The Truth Behind DeepSeek’s Impact on AEC | Alan Mosca on AI & Construction Tech
"Training an AI model's final run for $6M does not mean the entire model costs $6M"In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Alan Mosca, CTO and co-founder of nPlan, who shared fascinating insights about AI developments, construction tech, and the future of project planning.Tune in to find out about:✅ The truth behind DeepSeek's training costs and why media reporting missed the mark✅ How nPlan's Barry agent helps construction teams make better decisions through meeting notes, WhatsApp integration, and email connectivity✅ Why the future of software isn't SaaS - it's buying outcomes through agents that perform specific tasks✅ nPlan's game-changing "Schedule Studio" that can generate detailed project schedules in 45 minutesListen to the full episode to learn how AI is reshaping construction planning and why transparency, not blame, is key to better project outcomes.----Chapters00:00 Intro05:26 Introduction and Overview of Enplan07:12 DeepSeek and the Reality of AI Training Costs15:36 Open vs Closed Source Models in AI26:23 The Rise of Agents in AI and Construction31:23 Future of Startups: Agents vs Traditional Software36:01 The Evolution of AI and the Path to AGI44:01 Defining AGI and Its Implications45:26 Introduction to Nplan and Its Mission47:24 The Functionality of Barry: AI in Project Management49:27 Continuous Learning and Model Optimization53:23 Demonstrating the Value of Planning in Construction57:28 Customer Perspectives on AI in Project Management1:00:31 Product Development and Future Directions for Nplan1:11:39 Cultural Change in Construction Through AI
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Bricks & Bytes
Kojo's $275m Journey - How CEO Maria Davidson Built One Of AEC Tech's Most Exciting Businesses
Note : This is a re-release of an episode that was initially released at Groundbreakers."Nobody replied to our cold emails. So we started showing up at construction sites with pizza boxes - that worked."In today's episode, we had Maria Davidson, CEO of Kojo, share how she built a construction tech company now valued at $275M. A former VC with no construction background, Maria's story of building a procurement platform used by 500+ trade contractors offers valuable lessons for anyone trying to break into a traditional industry.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why being an industry outsider became her strength✅ How delivering pizzas led to their first customers✅ The metrics VCs actually care about at each funding stage✅ Managing hypergrowth from 0 to 125 employeesWant to learn how Maria turned rejection into a $275M company? Listen to the full episode
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Bricks & Bytes
OpenSpace Is Changing Construction Documentation Forever | 25 Billion Sq. Ft. Captured in 3D | Jeevan Kalanithi CEO, Openspace
Imagine having every inch of your job site documented in 3D and available on your fingertip.
In today's episode, we sit down and talk to Jeevan Kalanithi - a Stanford and MIT graduate and CEO of OpenSpace.
Join us as Jeevan shares his fascinating journey from studying at Stanford and MIT to launching hardware startups to founding OpenSpace.
He explains how his user-friendly reality-capture technology is transforming a document-centric industry by giving architects and builders unprecedented visibility into their job sites through updated 3D visuals.
Tune in and learn how:
OpenSpace catalogued over 25 billion square feet of visual job site data
Visual record allows problems to be resolved virtually instead of reworking the physical world, reducing rework and labour costs
Project stakeholders can instantly align on issues by virtually stepping into current job site conditions instead of puzzling over descriptions
As construction data becomes immersive and visual, new AI-powered insights and capabilities become possible
And a lot more …
Get the latest in Construction-Technology, meet the venture capitalists, hear from the founders and join a thriving community.
Sign up for our newsletter at: https://bricksbytes.show
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This episode is brought to you by Shft—helping contractors like you leverage BIM to secure a leading position in the race towards construction’s digital future.
Visit: https://maketheshft.digital
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Timestamps:
(00:00:00-00:07:10) Intro
(00:07:10-00:12:00) REality Capture In Construction
(00:12:00-00:25:40) About OpenSpace
(00:25:40-00:29:10) Cost Reduction Due To Reality Capture
(00:29:10-00:44:50) How To Grow A Business From 0
(00:44:50-00:45:57) Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
From Oppression to £13 BN Opportunity. From Idea to Investment. | Inside QFlow with Brittany Harris
In today’s episode, we have Brittany Harris, Co-Founder at QFlow.
Have you ever wondered how to secure funding in an old, tradition-bound industry like construction?
In this episode, Brittany Harris, Co-Founder at Qualis Flow shares her inspiring story. We hear about the challenges she conquered, the lessons she learned, and how she built QFlow attracting millions in investment.
