Ever wondered how major VC firms evaluate and invest (or reject) in construction technology startups?
In this episode, we sit down with Aaron Toppston and Yaniv Lusana of GS Futures, a major venture capital firm backing the next generation of construction technology. Discover how they're identifying the "painkillers" that are transforming the industry, from autonomous robots navigating complex job sites to AI-powered solutions revolutionising every stage of the construction lifecycle.
Discover the unique challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving space. Take a look into the future of construction and the technologies that are set to transform it.
Key Takeaways:
GS Futures' prime focus: Identifying "painkiller" technologies that solve critical construction pain points
Hot areas: Robotics, AI, digital twins, supply chain management, low-carbon materials
Top traits they seek in founders: Deep industry understanding, clear product vision, ability to sell
Underinvested spaces ripe for innovation: Workflow solutions, stakeholder connectivity
Insights on evaluating venture-backability, managing investor expectations, and more
And much more.
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Sign up for our newsletter The Bytes Line at: https://bricks-bytes.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bricks-bytes/
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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmNbunUTIIQDzbJgGJt9_Zg
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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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BuildVision is a procurement network for the $5T commercial construction market. We are transforming the commercial construction supply chain by bringing contractors, manufacturers, and project stakeholders onto a single software platform—revolutionizing how every component is sourced, purchased, and financed.
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro To Our Sponsors
02:30 - Intro To Yaniv, Aaron & GS Futures
15:12 - Tech As A 'Vitamin' Vs Tech As A 'Painkiller'
22:50 - Green & Red Flags On Founders For Investors
32:00 - VC's Perspective On Robotics Startups
40:50 - Why Corporate Venture Capital Investor V/s Venture Investors
59:10 - How Startups Can Get Venture-backed
01:04:00 - Impact of Liquidity For VCs
01:08:18 - Vision of GS Futures
01:09:47 - Outro
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#podcast #construction #constructionindustry #bricksandbytes #startups #architecture #design #civilengineering #engineering #constructiontechnology #engineer #architect #civilengineer #concrete #podcaster #podcasting #entrepreneur #podcasts #podcastlife #startups #entrepreneurship
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Bricks & Bytes
Design Democracy: Tech Platform Signals New Era in Home Design
Stand in stunned silence and admire the new dream timber-clad conservatory YOU just designed - with sleek modern finishes, climbing bougainvillea, and cascading natural light - all done on a laptop, without any architectural knowledge.
Join us for another mind-blowing Bricks & Byte episode as we sit down with Mark Hood - Head Architect at Resi and transport into the future of home architecture. Listen to Mark as he reveals advanced 3D modelling tools that allow homeowners to design their home extensions – without any experience or knowledge. This is next-gen architecture that simplifies building process and begins a new chapter in home design.
Key Takeaways:
Discover the power to design your dream home extension with ease
Learn how Resi streamlines the entire process, saving you time and stress
Understand the future of sustainable home design and how to be part of it
Explore how Resi takes the guesswork out of costs and timelines
Find out how tech puts you in control
And more.
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Stay ahead. Get all the news and insider exclusives delivered straight to your inbox.
Sign up for our newsletter The Bytes Line at: https://bricks-bytes.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bricks-bytes/
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bricksbytespod
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmNbunUTIIQDzbJgGJt9_Zg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricksbytes/
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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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BuildVision is a procurement network for the $5T commercial construction market. We are transforming the commercial construction supply chain by bringing contractors, manufacturers, and project stakeholders onto a single software platform—revolutionizing how every component is sourced, purchased, and financed.
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Timestamps:
(00:00:00-00:02:37) Intro
(00:02:37-00:11:35) About Resi
(00:11:35-00:20:31) About Product Development
(00:20:31-00:30:25) Understanding Retro Fitting
(00:30:25-00:43:23) Process For Developing Products
(00:43:23-00:48:40) Plans For Raising Money In Future
(00:48:40-00:52:10) Work Culture at Resi
(00:52:10-00:53:29) Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
13% Profit at Risk? Kroo's Solution for Construction's Cash Flow Chaos
"Data silos are real, right?" That's how our conversation started with Kroo, and it perfectly captures the challenge they're tackling in construction.
