Bricks And Bytes

Note : This is a re-release of an episode that was originally uploaded to BitBuilders.

"I've made every single mistake that exists in running startups." - Massimo Banzi, co-founder of Arduino

Our host, Gabriele Tinelli - investor at Foundamental, Aerospace Engineer and hardware nerd - sits down with Massimo Banzi, the co-creator of Arduino.

They discuss the evolution of open-source hardware, the challenges of building a global brand, and the future of edge computing in robotics.

Banzi shares insights on making technology accessible to beginners while still serving professionals.

He emphasizes the importance of hands-on learning in tech education and reflects on the changing landscape of open-source projects.

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

04:30 Introduction to Interaction Design and Massimo Banzi

09:44 The Birth of Arduino: A Prototyping Revolution

19:35 Arduino's Evolution: From Hobbyist to Professional Tool

29:20 The Arduino Community and Open Source Philosophy

36:27 Future Trends: Arduino and AI Integration

39:50 Integrating Arduino into Systems

41:24 The Power of Edge Computing

42:40 Advancements in Computer Vision for

:04 The Role of AI in Robotics

47:32 Lessons from Startup Experiences

52:53 The Evolution of Open Source

54:43 Encouraging Young Innovators

1:01:16 Current Projects and Future Aspirations

1:05:41 Advice for Educators and Future Generations

"We've done over 160 acquisitions since 2002. Some small, some billion-dollar companies." - Alex Brihac, VP of Strategy at Hexagon

In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Alex Brihac from Hexagon, a $6 billion company that most in construction tech haven't heard of! We learned about their acquisition strategy, how they evaluate companies, and their vision for construction tech's future.

Tune in to find out about:

✅ How Hexagon decides between building vs buying technology (they spend $800-900M annually on R&D!)

✅ Their four-pillar framework for evaluating acquisition targets

✅ Why they sometimes acquire service businesses, not just technology companies

✅ How founders should approach acquisition conversations with strategic buyers

Listen now on Spotify to hear insights from a company that's been quietly reshaping the construction tech landscape through strategic acquisitions for decades.

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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/

Chapters

00:00 Intro

04:17 Introduction to Hexagon and Its Significance

07:11 Understanding Hexagon's Technology and Services

10:20 Research and Development Strategy

13:21 Future Trends and Strategic Focus

16:20 Mergers and Acquisitions Strategy

22:10 Evaluating Potential Acquisitions

28:25 Acquisition of Traditional Businesses and Services

39:17 Shifting Payment Models in Technology

40:03 Strategic Acquisitions and Market Dynamics

43:08 Evaluating Potential Acquisitions

44:05 Mergers and Acquisitions Strategy

47:17 Current Trends in M&A Market

50:23 Competitive Landscape in Acquisitions

55:17 Advice for Founders on Negotiating Acquisitions

59:15 Day-to-Day Responsibilities and Strategic Focus

01:03:16 Creating Successful Strategies and Execution

"AI agents aren't replacing humans—they're just handling 80% of the work, freeing skilled professionals to do what they do best."

In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had James Garner, Global Head of Data, Insights & Analytics at Gleeds, discussing how AI is transforming construction consultancy.

Tune in to find out about: 

✅ Why construction is finally catching up with technology after decades of slow adoption 

✅ How the barriers to implementing AI have fallen dramatically, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes 

✅ Why AI agents are perfect for construction's workflow-based processes 

✅ The potential risks of handing our industry's intellectual knowledge to big tech companies

James believes 2025 will be the year of AI agents, with concrete case studies emerging by year-end. Don't miss this insightful conversation about the future of construction tech!

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

03:38 Introduction and Company Overview

09:43 The Role of AI in Project Management

15:32 James Garner's Career Journey

22:42 Innovation Processes in Consulting

28:30 Data Analytics in Projects

36:28 The Future of Internal LLMs

43:34 Human Oversight in AI Processes

49:58 The Impact of AI on Consultancy Competition

56:10 Project Data Analytics Task Force

Note : This episode is a re-release of an episode that was initially released at Groundbreakers.

"It turns out in construction and real estate, there's a lot of big problems. There's an abundance of them." - This candid observation from Built Technologies' CEO perfectly captures why construction tech is ripe for disruption.

In our latest conversation with Chase Gilbert, he reveals Built's journey from working with three community banks to becoming a construction tech unicorn that processes over $200 billion in annual construction spend. He breaks down the strategic decision to start with lenders and how it became their path to industry-wide transformation.

Tune in to discover:

✅ Why "following the money" upstream was the key to market penetration

✅ How they turned an 11-person process into a 2-person operation

✅ The strategy behind reducing loan processing from 5 days to same-day

✅ Why being "long-term greedy" is crucial for sustainable growth

Listen to the full episode on Spotify to hear Chase's complete breakdown of building a construction tech unicorn.