She talks about new ways technology can decarbonize, streamline processes, increase transparency, and help us *leave the world a better place*.
This talk is more than data-driven sustainable construction; it's about breaking barriers in an old industry, creating new paradigm shifts and believing in the 'impossible'.
Tune in and learn:
How Qflow helps contractors eliminate hundreds of admin hours tracking materials and compliance documentation
How they grew over 200% year-on-year between seed and series A funding
The methods she used to raise $9.1 million in 3 months (when investors told them it would take 9 months)
The staggering £13 billion opportunity to reuse and resell construction materials that currently go straight to landfill from site
Interested in sustainable construction? Looking to raise funds for your startup? Follow Brittany Harris here on LinkedIn.
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This episode is brought to you by Shft—the BIM partner you need to fill the gap in your digital skills and tackle your BIM needs, end-to-end.
Visit: https://maketheshft.digital
Timestamps:
(00:00:00-00:02:57) Intro
(00:02:57-00:08:25) About Qualis FLow
(00:08:25-00:20:55) Fund raising experience
(00:20:55-00:33:52) Advice for founders looking to raise money
(00:33:52-00:39:25) Issue of Construction Waste Management
(00:39:25-00:42:28) Experience as a woman leading startup in construction
(00:42:28-00:43:02) Outro
Oracle $100B Hour, AI Government Fail, OpenSpace CEO, Barefoot Office Debate
Oracle's CEO Just Made $100 Billion in One Hour While Your Government Wastes Millions on AI That Doesn't WorkIn this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen, Dustin, and Martin dive deep into the wild world of tech promises, government failures, and what's really happening behind the scenes in construction technology.Key Topics:Oracle's shocking $300 billion OpenAI deal and Larry Ellison's instant $100 billion windfallWhy the UK government's Microsoft Copilot trial was a complete disasterThe brutal truth about why companies keep buying expensive software that doesn't workOpenSpace CEO Jeevan Kalanithi reveals how reality capture is evolving beyond just taking picturesWhether going barefoot in the office makes you a genius or just weirdWhy pre-construction technology is decades behind field management toolsThe real reason AI won't save construction anytime soonSpecial guest Jeevan Kalanithi from OpenSpace joins to discuss their major Waypoint conference announcements and shares his thoughts on the AI race in construction.Key Quote: "No one's ever going to get fired because they bought Microsoft or Oracle. That's why Microsoft Teams is everywhere, even though it's trash." - DustinFrom billion-dollar stock moves to taxpayer waste to the future of building, this episode exposes the gap between tech hype and construction reality.
Chapters00:00 Intro01:45 Introduction and Travel Updates04:37 Oracle's Rise and AI Partnerships07:32 Oracle's Financial Forecast and Market Impact10:26 Productivity Trials and Microsoft 365 Co-Pilot13:05 Government Trials and AI in Planning15:52 Debate on Office Attire and Footwear27:44 The Importance of Company Culture30:13 Fashion and Professionalism in the Workplace34:46 Funding Announcements and Market Dynamics41:20 Reality Capture and Its Future in Construction55:20 Trends in RealityCapture59:11 The Importance of Data Consolidation01:02:11 Safety and Progress Tracking in Construction01:07:02 Navigating Competition in the Market01:09:58 The Role of AI in RealityCapture01:13:50 Future Directions and Company Vision
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
Live from AU, Hosts World Travels, University Entrepreneurship Culture, NFL Insider
In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen reports live from Autodesk University in Nashville while Martin shares insights from ETH Zurich's startup conference and Patrick breaks down why popular AI bubble theories are dead wrong.Key Topics Discussed:Why European universities systematically crush entrepreneurial thinkingThe truth behind construction tech's massive funding rounds (80-120M per quarter)How to spot real market bubbles vs. media hype around AI stocksWhy hardware startups face an uphill battle against venture capital preferencesThe innovation crisis at large tech companies like AutodeskPatrick's exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the LA Rams stadiumMartin's analysis of timber-earth construction panels and venture backabilityKey Quote: "You're basically being taught all the time to stay within reason. And if you want to build a really awesome company, you have to be going against the grain and doing things that other people will call you crazy for." - Patric on why universities fail at creating entrepreneursFrom concrete innovation to NFL stadium construction secrets, this episode exposes the uncomfortable truths about where construction technology is really headed.
