuances in the Construction Industry49:19 The Importance of Thought Leadership52:12 Structuring a Growing Marketing Team53:49 Technology in the Marketing Stack54:57 Future Predictions for Marketing in AEC
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Bricks & Bytes
"We Tripled Our Profits In 3 Years With Automation" - Marc Barone - COO - Buro Happold
"We've nearly tripled our profits in three years - and it wasn't one big change, it was a million small ones."In today's episode of the Bricks & Bytes, we had Marc Barone, COO of Buro Happold, and we got to learn about how they scaled from strong to exceptional, the real impact of AI on engineering productivity, and why listening matters more than action in your first 90 days as a leader... and many more!Tune in to find out about:✅ How Buro Happold grew 75% in three years while tripling profitability ✅ Why understanding what to say no to is as important as knowing what to say yes to ✅ The truth about measuring AI productivity gains and what actually works ✅ Why your first 90 days as COO should be about listening, not changing everythingWatch now on YouTube! Link in the comments!------------------Our Sponsor: Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.comBuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io------------Chapters00:00 Intro03:35 Introduction and Background05:36 Overview of Bureau Hapold06:47 Technical vs Commercial Risk Management08:59 Growth and Profitability Strategies12:45 Path to COO Role16:01 Leadership and Team Dynamics19:45 Culture and Employee Engagement25:39 Digital Transformation and AI Integration33:38 Innovation and Technology Solutions38:04 The Gradual Rollout of AI Tools42:19 Balancing Automation and Human Resources47:19 The Importance of Local Expertise52:26 Evaluating AI Tools for Business57:11 The Future of AI and Market Dynamics01:04:17 Measuring Productivity Gains from Technology01:09:08 First Steps for a New COO
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Bricks & Bytes
71% Still Use Spreadsheets in 2025 - Smart Staffing Solution from Top 20 GCs
71% of construction companies are still using Excel to manage thousands of employees—and it's costing them millions in lost projects.
In this episode of Bricks & Bytes, Owen and Martin sit down with Lauren Lake, co-founder of Bridgit, and Kevin Ferguson from AECO Product Marketing to uncover how two college students disrupted the construction workforce planning industry—and built a company that now serves half of the top 20 general contractors in North America.
In this episode:Why 42% of contractors are turning down projects despite high demand (hint: it's not what you think)The "crane hunting" strategy that led to a Harvard Business School case studyHow Bridget went from $0 to $4M ARR in just 2 years by solving one simple problemWhy construction companies are now budgeting $100K+ for workforce planning softwareThe shocking reason employees are leaving construction jobs (and it's not the pay)What happens when executives ask "where are our people?" and nobody knows the answerThe hidden cost of breaking up winning project teams after every jobHow AI and experience tracking are revolutionizing team composition decisionsWhy there's been ZERO research data on project team success since 1999The global expansion playbook that worked across North America, Australia, and the UK
"Our goal was simple: we just need to replace Excel. And that's actually a really challenging goal." — Lauren Lake
Whether you're a contractor struggling with resource allocation, a tech founder looking for validation strategies, or simply curious about how construction's labor shortage is reshaping the industry—this episode reveals why workforce planning has become the most critical investment in construction technology.
Our Sponsor: Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.comBuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io
🎧 Listen to the Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0xSpdQpmgf0xJvAsGAQRX5?si=QgmckXGVRnO46vOZKa0I1Q📩 Subscribe to the Bricks & Bytes Newsletter: https://bricks-bytes.beehiiv.com/🌐 Visit our website: http://bricks-bytes.com/
📲 Follow us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bricks-bytes/ Twitter: https://x.com/bricksbytespod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricksbytes/
Enjoying the insights? Hit that Subscribe button to stay ahead in construction tech, AI, and the future of how we build.-----------------Chapters00:00 Intro02:40 Introduction to Bridget and Its Founders03:38 The Secret to Success in Workforce Planning05:17 Identifying Pain Points in Workforce Planning08:15 The Harvard Business School Case Study12:08 Validating the Product with Early Customers14:16 The Evolution of the Product16:55 Challenges of Replacing Excel18:12 The Importance of Visibility in Workforce Management19:27 The State of Workforce Planning Report20:39 Granular vs. Executive Workforce Management22:35 Transforming Workforce Planning Meetings24:41 Creating a New Category in Workforce Planning26:56 Rapid Growth and Market Penetration28:15 ROI in Workforce Planning Solutions30:46 What Makes a Good Workforce Planning Software?32:53 The Role of AI in Workforce Planning34:39 Educating the Market on Workforce Planning52:57 Insights from the 2025 Workforce Planning Report57:08 Investment Trends in Workforce Planning58:19 The Ongoing Reliance on Excel1:02:04 Pricing Model for Bridget1:04:53 Building a Strong Company Culture1:07:44 Managing Contractors and Subcontractors1:08:52 Closing Remarks and Future Engagements
Why 2D Design Still Beat 3D & The Surprising Impact of AI on Architectural Firms and Pricing
Is the future of architecture in 2D, not 3D? Testfit founder's has got a surprising take…
In this episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we learned how TestFit grew from a weekend project to raising a Series A, changing how architects do feasibility studies.
We also discovered why small firms might replace big ones like Gensler, as AI changes how architecture works.
Patric shared why "outcome as a service" companies are shaking up the construction tech world.
Tune in to find out:
✅ Why 2D design might still beat 3D and VR
✅ How AI could change the money side of architecture
✅ Why keeping customers matters more than getting new ones in construction tech
✅ The role of VC money in an industry that rarely reinvests in itself
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Company Mentioned:
TestFit
Gensler
Autodesk
Prologis
Katera
Good Eggs
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Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Background
09:31 Issues with the Design Stack
18:44 The Importance of 2D Design
23:43 Automation and Problem Solving
26:01 Challenges in the Design Stack
26:53 Building Meaningful Automation in AEC
30:07 The Impact of Narratives in the Venture Industry
33:24 The Future of Architecture and Design in an AI-Driven World
34:21 The Potential Fragmentation of the AEC Industry
41:07 Picking VCs and the Importance of Customer Retention
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
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