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

02:28 Building a Unicorn in Construction Tech

05:04 Identifying and Solving Industry Problems

06:40 The Genesis of Built Technologies

18:16 Revenue Generation and Business Model

26:56 The Importance of Following the Money

30:52 Efficiency Metrics and Impact on Lenders

38:05 The Landscape of Construction Loans

40:42 Navigating the Banking Ecosystem

44:19 Go-to-Market Strategy for Financial Institutions

49:23 Value-Based Pricing Models

50:06 Key Lessons in Scaling a Startup

53:28 Building and Maintaining Company Culture

59:37 Understanding Unicorn Valuation

01:11:01 The IPO Journey and Long-Term Vision

"AI agents could eliminate 20% of time spent searching for information on construction projects"

In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Rajitha Chaparala, VP of Product Data and AI at Procore, share fascinating insights about the future of construction technology and AI implementation.

Tune in to discover:

✅ How AI agents are transforming daily construction workflows - from submittal reviews to schedule updates

✅ Why the construction industry is finally embracing AI after years of hesitation

✅ The three-pillar approach Procore is taking with AI: Co-pilot, Automation, and Insights

✅ How reality capture technology combined with AI is revolutionizing progress tracking

Want to learn more about how AI is reshaping construction? Listen to the full episode here:

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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

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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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Chapters

00:00 Intro05:07 Introduction to AI in Construction10:15 The Impact of LLMs on Construction15:23 Understanding AI Agents21:22 The Future of AI Agents in Construction27:13 Data Infrastructure Challenges in Construction37:29 Leveraging AI for Data Capture39:07 Enhancing Accuracy through Human-AI Collaboration41:13 The Role of RealityCapture in Construction43:12 Navigating the Rapidly Changing AI Landscape47:15 Defining AI's Role in Construction Tech50:12 Flexibility in AI Model Utilization53:04 Procore's AI Strategy and Team Dynamics57:18 Leveraging Data for Construction Insights59:19 The Optimistic Future of AI in Construction1:03:07 Understanding Customer Needs in Construction Tech

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Note: This is a re-release of an episode that was originally published at Groundbreakers.

"I sued the bar association because they tried to restrict blogging. Content was just the way I saw the world." - This mindset led to a $500M exit.

In today's episode of Groundbreakers from Bricks and Bytes, we had Scott Wolfe, founder of Levelset, share the remarkable journey of building and selling his construction payment software company to Procore. From a law practice dealing with post-Katrina restoration work to pioneering construction tech - Scott's story is filled with invaluable insights.

Tune in to discover:

✅ How helping contractors with payment problems evolved into a $500M exit

✅ Why Scott took the lowest valuation term sheet and spent 16-36 months building relationships with investors before taking their money

✅ The power of "Help First" in content marketing - how Levelset generated thousands of leads by focusing on solving problems

✅ Why Scott believes companies aren't sold, they're bought - and what that means for founders planning exits

Listen to the full episode on Spotify to learn how Scott turned construction payment headaches into a category-defining company that changed an industry.

"Training an AI model's final run for $6M does not mean the entire model costs $6M"

In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Alan Mosca, CTO and co-founder of nPlan, who shared fascinating insights about AI developments, construction tech, and the future of project planning.

Tune in to find out about:

✅ The truth behind DeepSeek's training costs and why media reporting missed the mark

✅ How nPlan's Barry agent helps construction teams make better decisions through meeting notes, WhatsApp integration, and email connectivity

✅ Why the future of software isn't SaaS - it's buying outcomes through agents that perform specific tasks

✅ nPlan's game-changing "Schedule Studio" that can generate detailed project schedules in 45 minutes

Listen to the full episode to learn how AI is reshaping construction planning and why transparency, not blame, is key to better project outcomes.

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

05:26 Introduction and Overview of Enplan

07:12 DeepSeek and the Reality of AI Training Costs

15:36 Open vs Closed Source Models in AI

26:23 The Rise of Agents in AI and Construction

31:23 Future of Startups: Agents vs Traditional Software

36:01 The Evolution of AI and the Path to AGI

44:01 Defining AGI and Its Implications

45:26 Introduction to Nplan and Its Mission

47:24 The Functionality of Barry: AI in Project Management

49:27 Continuous Learning and Model Optimization

53:23 Demonstrating the Value of Planning in Construction

57:28 Customer Perspectives on AI in Project Management

1:00:31 Product Development and Future Directions for Nplan

1:11:39 Cultural Change in Construction Through AI

Note : This is a re-release of an episode that was initially released at Groundbreakers.

"Nobody replied to our cold emails. So we started showing up at construction sites with pizza boxes - that worked."

In today's episode, we had Maria Davidson, CEO of Kojo, share how she built a construction tech company now valued at $275M. 

A former VC with no construction background, Maria's story of building a procurement platform used by 500+ trade contractors offers valuable lessons for anyone trying to break into a traditional industry.

Tune in to find out about:

✅ Why being an industry outsider became her strength

✅ How delivering pizzas led to their first customers

✅ The metrics VCs actually care about at each funding stage

✅ Managing hypergrowth from 0 to 125 employees

Want to learn how Maria turned rejection into a $275M company? Listen to the full episode

Imagine generating structural engineering drawings 10 times faster. That's what Genia is doing, and it's changing the game for structural engineers.

Recently we were invited to the BOOST cohort from Suffolk Technologies where we had a chance to interview Zhihao, co-founder and CEO of Genia, and we got to learn about how their generative design co-pilot is transforming the industry.

Tune in to find out about:

 "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