Recently we were invited to the BOOST cohort from Suffolk Technologies, where we had a chance to interview Barry and Jonathan, Kroo's co-founders, and we learned about their modern data management approach and how it can help construction companies.
Tune in to find out about:
How Kroo is unifying data from different platforms like project management, ERP, and scheduling software.
Why 80-90% of the industry is still struggling with basic data management.
How Kroo is helping companies forecast cash flow and manage project costs.
Why a data-driven approach is essential for efficiency and growth in the construction sector.
read more
Bricks & Bytes
Alternative Materials and Affordable Homes. Touching Net Zero | Paul Richards - Founder, GURBuild
Can homes be both energy-efficient and affordable? One visionary is changing the way we know homes.
In this episode, we sit down with industry trailblazer Paul Richards – the visionary founder of GURBuild Net Zero Energy Housing. Paul shares his remarkable journey and insights into revolutionising the housing sector.
Join us for a fascinating account of a man’s struggles against stubborn traditions of the construction industry. Paul has been a pioneer in introducing modern construction methods and promoting net-zero energy homes. Listen to Paul as he shares his inspiring story of challenges and triumphs against an environmentally unstable industry.
Learn about GURBuild hybrid construction system – a groundbreaking approach to building affordable and energy-efficient homes.
Tune in and learn:
How Paul found GURBuild Net Zero Energy Housing and brought Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to home building
The importance of attracting younger generations to construction through improved site conditions and innovative practices
About homes that minimise energy consumption and the concept of operational zero carbon homes
How GURBuild's hybrid construction system is combining techniques from engineering, automotive, and aerospace industries
Paul's insights on the future of MMC and increased use of hybrid solutions, composites, panel systems, and custom designs
And a lot more
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Sign up for our newsletter at: https://bricksbytes.show
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bricks-bytes/
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bricksbytespod
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmNbunUTIIQDzbJgGJt9_Zg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricksbytes/
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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
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Timestamps:
(00:00:00-00:02:30) Intro
(00:02:30-00:12:25) Paul's Journey
(00:12:25-00:18:20) Solutions to Labour Shortage In Construction
(00:18:20-00:29:30) Passive House Standard and n-ZEP
(00:29:30-00:33:30) Engineer's Thoughts on Construction
(00:33:30-00:39:00) View on MMC within Construction
(00:39:00-00:41:25) How Paul stays creatuve in his work
(00:41:25-00:42:16) Outro
Building Materials Marketplace vs Cloud Manufacturing: What Works Where?
Building my own house made me realize how broken construction supply chains are - Saudi BRKZ founder's story sounds familiar?In today's episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we explored how Saudi BRKZ secured $17M Series A funding for their construction materials marketplace, bringing their total raise to $22.5M in just two years.We discussed how emerging markets like Saudi Arabia present unique opportunities for construction tech marketplaces that wouldn't work in Western markets, due to their concentrated demand and fragmented supply.We also got fascinating insights from Patric on why having 1,100 suppliers might not be the most efficient strategy for a construction materials marketplace, and why the "cloud manufacturer" model could be more effective.Tune in to learn about:✅ Why Saudi Arabia's construction tech scene is heating up✅ The difference between managed marketplaces and cloud manufacturers✅ How venture debt can be smartly used in profitable marketplace models✅ Why expanding to 40 cities quickly might raise questions for investorsListen to the full episode on Spotify to hear our deep dive into construction tech marketplaces and emerging market opportunities.----------------Chapters00:00 Introduction and Personal Insights01:55 Exploring Construction Tech Opportunities05:01 Understanding Bricks and Its Business Model09:56 Supply Chain Dynamics in Emerging Markets15:08 Funding Strategies and Market Expansion20:06 Debt Financing and Working Capital Management23:51 The Role of Debt in Business Growth24:18 Evaluating Investment Metrics25:10 Understanding Unit Economics26:31 Investment Opportunities in Saudi Arabia28:11 Optimism in the Construction Industry29:39 Navigating Customer Relationships in Startups30:00 The Challenge of Custom Solutions35:34 The Importance of Long-Term Relationships36:18 Technology Integration in Construction39:02 The Future of Construction Technology----------------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/—---------------------------------------------------------- #podcast #construction #constructionindustry #bricksandbytes #startups #architecture #design #civilengineering #engineering #constructiontechnology #engineer #architect #civilengineer #concrete #podcaster #podcasting #entrepreneur #podcasts #podcastlife #startups #entrepreneurship
