"The secret to raising $4.5M for a construction tech startup? 149 'nos' and 1 'yes' from YC."

In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Anna Berger, founder of Trayd - a construction payroll and compliance platform built specifically for specialty contractors. From failing at video dating apps to revolutionizing construction back offices, Anna's journey is a masterclass in persistence and problem-solving.

Tune in to learn about: 

✅ How working in her dad's construction office led to discovering a massive market opportunity 

✅ Why Trayd focuses on specialty contractors instead of general contractors 

✅ The power of Trayd shows in B2B sales (and why cold calling doesn't work) 

✅ Building an effective founding team: why having a technical co-founder matters

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Chapters

06:34 The Journey of Curtin: A Video Dating App

09:41 Transition to Construction: Insights from Family Business

12:48 Building Trade: The All-in-One Solution for Construction

15:43 Understanding Payroll Complexity in Construction

18:43 The Importance of Scheduling and Labor Tracking

21:49 Customer Focus: Targeting Specialty Contractors

24:44 Product Discovery: Listening to Customer Needs

27:42 Market Landscape and Competition

30:49 Fundraising Journey and Challenges

33:45 Lessons Learned and Future Outlook

37:17 The Evolution of Trade's Focus

38:59 Experiences with Y Combinator

39:51 The Importance of Strategic Investors

43:31 Navigating the Construction Industry's Challenges

44:52 Hiring for a Growing Team

46:04 The Value of In-Person Collaboration

47:14 Product Development Insights

48:53 Effective Customer Engagement Strategies

51:45 Building Emotional Connections in Sales

53:07 Understanding the Buyer Persona

53:59 Evaluating Cost Savings for CFOs

56:00 Exploring Growth Tactics Beyond Trade Shows

57:38 The Role of Content in Marketing

58:02 Addressing Skepticism in Sales

01:00:17 The Importance of User Experience

01:03:20 The Value of Community Among Founders

Did you know that building materials account for 11% of all greenhouse gas emissions globally? It's a huge number, and that's why Tangible exists!

Recently, we were invited to the BOOST cohort from Suffolk Technologies where we had a chance to interview Anneli, co-founder and CEO of Tangible, and we got to learn about how they're helping real estate developers measure and reduce embodied carbon, and much more!

Tune in to find out about:

How Tangible measures embodied carbon using BIM files, making it easy for developers to see their impact.

Why legislation, corporate demand, and investor pressure are driving the need for carbon transparency.

How Tangible is helping to reduce the impact of concrete, a major source of emissions.

How data is used to drive better decisions in material selection and building design.

"Project write-offs, financial losses" - that's the problem that Novl is tackling head on for architecture and engineering firms!

Recently we were invited to the BOOST cohort from Suffolk Technologies where we had a chance to interview Shawn and Hassan, co-founders of Novl, and we got to learn about how they are helping companies to improve their margins and attract better talent.

Tune in to find out about:

How Novl is helping companies use data to see where they’ve made and lost money.

Why predictive analytics is key for matching the right people to the right projects.

How Novl aims to be an operating system for AE firms, saving them from hiring large in-house tech teams.

How they are using a "baseball card on steroids" for resource management.

"We all have a plan until we get punched in the face" - A mindset that helped transform a 25-year-old directory business into a tech-enabled marketplace.

In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we sat down with Jambu, CEO of Checkatrade, who shared how he's leading the UK's largest trade platform through its next evolution. From his early days at Uber to now running a company with 500+ employees, Jambu opened up about the realities of leadership and transformation.

Tune in to find out about:

✅ Why Checkatrade is moving from an advertising model to a full-service marketplace

✅ How a tornado in West Sussex sparked the creation of a company that now serves millions

✅ Why the next wave of generational growth in trades is coming (and what's driving it)

✅ The truth about being a CEO - from 4:30 AM starts to the constant challenge of sustainable leadership

Catch the full episode to hear Jambu's insights on the future of home improvement, dealing with competition, and why he believes trades will be one of the most lucrative careers in the coming years.

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

"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.

Ever wondered how offsite manufacturing is changing the construction game?

Recently, we were invited to the BOOST cohort from Suffolk Technologies where we had a chance to interview Tom and Ross, co-founders of Artic, and we gained insights into their innovative factory-to-site logistics approach and how they are addressing the challenges of modular construction.

Tune in to find out about:

How Artic is bridging the gap between manufacturing and construction, creating more efficient workflows.

Why predictability and control are crucial when more construction happens offsite.

How they're addressing quality control all the way from the factory to the final installation on site.

How they're shifting company culture by making costs visible.

"We invested in companies doing direct factory procurement in India, access control for equipment theft prevention, and project management tools for emerging markets - and that's just from our latest cohort."

In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Alice from Brick & Mortar Ventures share fascinating insights about construction tech investing, global expansion, and what's happening in different markets.

Tune in to find out about: 

✅ Why construction tech startups are increasingly launching outside Silicon Valley, especially in Europe and India 

✅ How construction tech in India feels like the US market did 6 years ago - and why that's exciting 

✅ The shift in founder profiles: from industry veterans to repeat entrepreneurs and deep tech experts 

✅ Why mega-funds might not be the best thing for construction tech right now

"Pre-construction is actually just free construction because it's a lot of work up front that you don't often get paid for." - Chloe Smith, CEO of Mercator

In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we sat down with Chloe Smith, who shared her journey of building Mercator, a construction tech startup that's changing how contractors find early-stage project opportunities.

Tune in to discover:

✅ Why Mercator focuses only on Texas (for now) and how they plan to expand

✅ The power of hiring for talent over skill in a fast-growing startup

✅ How they built their own "accelerator" by carefully selecting operator-investors

✅ Their unique approach to product development through an intensive beta program with general contractors

Listen to the full episode on Spotify to learn how Mercator is helping contractors get involved in projects before the bidding phase even begins - as Chloe puts it, "It's almost like using a marriage registry as a dating app."

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00:00 Intro

Note: This episode is a Re-Release from Corporate Innovations.

Big tech investments without testing? At DPR Construction, that's a hard NO. Even with a $90M annual tech budget, they won't invest until they've tested solutions on actual projects.

In today's episode of Corporate Innovations from Bricks & Bytes, we had Atul Khanzode, CTO of DPR Construction, sharing invaluable insights from his 27+ years of experience in construction technology and innovation.

Tune in to learn about:

✅ Why DPR requires testing every solution before investing, after losing $500K on an untested startup

✅ Their unique "discipline innovation approach" focusing on 5 key areas: safety, quality, sustainability, supply chain, and productivity

✅ How they manage a $2-3M annual innovation budget separate from their main tech spending

✅ Why they partner with OpenAI, Microsoft, and Autodesk instead of building everything in-house

Listen now on Spotify to hear Atul's practical advice for construction tech startups and learn how one of America's largest general contractors approaches innovation

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

"A £650,000 micro-factory can build 100 homes per year, while a traditional modular factory costing £100M+ struggles to deliver 200 homes annually. The math speaks for itself."

In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Bruce and Oliver from Facit Homes and Facit Technologies sharing their journey of revolutionizing home construction through digital fabrication and micro-factories. Their approach challenges traditional modular construction, showing how bringing manufacturing to the site can be more efficient and cost-effective.

Tune in to learn about: 

✅ Why micro-factories are winning over traditional modular factories 

✅ How Facit grew without external investment for 15+ years 

✅ The real cost comparison: £2,400 vs £120,000 per house in factory overhead 

✅ Why software alone can't solve construction's biggest challenges

Listen to the full episode to understand why the future of construction might be closer to the building site than you think. 

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Chapters

00:00 Intro