"Stop Treating It Like Alien Technology" — 3D Printing Is Just Another Construction Equipment
Half of every 3D printed building in history was built in 2024.In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Stephan Mansour, Director of Operations at Printerra and one of the leading voices in additive construction standards development. We got to learn about why 2025 might be the tipping point for 3D printing in construction, how a full concrete structure can harden in just 30 minutes, and what's really holding the industry back from mass adoption... and so much more.Stephan's been in construction for nearly 20 years and led a pilot 3D printing project for Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Housing back in 2018. Since then, he's been instrumental in developing international standards that are finally giving this technology the credibility it needs.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why the "perfect storm" of labor shortages, climate disasters, and geopolitical instability is accelerating 3D printing adoption✅ The $62 million contract ICON just landed with the US Army Corps of Engineers✅ Dubai's mandate for 25% of buildings to be 3D printed by 2030 — and whether it's realistic✅ The biggest mistake companies make when getting into 3D printing (hint: don't buy that printer you saw on YouTube)✅ How standards development is the unsexy foundation that will unlock exponential growth🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Youtube! Link in the commentsOur Sponsors:Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.coArchdesk - “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 Intro01:48 Introduction and Background 04:15 The Current State of 3D Printing in Construction 07:46 Understanding Additive Construction 12:06 The Role of Standards in 3D Printing 14:33 Challenges and Opportunities in Adoption 15:01 How 3D Printing Works in Construction 20:17 Real-World Applications of 3D Printing 24:15 The Future of 3D Printing in Construction32:42 Evaluating 3D Printing Technologies 38:02 Cost Considerations in 3D Printing 39:25 Learning Curve and Workforce Development 41:49 Design Flexibility in 3D Printing 43:51 Investor Perspectives on 3D Printing 46:07 The Impact of COVID on 3D Printing Adoption 47:43 Material Limitations and Environmental Factors 51:13 Key Players in the 3D Printing Industry 54:19 Future of 3D Printing in Construction
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Bricks & Bytes
DataGrid Acquired by Procore, 1,300 Jobs Gone at Autodesk, Tim Draper Backs Robots & Why BuildVision Dropped AI Branding
Procore just wrote a 9-figure check. Autodesk just cut 1,300 people. And someone called the best salespeople "the laziest."In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen, Dustin, and Patric sit down with Mike Powers, Kevin Halter, and Anton Glance to dissect the most chaotic week in construction tech. A founder just landed his second major exit. A website launched with zero mention of "AI." And a former Autodesk exec didn't hold back on who's winning the platform war.We get into:The real reason Procore acquired DataGrid — and why they won't make another bet like this for yearsAutodesk's layoffs and the "buy, build, buy" cycle that keeps repeatingKevin Halter's unfiltered take on Procore vs AutodeskWhy Mike removed every mention of "AI" from BuildVision's websiteThe warning sign AI startups need to hear right nowAnton's vision for BuildDroid — the robot simulation platform backed by Tim DraperKey quote:"Autodesk historically has been buy buy buy. Okay, we bought a bunch. Now we're going to build, build, build. And then they realized we're not good at building. So then we go buy buy buy." — Dustin DevanWatch the full episode on Youtube and Spotify. Link in the comments!Our Sponsor:Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.coArchdesk - “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 Intro01:06 Industry Shifts and Acquisitions 03:53 Procore's Strategic Moves 07:06 Autodesk Layoffs and Market Reactions 09:54 Sales Strategies and Organizational Changes 12:50 AI's Impact on Construction Tech 15:51 Website Innovations in Construction Tech 18:53 Future of Startups in AEC Tech 21:56 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Events 32:58 Introduction to Build Word AI 34:40 Customer Engagement and Project Execution 37:44 Monetization Strategies and Business Model 39:26 Founding Story and Team Dynamics 41:14 Timing and Market Readiness 43:46 Global Expansion and Market Validation 45:21 Investment Insights and Fundraising Journey 47:26 Industry Trends and Future Outlook 49:51 Sales Strategies and Market Dynamics
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Bricks & Bytes
"AI Today = 1999 Internet" - How Bluebeam Became Construction's Most Legendary Product
"The first time a customer said 'yeah, I just blue beamed it' - that was a moment."When your product becomes a verb, you know you've built something legendary.In today's episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, we had Don Jacob, Co-founder of Bluebeam, and we got to learn about the wild 24-year journey from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab to building one of the most iconic products in construction tech... and the future of AI-powered collaboration that's coming next.