Innovation Teams Can't Scale - Adoption Automation Blueprint from Multi-Billion Project Leader
"I love my iPhone, but you don't hear people say, I love my consultant."In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we welcomed Angelos Nicolaou from Sektor AI who shared fascinating insights about construction tech adoption, the "anti-consultant" movement, and why technology must equal profitability.Tune in to find out about: ✅ How Sektor helps companies avoid wasting billions on unused technology ✅ Why large companies with tiny innovation teams need external firepower ✅ The race to adopt AI and how smaller companies can now compete with giants ✅ Why the consulting model is ripe for disruption through automationThe construction industry often treats each project like "a new startup" with new teams and processes built from scratch. Sektor is changing that through tech adoption that delivers measurable results.Listen to the full episode on Spotify!
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Bricks & Bytes
Why Construction Scheduling is Still Stuck in 1995 (And How to Fix It)
"I make a horrible employee. I'm not a good employee at a big company."That's how Nitin Bhandari, third-time founder and CEO of Planera, describes why he keeps starting companies instead of joining them.In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Nitin Bhandari and we got to learn about his journey from wireless networks to construction tech, the critical mistakes first-time founders make, and why scheduling software has stayed stuck in the stone age while every other industry moved forward... and many more!Tune in to find out about:✅ Why he spent 9 months just learning construction before building anything✅ How he landed customers who wanted to invest their own money in his company✅ The real reason construction scheduling is broken (it's not what you think)✅ Why hiring for culture fit matters more than most founders realizeListen now on Spotify and discover how an outsider is transforming one of construction's most critical workflows.-----------------------Chpaters00:00 Intro01:30 Introduction and Background03:28 Nitin's Journey as a Founder07:43 The Importance of Product Management09:21 Lessons Learned as a Third-Time Founder10:40 Entering the Construction Industry12:17 Understanding the Construction Market13:30 Hiring for Culture Fit16:20 Selling the Vision to Employees20:28 The Motivation Behind Founding Planera22:32 Identifying the Core Problem in Scheduling26:30 Innovating Scheduling Solutions31:20 Landing Initial Customers34:24 Evolving Sales Strategies in Construction Tech38:17 Effective Go-to-Market Channels40:02 Shifting Focus: From Product to Customer41:39 The Role of Marketing in Growth44:21 The CEO's Evolving Role47:16 Communication as a Team Sport49:13 Hiring Key Talent: The Head of Sales51:41 Running Effective Meetings54:55 Challenges in Construction Tech56:49 Understanding Total Addressable Market (TAM)01:00:39 Innovative Pricing Strategies01:03:27 Navigating Tough Times as a Founder01:05:23 The Role of AI in Construction Tech01:07:15 Exciting Initiatives and Future Plans
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Bricks & Bytes
AI Won't Save Bad Construction Companies - Solving Tech Adoption Problems from VC Perspective
"AI in construction isn't just hype - we're in construction, so we know nobody will deploy solutions based on hype alone."In today's episode of Brick and Bytes, we had Vivin Hegde from Zakua Ventures sharing insights on construction tech investments and market trends.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why robotics is becoming essential in construction (labor shortage is only getting worse)✅ The three-tier approach to AI adoption in construction tech✅ Why FlexNode's modular data centers could grow faster than any construction tech startup in 15 years✅ How geopolitical uncertainty is reshaping construction tech investment prioritiesVivin also shared fascinating details about their recent investments in excavator automation, real estate platforms, and next-gen robotics. If you're interested in where construction tech is heading, this episode is packed with valuable insights!Listen now on Spotify:
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Bricks & Bytes
12 Hour Quotes - Shepherd’s Industry Leading Insurance for Construction Companies + Path to $10m Revenue
Most insurance carriers use 5-10 different systems just to price one submission. One CEO figured out how to do it in 12 hours instead of weeks.In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Justin Levine and we got to learn about how he's revolutionizing construction insurance by rewarding tech adoption, scaling to double-digit millions in revenue, and why reality capture tools reduce claims by 40-50%... and many more!Tune in to find out about: ✅ How Shepherd shifts tech funding from contractors to insurance providers ✅ Why underwriters completely ignore technology when pricing policies ✅ The broken insurance process that takes weeks vs their 12-hour turnaround ✅ How construction tech partnerships create win-win scenarios for everyoneJustin's journey from civil engineer to risk manager to successful exit with TradeTap to building Shepherd shows exactly how deep industry knowledge combined with the right business model can disrupt billion-dollar markets.Listen now on Spotify to hear the full conversation about transforming construction insurance.Chapters---------------Chapters00:00 Introduction to Shepherd and Its Business Model04:53 The Evolution of TradeTap and Its Acquisition10:08 Transitioning from Startups to Corporate Culture14:52 The Unique Approach of Shepherd in Insurance19:59 Understanding the Underwriting Process and Technology's Role25:01 Shepherd's Market Position and Customer Base35:40 Understanding the Enterprise Sales Model43:41 Go-to-Market Strategy and Sales Dynamics51:07 Organizing for Growth and Market Fit01:00:28 Partnership Philosophy and Building Relationships
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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