Microsoft just bet $10M on construction AI - but industry insiders think it's a massive mistake.In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen, Patrick, and Dustin dive into the biggest tech moves shaking up construction while welcoming guests from two hot startups that just raised millions.Key topics discussed:Microsoft's massive $10M AI bet with Balfour Beatty - and why some think it's overpricedBluebeam acquires Firmus AI in a surprising exit storyAutodesk's crushing $1.7B earnings that made investors very happyWhy Figma's stock crashed despite good earningsOneCrew raises $7.5M to modernize paving contractorsBuildFactory's $3.3M raise for prefab marketplace (plus an epic stealth mode fail)OpenAI's ironic $400K job posting for a content strategist"Those are amazing companies, but both those pieces of software need to be shot behind the tool shed. Like they are so old." - Dustin DeVan on legacy construction softwareFrom billion-dollar acquisitions to startup war stories, this episode reveals what's really happening behind the scenes in construction tech - including how one founder got exposed by a LinkedIn web scraper and why some think Microsoft is charging contractors way too much for basic AI tools.
Our Sponsor: Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.comBuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io4M Analytics - Instant, reliable utility data you can trust and verify - https://www.4manalytics.com/
Chapters00:00 Intro01:26 Introduction and Martin's Travels03:11 Microsoft's Investment in AI for Construction15:48 Acquisition of Firmus AI by Bluebeam23:50 Autodesk's Latest Earnings Report29:22 Earnings Insights and Market Reactions32:20 Autodesk's Strategic Shifts and Growth Potential34:24 Figma's Earnings and Market Positioning37:11 Figma's AI Initiatives and Future Directions51:05 OneCrew's Innovative Approach to Paving Software01:01:00 AI in Construction: The Future of Scheduling and Management01:04:37 Navigating the Challenges of Selling to Government Agencies01:05:42 Britton Langdon's Journey: From Stealth to Startup01:07:40 The Prefabrication Marketplace: Bridging Supply and Demand01:14:22 Quality Control in Prefabrication: Ensuring Standards01:20:12 Defining Prefab: Strategies for Cost and Efficiency
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
Robotics Mega Show with Dusty Robotics and ex-Waymo exec & CTO of Bedrock Robotics
Why these ex-Waymo engineers decided to conquer construction with their new startup, Bedrock Robotics.In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen and Patrick dive deep into the robotics revolution hitting construction with two industry-changing guests. Mo joins as co-host, bringing his Silicon Valley robotics expertise to unpack the biggest funding rounds and breakthroughs happening right now.Key topics discussed:- Why Dusty Robotics chose layout printing over flashier robot applications- How ex-Waymo engineers are retrofitting excavators with self-driving tech- The brutal truth about why most construction robotics startups failWhy accuracy is becoming the ultimate moat in construction robotics- How labor shortages are forcing the industry to embrace automation- The surprising lesson from building 60 robots in-house before outsourcing- Why Field AI's $405 million funding signals a tipping point for the industry- How construction sites are actually the perfect training ground for real-world roboticsKey quote: "Obviously everything's going to be built by robots in the future." - Tessa Lau, Dusty RoboticsFeaturing Tessa Lau, founder of Dusty Robotics (the most respected robotics company in construction tech), and Kevin Peterson, CTO of Bedrock Robotics (fresh out of stealth with $80 million to automate heavy machinery). This episode reveals why construction might be the key to unlocking robotics everywhere else.
🎧 Listen to the Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3P7JkiN9X3N4Kh6jlDsOgi?si=91JP5nxvQbKStkp8AQdAOg 📩 Subscribe to the Bricks & Bytes Newsletter: https://bricks-bytes.beehiiv.com/🌐 Visit our website: http://bricks-bytes.com/
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Chapters00:00 Intro01:06 Introduction to Robotics in Construction03:53 Current Trends and Sentiments in Robotics06:45 Barriers to Adoption in Robotics09:40 Autonomy vs. Collaboration in Robotics12:40 Field AI and Its Impact on Construction15:29 Dusty Robotics: Revolutionizing Job Sites18:18 The Future of Construction with Robotics21:04 Challenges in Construction Tech23:53 The Importance of User Experience in Robotics26:55 Lessons Learned from Robotics Development29:36 The Role of Accuracy in Robotics32:50 Proprietary Hardware vs. Off-the-Shelf Solutions39:43 Prototyping and Time to Market42:40 Manufacturing Challenges in Robotics44:46 Adoption of Robotics in Construction46:23 Pricing Strategies for Hardware47:41 Building a Thriving SaaS Business49:20 Transitioning from Self-Driving Cars to Construction53:30 Unique Product Offerings in Construction Robotics56:29 Collaboration Between Humans and Machines59:24 Adapting to Change in Construction01:11:09 The Future of Robotics in Construction
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