#076 - Secrets To Boost Your Business in Construction - Business Development In The Built Environment
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we have Mark Worrall, CEO of BBI Services Ltd
In this episode, we learn about business development in construction, why technology works best when solving a well-defined problem, some common misconceptions like technology will magically fix problems, and much more!
Tune in to find out about:
How visual performance tracking helps teams know what to focus on fixing
Technology works best when solving a well-defined problem, not as a magic solution.
How modular fabrication needs to take a true production-led approach to succeed.
If you enjoy today’s episode, leave us a comment. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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Mark Worrall | CEO at BBI Services Ltd
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Timestamps:
(00:00:00 - 00:02:13) - Intro
(00:02:13 - 00:10:15) - About BBI Services
(00:10:15 - 00:15:30) - How to enhance people's performance at the workplace
(00:15:30 - 00:20:30) - Learning from Toyota's manufacturing practices
(00:20:30 - 00:40:49) - Biggest misconception about technology
(00:40:49 - 00:41:19) - Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
#081 - From 0 to Real Estate Developer in 7 Years - The Tech, Tools, and Teachings Behind the Rise to the Top - Max Sanchez
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we have Max Sanchez, Real Estate Developer and Construction Innovator.
In this episode, we learn about Max's journey from music producer and sales manager to a real estate developer, the potential Max sees in using robotics and virtual reality capture in construction, and much more!
Tune in to find out about:
How Max went from selling customized USB drives to managing construction projects and diving into construction tech.
The lessons Max shares when selling tech solutions to developers.
How robotics and virtual reality capture can have a big impact in the industry
How to create win-win partnerships between developers and contractors
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Max Sanchez | Real Estate Developer and Construction Innovator
Timestamps:
(00:00:00-00:06:35) Intro
(00:01:35-00:07:10) Background of Max Sanchez
(00:07:10-00:17:26) Advice for people looking to get into Real Estate
(00:17:26-00:23:00) Key Mistakes that Max made
(00:23:00-00:28:10) "Where Are We" in Construction Tech
(00:28:10-00:41:22) Technology in Property Development Business
(00:41:22-00:45:46) Reality Capture Solution and Robotics In Construction
(00:45:46-00:46:52) Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
#079 - From Student to Co Founder - Building The ChatGPT for Construction
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we have Fauzan Reza Maulana, CEO of Rekava, an AI-driven digital assistant for the construction industry
In this episode, Fauzan shares his journey from student to Co-Founder and CEO as well as some eye-opening takeaways from his recent thesis on Startups In Construction Tech.
Tune in to find out about:
The ideal size and expertise of a founding team in construction tech
The importance of deeply understanding your customer's problems before building products
Fauzan's personal journey from civil engineering to programming to leading a tech startup and his key learnings along the way.
How Rekava is using AI to create a virtual assistant that can answer questions on construction project documents, acting as a knowledge base that never retires.
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Fauzan | Co-Founder at Rekava
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Timestamps:
00:00:00-00:02:00 Intro
00:02:00-00:06:10 Key Findings Working In Construction Tech
00:06:10-00:09:55 Current State of Construction Tech Startup
00:09:55-00:17:20 Transition from Student to Startup Founder
00:17:20-00:25:14 How do you find Founders
00:25:14-00:32:02 Outro
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Bricks & Bytes
#070 - Ben Weiss - Unlocking Hidden Potentials In Low-Tech Industries
In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we have Ben Weiss, Co-Founder of BinStar.
In this episode, we learn about the potential in low-tech industries like construction and the role technology can play in improving efficiency.
Tune in to find out about:
How the construction industry represents a major market opportunity that is overlooked by many investors
Why focusing on cost reduction and efficiency improvements is a better strategy than creating new revenue streams
The challenges of adopting new technology in traditional industries resistent to change
The future role of technology like drones and AI in optimisation of construction processes
If you enjoy today’s episode, leave us a comment. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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Ben Weiss | Co-Founder of BinStar
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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 - 00:02:30) - Intro
(00:02:30 - 00:05:20) - Ben's background in public markets and hedge funds
(00:05:20 - 00:12:00) - Defining "low-tech" industries and why they are interesting investment opportunities
(00:12:00 - 00:25:00) - How simple technology can have massive impact on traditional businesses
(00:25:00 - 00:35:33) - SolidSpace and its solution for construction project mistakes
(00:35:33 - 00:42:00) - Advice for new investors
(00:42:00 - 00:29:30) - 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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