This week:

- Vertiv - the "shovel seller" powering the AI data center boom

- Looking beyond the obvious for construction's hidden opportunities

- The power of "tooling" to enable the broader AEC industry

- Uncovering the "hidden champions" in the construction tech space

- Constructing relevant advice for founders in this industry

This episode dives deep into the overlooked yet compelling opportunities in the construction technology landscape. The conversation explores Vertiv, a traditional industrial company that has quietly emerged as a critical provider of power, cooling, and infrastructure solutions for the booming AI and data center industry.

The panel highlights the importance of looking beyond the obvious, first-order problems and trends, and instead identifying the "second" and "third order" solutions that can create durable competitive advantages. The concept of "tooling" - building technology products and services that empower and enable the broader AEC ecosystem - is discussed as a powerful business model.

The discussion also shines a light on the prevalence of "hidden champions" - niche, specialized construction technology companies that have achieved dominant market positions but remain under the radar. Uncovering these gems requires dedicated focus and industry expertise, which is often lacking in the generic advice given to founders by VCs.

Ultimately, this episode offers a fresh perspective on the vast potential within the construction technology space, emphasizing the value in taking a more holistic, systems-level view to uncover promising avenues for innovative, defensible companies.