#053 - Linden Dover - Strategies For Startup Growth In Construction Tech
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we have Linden Dover, Founder of Weaver. We discuss his journey of building a tech startup, B2B and B2C dynamics in the construction industry, future of home renovation and much more!
Tune in to find out about:
Strategies for growing a startup
Challenges while onboarding construction workers in tech
B2C challenges in construction tech
The future of home renovation
If you enjoy today’s episode, leave us a comment. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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Linden Dover | Founder of Weaver | 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 construction partners.
Check www.the-beta.com
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Timestamps:
(0:00:00-0:05:54) - Intro
(0:05:54-0:10:07) - How to manage tech background in any startup
(0:10:07-0:19:34) - Strategies for growing a startup
(0:19:34-0:25:24) - How to onboard construction workers in tech
(0:25:24-0:27:05) - B2C challenges in construction tech
(0:27:05-0:37:04) - Thoughts on home renovation with tech and its future
(0:37:04-0:37:25) - Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
#069 - Valentina Shegoyan - Securing Venture Capital In Real Estate Technology
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we have Valentina Shegoyan, Managing Partner at Second Century Ventures
In this episode, we learn venture capital investing, the future of real estate, what VCs look for in startup founders, and much more!
Tune in to find out:
Valentina’s journey to becoming a top VC
How the venture capital industry works and how to get funding as a startup
The qualities VCs look for in startup founders beyond just a good pitch
How real estate is becoming more data-driven and tech-enabled
Advice for startups on applying to accelerator programs and pitching to investors
If you enjoy today’s episode, leave us a comment. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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Valentina Shegoyan | Managing Partner at REACH UK - Second Century Ventures
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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:
(00:00:00 - 00:01:03) - Intro
(00:01:03 - 00:05:20) - Becoming a Managing Partner at a Venture Capital Firm
(00:05:20 - 00:06:04) - Insights Gained as a Managing Partner at Second Century
(00:06:04 - 00:12:40) - Understanding Venture Capital and Its Investments
(00:12:40 - 00:16:02) - Three Strategies for Engaging with Venture Capitalists
(00:16:02 - 00:24:24) - Traits Indicative of a Successful Founder
(00:24:24 - 00:29:30) - Predictions for the Future of the Real Estate Market
(00:29:30 - 00:32:10) - Dynamics of VC-Founder Relationships and Aligning Incentives
(00:32:10 - 00:36:41) - Early-Stage and Later-Stage Venture Capital Investing
(00:36:41 - 00:39:28) - Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
#034 - Eveart Foster - Bridging Innovation and Integration, and Constructing The Future
Innovation and Integration, Construction Tech & The Future.
On today's podcast, we have construction tech expert Eveart Foster.
Eveart is currently the Subject Matter Expert at Autodesk, following an exciting past in design, product management and technology adoption.
In this episode, we discuss:
Who you *should* be selling to as a company in construction tech
The transformational potential of generative AI in construction
Gamification, and what it means for future generations
The future of AutoDesk Construction Cloud
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Eveart Foster
Integrations Subject Matter Expert at Autodesk | President of Associates Board at WITS
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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:
(0:00:00-0:01:07) - Intro
(0:01:07-0:10:31) - Exploring the Journey of Eva's Digital Transformation in Construction Technology"
(0:10:31-0:14:55) - The people who use Alterdesk have to pay?
(0:14:55-0:17:37) - How does technology adoption has changed and how the future looks like?
(0:17:37-0:24:07) - What are the challenges that business face?
(0:24:07-0:35:15) - Improvement and driving of technology
(0:35:15-0:39:39) - What happens if you don't change your technology?
(0:39:39-0:43:30) - What is construction acquisition?
(0:43:30-0:53:24) - How conversational AI will help in 10 to 15 years?
(0:53:24-0:56:22) - How to stay curious?
(0:56:22-0:56:40) - Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
#049 - Luke Graham - Pi Labs - Venture Capital, Research, Dry Powder And Social Science In Construction - Lessons From A Researcher Turned VC
In this episode of Bricks & Bytes we have Luke Graham - Head of Research at Pi Labs to discuss venture capital, research, social science and psychology and many more.
Tune in to find out about:
The purpose of research in VC
The origin of venture capital
Role of social science and psychology in venture capital and construction tech
The benefits of partnering with a VC aside from the cash
Thoughts on trends like AR, VR, Metaverse and AI
Whether you should get an MBA
If you enjoy today’s episode, leave us a comment. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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Luke Graham | Head of Research at Pi Labs 🔍 | Venture Capital Researcher | ConTech
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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:
(0:00:00-0:05:05) - Intro
(0:05:05-0:07:42) - Role of a Head of Research at a Venture Firm
(0:07:42-0:17:00) - How to identify if a product is viable or not for any business
(0:17:00-0:18:50) - How does venture capital work
(0:18:50-0:21:10) - Why do we need venture capital
(0:21:10-0:26:00) - What impact does social science have on the venture capital world?
(0:26:00-0:27:35) - Thoughts on psychological theory
(0:27:35-0:37:20) - Is there still dry power in venture capital
(0:37:20-0:57:15) - Thoughts on AI, VR, AR and Metaverse hype
(0:57:15-0:59:05) - 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