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
Invoice reconciliation, AI automation, Material data infrastructure & CFO-driven adoption
From calling suppliers to schedule deliveries to manually typing data into Excel - this German startup secures €12.5M to fix construction's paper problem.In today's episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we had Henric Meinhardt from comstruct walk us through how they're digitizing the material delivery and invoice reconciliation process between suppliers and contractors.We got to learn about how they're using AI to process unstructured data from thousands of suppliers, replacing manual data entry with automated workflows.And interestingly, we heard an investor's perspective on why focusing on financial processes can be the best entry point into construction companies, starting with the CFO rather than on-site teams.Tune in to find out about:✅ How comstruct automates invoice matching and material tracking✅ Why large language models are making traditional EDI interfaces obsolete✅ Their unique go-to-market strategy targeting CFOs first✅ How they convinced World Cup winner Mario Götze to investListen to the full episode on Spotify to hear how comstruct is building the infrastructure for construction's digital future.-----------Chapters00:00 Introduction to Constrakt and Funding Success03:06 The Evolution of Construction Processes06:07 Agentic AI and Its Impact on Construction09:01 Future of Invoicing in Construction12:11 Optimizing Procurement Processes15:08 Supplier Engagement and Automation17:48 Competition and Market Landscape20:59 ESG Considerations in Construction24:07 International Expansion and Future Plans24:37 Technical Difficulties and Humor25:09 Go-to-Market Strategy Insights28:57 Understanding Customer Needs and ROI29:59 Investment and Growth Plans31:44 Navigating the Construction Tech Landscape32:38 Pre-Construction Processes and Challenges36:54 Prioritization in Business Strategy39:14 Engaging Investors in Unique Niches
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
Why European Construction Tech Could Outperform US Startups: A 5X Cost Advantage Revealed
In today's episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we learn about the story of an AEC start-up that raised $25M from a prestigious investor only to shut up shop shortly after announcing their round.We got insights into late-stage funding challenges in construction tech, with a seasoned investor highlighting why businesses struggle to raise Series B rounds when earlier rounds were overvalued.Also, we learned why Europe might offer better returns for construction tech investors than the US, despite the US potentially delivering bigger individual outcomes.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why listening to non-VC entrepreneurs is crucial for sustainable growth✅ The mechanics of construction tech startup valuations across funding rounds✅ How to navigate down rounds and recapitalization✅ Why European construction tech startups have a 4-5x cost advantage----Chapters00:00 Introduction and Light Banter01:49 Challenges in Construction Tech Funding04:27 Strategies for Raising Capital09:20 Profitability vs. Growth in Construction Tech12:56 Late Stage Funding Trends15:24 Avoiding Overvaluation in Funding Rounds17:28 Valuation Mechanics in Funding Rounds21:16 Equity Dynamics in Down Rounds23:06 Anecdotes from the Industry25:42 Reflections on Construction Tech Investing29:25 Comparative Analysis: Europe vs. US in Construction Tech33:00 Future of Point Solutions in Construction Tech
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Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes
First Principles & Founder Success: Lessons from Scott Wolf's Levelset Journey
"20 years of experience or 1 year repeated 20 times?" - This profound question from Scott Wolfe (Levelset) captures why some founders achieve extraordinary success while others stay stagnant.
In today's episode of Bricks, Bucks and Bytes, we explored how compound experience and non-linear career paths shape successful founders in construction tech.
Tune in to learn about:
✅ How Scott Wolfe's diverse background (software, retail, law) led to Levelset's success
✅ Why non-linear experiences often lead to breakthrough innovations
✅ The truth about choosing the right capital structure for your business
✅ Why your customer should be your best source of capital
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Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Context Setting
01:08 Scott Wolf's Impactful Insights
02:15 The Concept of Compound Experience
04:17 Nonlinear vs. Linear Experiences
10:38 The Importance of Curiosity
12:20 Applying Compounded Knowledge
16:33 The Role of Blogging in Business Growth
25:50 Choosing the Right Capitalization Method
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