#045 - Christoph Betz - Navigating Innovation in Construction: Challenges and Perspectives
Introducing today's guest, Christoph Betz, an independent innovation advisor and researcher. Christoph Betz explored the true meaning of innovation, effective teamwork through collaboration, and the impact of social science on innovation departments.
In this episode, we will explore the following topics:
Innovation is occurring on construction sites in various forms.
Collaboration and younger generations play a crucial role in driving innovation.
Clear goals and strategies are essential for successful innovation projects.
Integration of new technologies into workflows is key, while minimizing cognitive load.
Dedicated innovation teams are emerging in the industry.
Europe, particularly Germany, leads in innovation, including BIM.
Construction industry shows optimism and progress in its innovation journey.
If you find this podcast valuable, we kindly request that you share your review and show your support by giving us a thumbs up. Your feedback is greatly appreciated as we strive to deliver the most valuable content in the construction industry.
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Christoph Betz, Innovation & Venture in Construction
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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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Bricks & Bytes
#072 - Anton Marinovich - From A Mason’s Son To Becoming The VP of Sales at EverCam
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we have Anton Marinovich, VP of Sales at Evercam.
In this episode, we learn about the key metrics that investors look into startups before investing, sales strategies in construction and much more!
Tune in to find out about:
Unique challenges of selling to the construction industry, especially at the project level, where high churn rates are common.
The importance of building trust and relationships in sales, particularly in construction, where each day can bring new challenges.
The crucial role of patience and respectful persistence in construction sales.
Insights into the process of angel investing, focusing on the significance of the founding team, the story, and the unique elements of startups.
If you enjoy today’s episode, leave us a comment. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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Anton Marinovich | VP of Sales at Evercam
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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 - 00:02:10) - Intro
(00:02:10 - 00:08:15) - Key Lessons learned selling to the construction industry
(00:08:15 - 00:20:11) - Comparing Sales: Construction vs Other Industries
(00:20:11 - 00:26:40) - Key metrics that Investors look into startups before investing
(00:26:40 - 00:30:50) - Thoughts on Construction Industry
(00:30:50 - 00:31:12) - Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
#059 - Sarah Hodges - From Cashier to Chief Marketing Officer At Procore: Unveiling Key ConTech Marketing Strategies and Sarah’s Journey To The Top
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we have Sarah Hodges, the Chief Marketing Officer at Procore.
In this episode, we learn about Sarah’s journey, some key lessons Sarah learned as CMO at Procore, successful marketing strategies for startups, and much more!
Tune in to find out about:
Key lessons Sarah learned working as a Chief Marketing Officer at Procore
Different ways to test marketing strategies
How to develop confidence
Marketing strategies for startups
Procore’s marketing strategies
If you enjoy today’s episode, leave us a comment. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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Sarah Hodges | Chief Marketing Officer at Procore | ConTech
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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:
(0:00-2:05) - Intro
(2:05 -03:50) - Key Lessons you learnt as a CMO
(3:50-7:00) - Ways to Test Marketing Strategies
(7:00-08:50) - How to develop confidence
(8:50-18:40) - Groundbreak and its marketing strategies
(18:40-20:40) - Advice for Marketing team at Startups
(20:40- 21:30) - Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
#057 - Rohan Jawali - How LLMs And AI Will Shape the Next Decade Of Construction Tech
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we have Rohan Jawali, the Co-Founder of Joist.ai
In this episode, we learn about the key lessons Rohan learned while building an AI-based startup, the significance and capabilities of LLMs in construction, how to write better prompts, and much more!
Tune in to find out about:
How LLM’s will change construction
How to write better prompts
Limits and the future of LLMs
The key areas that LLM’s disrupt
If you enjoy today’s episode, leave us a comment. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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Rohan Jawali | Co-Founder of Joist.ai | ConTech
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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:
(0:00-3:28) - Intro
(4:40-8:05) - Key lessons Rohan learnt while growing Joist.ai
(8:05-13:19) - Introduction to Joist.ai
(13:19-17:30) - What are LLMs and why they are useful
(17:30-20:40) - How LLMs are changing construction drawings
(20:40-25:01) - Why Rohan prefers LLMs
(25:01-29:00) - Importance of prompting
(29:00-32:40) - Use of AI for Drawings In Construction
(32:40-35:25) - Limits of LLMs
(35:25-40:00) - Future of LLMs
(40:00-43:40) - Introduction to On Deck
(43:40-44:16) - Outro
"AI Can't Handle Full Design Workflows!" - Automation Promises & Real-World Limitations from AEC Experts
"Is it possible to get from concept to fully constructible building designs in hours? "In today's episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we got to learn about Augmenta's $10 million seed funding for their AI-powered design platform that aims to automate electrical designs for buildings.We also learned about the ongoing debate between automated design platforms versus improved authoring tools, and which approach might ultimately capture more value in the MEP/S design space.Patric shared his investor's perspective that data infrastructure, authoring tools, and systems of record may be better investment targets than pure AI solutions, as they're likely to embed AI capabilities and control workflows long-term.Tune in to find out about:✅ The challenge of creating "fully constructible" designs through automation✅ Why minimum feature sets in building design software are exceptionally high✅ The reality that vectorial AI systems will always need human refinement✅ How the MEP design workflow might evolve with AI assistance------------Chapters00:00 Intro03:40 Augmenta's Seed Funding and Automation in Design07:02 Challenges of Constructible Designs11:35 The Importance of Minimum Feature Sets15:01 Marketing vs. Reality in Construction Tech18:19 Competition in the Automation Space20:16 Navigating the Complexities of MEP Design24:11 The Future of Automated Building Design30:11 The Role of AI in Design Automation34:26 The Intersection of Authoring Tools and Automation39:00 The Evolving Landscape of AI in Construction