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why Don left the premier space agency in the world to "sell dog food online" (and how that decision led to Bluebeam)✅ The secret sauce behind Bluebeam's legendary status: "When the phone rang, we picked up" - accessibility over everything✅ How bootstrap funding became their competitive advantage and forced the discipline that built the company DNA✅ Why we're living through the 1999 internet moment all over again with AI - and how Bluebeam Max is positioning for itBonus: the story of how a random bar encounter in Boston made this whole interview happen (thanks Tanya from Nemetschek!)Don's been at this for 24 years and the energy hasn't dimmed. If anything, he's more fired up about what's ahead than ever before.Listen now on Spotify and Youtube 🎧 Link in the comments!Our Sponsor:Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.coArchdesk - “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 Intro01:40 Introduction and Serendipitous Connections 03:50 The Legacy of Bluebeam and Its Founding 11:09 From NASA to Bluebeam: A Journey Through Innovation 17:27 Democratizing Design Data: The Birth of Bluebeam 26:13 The Evolution of Bluebeam: From PDF to Collaboration 33:06 Simplicity in Software: The Key to Bluebeam's Success 36:41 The Core DNA of Bluebeam 38:32 Evolution of Bluebeam's Product Offerings 41:28 Collaboration and the Introduction of Studio 43:20 Acquisition by Nemechek: A Strategic Move 45:58 Lessons Learned from Building Great Products 50:09 Leadership and Team Dynamics 55:15 The Unbound Event and Future Innovations 56:32 Integrating AI into Bluebeam's Offerings
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Bricks & Bytes
Carbon Accounting's Collapse, Apple Chooses Gemini, First 2026 IPO Is Here
What happened to carbon accounting? (Spoiler: Nobody cares anymore)In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen, Martin, Dustin, and Patric dive into the rise and fall of carbon accounting in construction, why Autodesk's big bet didn't pan out, and what it reveals about the gap between tech hype and real-world adoption.In this episode:The carbon accounting boom that went bust—and why the U.S. construction industry never really caredPatric's hilarious "Frankenstein scale" metaphor that perfectly captures the absurdity of pre-construction carbon trackingCIV Robotics founder Tom Yeshurun on why they killed their drone product and how they're now doing 5,000+ layout points per dayThe construction tech IPO everyone's watching (and what it means for the industry)BREAKING: PlanGrid founders Tracy Young and Ralph Gootee just got acquired again—Lennar Homes buys their new company Tiger EyeKey quote: "When I was at Autodesk, they were very big on carbon accounting and everything would be front and center of every project by now... At least in the U.S., they don't really care about it. It's just the fact." — Dustin DevanPlus: Why construction roles are "booming" (or are they?), what AI agent is helping build the next Siri, and an invite to Ediphi's Agent-a-thon in San Francisco on January 23rd.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.ioAphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.coChapters00:00 Intro00:53 Introduction to Carbon Accounting 03:36 Understanding Carbon Accounting and Its Importance 05:46 Challenges in Carbon Accounting for Construction 10:38 Investigative Insights on Carbon Credits 20:05 The Acquisition of Plan A by Diginex 26:19 Incentives and Exit Strategies 27:05 Apple's AI Strategy: A Cautious Approach 29:07 The Value of Waiting in Tech Development 31:05 The Role of Employee Retention in Tech Companies 36:58 OpenAI and Competitive Reactions 43:41 EquipmentShare's IPO and Business Model Insights 53:18 Understanding Financial Metrics for Tech Companies 54:40 The Challenges of Financial Forecasting 58:26 Innovations in Construction: Civ Robotics' Approach 01:08:01 Future Directions and Exit Strategies for Startups
How China Builds Nuclear Plants Cheaper, Construction's $860bn Problem, Robotics in Solar & Trump 2.0 Germany Effects
EXPOSED: How China is Building Nuclear Power for 90% Less While the West Falls Behind"Every level that you move up the construction chain, you're saving 50 bips of interest. From capital provider to owner to GC to sub to supplier to manufacturer rep - seven, eight steps, 4%. That's why a million-dollar generator costs owners $1.7 million." - Mike Powers, BuildVisionIn this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, our hosts dive into why China can build nuclear reactors at a fraction of Western costs while the US and Europe struggle with massive delays and budget overruns.Key topics include:Why China can build nuclear reactors for $2.7B while Western projects balloon to $40B+The efficiency secrets behind China's massive infrastructure projectsSmall Modular Reactors (SMRs) as a potential solution to nuclear's problemsGermany's trillion-dollar infrastructure investment planHow robotics is revolutionizing solar panel installationWhy industry events might be useful for startups but painful for everyone else"Nuclear is a cash machine when you operate it, but it ruins you when you build it, when you have to maintain it, when you have to repair it, and it completely ruins you once you have to decommission it." - Patric------------Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Nuclear Energy and Global Context06:06 Cost Disparities in Nuclear Energy Projects12:02 China's Nuclear Ambitions and Infrastructure Efficiency19:54 Understanding the Economics of Nuclear Energy31:46 The Future of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)36:31 Energy Independence and Nuclear Power39:44 Germany's Political Landscape and Infrastructure Spending48:55 AI in Construction: Ownership of Workflows54:23 Streamlining Construction Financing and Working Capital01:08:52 Market Dynamics and Demand Aggregation01:10:46 Introduction of James Emerick and Cosmic Robotics01:11:52 Innovations in Construction Robotics01:14:42 Expanding Robotics Applications Beyond Solar01:18:05 Global Competition in Robotics and Solar Installation01:19:50 Future Projections for Solar Demand01:21:24 Business Models in Robotics01:23:10 Path to Becoming a Robotics Engineer01:24:20 The Role of Events in Networking and Business01:31:52 Event Experiences and Startup Strategies
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
Construction Crash Coming - Our NEW Host, US Economy Contracts 0.3%, Trump Tariffs Hit Construction, Autodesk vs Procore Battle, AI, Biggest Construction Tech Failures
Is Construction Headed for a Slowdown, or a Full-Blown Crash?
This week on Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, things get spicy.We dig into the 0.3% drop in US GDP—and why it might just be the beginning for the construction sector. But tariffs and rate hikes are only half the story. The real drama? AI hype cycles, Autodesk vs. Procore, and why most “AI for construction” startups are just faucets with no bathtub.
Inside this episode:Why the US economy is wobbling—and how it's already hitting constructionThe real reason projects are stalling (hint: it’s not just input costs)The “bathtub vs. faucet” theory of AI—and how it exposes weak GTM strategiesAutodesk: overpriced legacy? Or sleeping giant ready to crush Procore?The top 20 construction tech failures—modular startups dominate the list
Plus:What BuildingConnected could have become (and why Autodesk isn’t using it)Why not having pricing certainty is killing dealsThe Katerra excuse that made everyone on the show wince
Key Quote:
"You're not solving the problem. You're just identifying the problem for someone else to win." - Dustin DeVan
If you’re in AEC and want to see the next wave coming before it hits... this one’s required listening.
------Chapters00:00 Intro01:35 Introduction and Welcome02:43 US Economy Contraction and Recession Concerns08:38 Impact of Tariffs on Construction Costs13:37 Short-term vs Long-term Economic Perspectives19:40 Global Supply Chain and Trade Dynamics25:34 AI's Role in Construction and Economic Resilience31:35 Business Strategies in a Volatile Market38:25 Innovative Content Formats in AI and Supply Chains40:06 The Role of AI in Construction Economics42:57 AI as a Commodity: The Bathtub Metaphor49:26 Disrupting the Authoring Space: Challenges and Opportunities56:44 Investing in Autodesk: A Critical Analysis01:11:11 Procore's Challenges and Market Dynamics01:13:44 Marketing Strategies in Construction Tech01:15:55 Potential Disruptors: Google and Microsoft01:20:15 Mergers and Acquisitions in Construction Tech01:21:47 Top Construction Tech Failures: A Game01:27:00 Lessons from Construction Tech Failures
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
VCs Are NOT Always The Answer - Bootstrapping Benefits & Sustainable Growth from Funding Experts
"Venture capital in PropTech increased 82X from $200M to $15B in just 15 years - but is VC money right for construction tech founders right now?"In today's episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we got to learn about J.P. Bowgen's journey from AlphaSites to Macy's corporate innovation team to becoming a partner at Camber Creek.We got to learn about how Camber Creek de-risks investments by testing startups with their 300+ real estate and construction LP network before investing.Also, we learned about J.P.'s hot take that PropTech and ConTech might not actually be mature enough for venture capital money right now - with only 1 in 4 companies spending more than 1% of revenue on digitization.Tune in to find out about: ✅ How Camber Creek operates as an "outsourced R&D department" for real estate companies ✅ Why construction tech is 5-7 years behind PropTech but might soon leapfrog it ✅ The shift in ConTech companies selling upstream to owners instead of just GCs ✅ The importance of personal brand building for VCsListen now on Spotify to hear the full conversation with J.P. Bowgen.-----------Chapters00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates01:10 Journey into Venture Capital05:30 Transition from Macy's to Camber Creek14:51 Establishing a Presence in Europe16:23 Camber Creek's Investment Thesis and Origins18:29 The Digital Transformation of Real Estate19:55 De-risking Investments through Strategic Engagement21:21 The Role of Strategic Investors in Venture Capital23:41 Navigating the Landscape of Venture Capital26:26 The Importance of Media in Deal Flow30:29 Building a Personal Brand in Venture Capital33:41 Opportunistic Investing in PropTech and Construction Tech37:30 The Shift in Technology Adoption in Construction39:36 Debunking Misconceptions about Venture Capital
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
US VC Returns Underperform Globally - Market Saturation & Hidden Opportunities from Construction Unicorns
"The US VC market is the worst performing of all VC markets across the world in terms of financial performance." In today's episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we got to learn about BuildOps securing $127 million in Series C funding and achieving unicorn status with a $1B valuation.We also explored the structural differences between US and European contractor software markets, where European contractors are typically smaller and 5-10 years behind in software adoption compared to their US counterparts.Additionally, we gained insight into how fund size impacts investment strategy, with smaller VC funds avoiding obvious competitive spaces that larger funds eagerly pursue.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why BuildOps and Service Titan succeed with modular software for contractors✅ How SaaS business models justify higher valuations than traditional services✅ Why European construction software is following a roll-up strategy✅ The difference between investing in "the business" versus "the share price"------Chapters00:00 Introduction and Recent Developments04:50 BuildOps: A New Unicorn in Construction Tech19:06 Comparing BuildOps and ServiceTitan27:49 Valuation Insights and Market Dynamics
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