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
"$65 Billion Wasted!" - How Twin Knowledge's AI Prevents Costly Construction Rework
"$65 billion worth of rework happened in the United States last year in construction. The expectation in the market is that construction projects run over budgets and timelines."In today's episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we got to learn about Twin Knowledge, an AI-powered platform that raised $3.7M to help construction and real estate stakeholders QA/QC building drawings before they hit the field.We discovered how the company is tackling the massive $65B rework problem by creating AI assistants that help query unstructured data across different silos.Also, we learned about the power of "white glove" implementation approaches in construction tech from JP Bowgen of Camber Creek.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why developers feel the most pain from drawing errors✅ How Twin Knowledge can help teams do "4-5X the work with half the team"✅ Why founder expertise matters more than ever in the AI boom✅ The importance of catching errors upstream before they become costly rework-------------Sign up to the #1 Newsletter In Construction Tech. Join over 1,000 like-minded Founders, Investors and Techies disrupting the way we build. Forever : https://bricks-bytes.beehiiv.com/subscribe-------------LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bricks-bytes/X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bricksbytespodYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmNbunUTIIQDzbJgGJt9_ZgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricksbytes/---------------Chapters00:00 Introduction to Twin Knowledge and AI in Construction02:53 Understanding the Accuracy and Utility of AI in Building Drawings06:14 The Impact of Rework in Construction and the Role of Twin Knowledge08:47 Evaluating the Value of Twin Knowledge in Construction Projects11:57 The Leadership Behind Twin Knowledge and Its Market Position14:56 The White Glove Approach in Technology Implementation17:57 The Future of Twin Knowledge and AI in Construction28:10 The Vision Behind Twin Knowledge30:01 Funding and Future Plans32:02 Competitive Landscape and Unique Positioning33:55 Understanding Cost Savings and Value Proposition36:09 Rework Challenges in Construction38:58 Incentives and Business Dynamics43:59 Final Thoughts on AI and Future Prospects
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
Germany's Fiscal Bazooka Ignites Europe - Construction Tech Opportunities & Capital Shifts from Global VC Perspective
"Germany's fiscal U-turn might be the drop that makes Europe's bucket overflow."In today's episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we got to learn about Camber Creek's unique investment approach with JP Bowgen - they raise funds from 300+ real estate companies to drive value for founders they back.We discussed Germany's recent "fiscal bazooka" - a massive €500 billion infrastructure fund alongside unlimited military spending, potentially kickstarting a new era of European optimism.Also, we learned about how building materials companies in Germany jumped 20% in share prices following this announcement, creating a flywheel effect for construction tech.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why JP predicts we'll see the first German construction tech unicorn in 4 years✅ How infrastructure investment creates opportunities for material innovation✅ The potential shift in global economic power dynamics✅ Why successful US startups are increasingly looking to expand into EuropeListen to the full conversation on Spotify.----------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---------LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bricks-bytes/X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bricksbytespodYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmNbunUTIIQDzbJgGJt9_ZgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricksbytes/—---------------------------Chapters00:00 Introduction to Camber Creek and JP Bowgen06:09 Germany's Fiscal U-Turn and Historical Context11:53 Implications of Germany's Infrastructure and Defense Spending17:58 The Impact on Construction Tech and Startups24:01 Future Prospects for Investment in Germany28:59 Exploring On-Site Robotics and Supply Chain Solutions31:12 The Importance of Energy Efficiency in Europe33:28 Infrastructure Investment and Its Impact on Housing36:32 The Future of Venture Capital in Europe40:34 The Shift of Founders from the US to Europe44:11 Economic Implications of US Isolationism49:57 Cultural and Economic Power Dynamics
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
Reneo’s €600M to Transform Real Estate, Nodes and Links $12m Scheduling Raise
"In Europe, you need your buildings to consume less energy because we don't have a lot of prime energy." - Patric on why Reneo's business model works beyond regulations.In today's episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we got to learn about Reneo's massive €600M funding round (with €45M in equity) to transform energy-inefficient buildings into greener assetsWe also explored Nodes and Links $12M Series B funding for their AI-powered scheduling management platform that enhances project delivery across construction and other industriesPlus, we gained valuable insight into how successful construction tech companies approach scheduling through three distinct models: full automation, analytics/visibility, and collaboration-focused solutions.Tune in to find out about:✅ How Reneo creates structural cost advantages through radical standardization✅ Why co-CEOs can work well with the right dynamic, especially during adversity✅ The critical difference between having a schedule versus the act of scheduling✅ Why one investor got excited seeing Salil Deshpande (Uncorrelated) backing Nodes and LinksListen to the full episode on Spotify to learn how these construction tech innovators are reshaping the industry.------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------LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bricks-bytes/X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bricksbytespodYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmNbunUTIIQDzbJgGJt9_ZgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricksbytes/-----Chapters00:00 Introduction and Context01:10 Overview of Reneo and Its Business Model05:54 Reneo's Unique Approach to Real Estate Investment11:49 Investment Rationale and Market Dynamics17:52 Challenges and Opportunities in the Real Estate Sector24:05 Conclusion and Future Outlook25:40 Exploring Nodes and Links in Scheduling Technology30:01 Models of Scheduling: Automation, Visibility, and Collaboration36:02 The Future of Scheduling Software: Differentiation and Optimization39:59 Investment Insights: Evaluating Funding and Market Dynamics