Bricks And Bytes

In this episode, we sit down with Brendan, Co-Founder of Provision, who made the jump from a traditional QS role to a technology role. He shares with us his interesting journey and how he fell in love with construction. During the episode we dive into:  Brendan's experience with the startup world  His Journey through Y Combinator  World of AI  Machine learning  If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review! This helps us get more amazing guests to give you guys the best and most informative content on technology in the built world. -------------------------------------- Brendan Ardagh  Co-Founder of Provision --------------------------------------- Today's Sponsor: beta - Construction and technology network platform - connecting the tech industry with traditional partners. Chek www.the-beta.com --------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00:00 --> 00:01:22 - Intro 00:01:22 --> 00:02:04 - Sponsor 00:02:04 --> 00:04:35 -  Brendan's journey from Quantity Surveyor to entrepreneur 00:04:35 --> 00:05:55 -  Differences between the startup and technology scene in South Africa and Canada/US 00:05:55 --> 00:07:25 - Brendan's involvement with Y Combinator and how he got in 00:07:25 --> 00:13:29 - Innovation in construction industry and the difficulty in changing it  00:13:29 --> 00:16:13 - Discussing Y Combinator and the value it provides to startups 00:16:13 --> 00:18:16 - The dinosaur-like view of the construction industry and the potential advantage of being associated with Y Combinator  00:18:16 --> 00:30:31 - Introducing Provision and discussing AI & Chat GPT  00:30:11 --> 00:35:30 - Getting involved in using AI and where to start learning about it  00:35:30 --> 00:39:56 - Chat GPT and how it will impact construction industry in the future  00:39:56 --> 00:41:47 - The importance of utilising GPT effectively and jumping on opportunities presented by it 00:41:47 --> 00:42:55 - How open is OpenAI 00:42:55 --> 00:46:03 - Brendan’s routine  00:46:03 --> 00:46:53 - More about Brendan 00:46:53 --> 00:47:10 - Outro

How do we simplify material procurement in construction? In this episode, we talk with Eric Helitzer, CEO of Subbase. Eric discusses his transition from traditional construction to construction technology and his approach to streamlining construction procurement. We cover important topics such as: The significance of understanding problems to develop effective tech solutions Tips for validating ideas before investing time and resources How to encourage a culture that supports innovation and technology adoption Integrating technology into existing workflows without disrupting processes If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review! This helps us get more amazing guests to give you guys the best and most informative content on technology in the built world. --------------------------------------- Eric Helitzer | Founder & CEO of SubBase --------------------------------------- Today's Sponsor: beta - Construction and technology network platform - connecting the tech industry with traditional partners. --------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 - 00:55 Pre-Intro 00:56 - 01:48 Owen's Intro 01:49 - 2:06 Sponsor 02:24 - Main podcast starts 04:09 - "You have to be on job site to understand what it physically looks like and what it physically feels like to work in construction." 04:34 - Story of Eric 06:10 - 2008 to 2014 career 06:38 - Procore Software 09:11 - "Subbase was born" 10:30 - Partnering to someone with no experience in construction 11:48 - A tool that enhance workflow 13:00 - About Subbase 14:00 - Complexities in process 15:00 - Streamlining the experience 19:06 - Raised first official round of funding 20:30 - Subbase becoming end-to-end solution 21:00 - 5 to 10 year vision 22:46 - "if you were to build a startup in construction tech, where would you start?" 24:00 - Amount of rejection you are going to receive 30:32 - You have to iterate very quickly 32:00 - No one has a clear playbook 35:20 - Other trends worth pursuing 38:00 - Strengthen relationship by providing better user experience 40:46 - "Any thoughts on how people incorporate technology into existing workflows?" 45:45 - Hobbies of Eric 47:00 - " if I wasn't working in construction" 48:05 - Where people can find out about Eric

🎧 Tune in to the latest episode of Bricks and Bytes! In this episode, we chat with Matthew Byrd - a great speaker and founder of Reality Capture about his journey in construction, technology and how he got involved in laser scanning and how it transformed his career path.  We also discuss: potential of RealityCapture for creating digital replicas of physical assets and sites benefits of this technology and the opportunities it presents for different industries digital twins, 3D models and their future in construction industry. If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review! This helps us get more amazing guests to give you guys the best and most informative content on technology in the built world. --------------------------------------- Matthew Byrd | Founder of Reality Capture | Podcast & Conference Host | Speaker --------------------------------------- Today's Sponsor: beta - Construction and technology network platform - connecting the tech industry with traditional partners. Chek www.the-beta.com --------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00:00 --> 00:01:23 - Intro 00:01:23 --> 00:02:05 - Sponsor 00:02:05 --> 00:06:15 - Matthew's background and involvement in Reality Capture 00:06:15 --> 00:11:20 - Adaption of Reality Capture in the construction industry 00:11:20 --> 00:15:45 - Discussion of iPhone's LiDAR technology and its potential uses in scanning 00:15:45 --> 00:19:20 - Explanation of laser scanning and its benefits 00:19:20 --> 00:23:53 - 3D modeling, digital twins and their potential applications in different industries 00:23:53 --> 00:27:50 - Matthew’s tips on how to get started in laser scanning 00:27:50 --> 00:32:47 - Potential use of digital twins in construction industry 00:32:47 --> 00:34:55 - Lack of awareness about a certain service as a difficulty in its adaptation 00:34:55 --> 00:36:26 - Differences in development of software versus hardware 00:36:26 --> 00:40:25 - Matthew’s history on how the technology changed his career path 00:40:25 --> 00:42:00 - Reality Capture Network events and community  00:42:00 --> 00:43:40- Reality Capture during construction and the potential for growth in the industry 00:43:40 --> 00:46:55 - Matthew’s great communication skills and who has inspired him  00:46:55 --> 00:48:16 - Variety of projects Matthew has worked on 00:48:16 --> 00:49:30 - More about Matthew  00:49:30 --> 00:49:48 - Outro

Innovation and Integration, Construction Tech & The Future. On today's podcast, we have construction tech expert Eveart Foster. Eveart is currently the Subject Matter Expert at Autodesk, following an exciting past in design, product management and technology adoption. In this episode, we discuss: Who you *should* be selling to as a company in construction tech The transformational potential of generative AI in construction Gamification, and what it means for future generations The future of AutoDesk Construction Cloud --------------------------------------- Eveart Foster Integrations Subject Matter Expert at Autodesk | President of Associates Board at WITS --------------------------------------- Today's Sponsor: Beta Construction and technology network platform - connecting the tech industry with traditional partners. Check www.the-beta.com --------------------------------------- Timestamps: (0:00:00-0:01:07) - Intro (0:01:07-0:10:31) - Exploring the Journey of Eva's Digital Transformation in Construction Technology" (0:10:31-0:14:55) - The people who use Alterdesk have to pay? (0:14:55-0:17:37) - How does technology adoption has changed and how the future looks like? (0:17:37-0:24:07) - What are the challenges that business face? (0:24:07-0:35:15) - Improvement and driving of technology (0:35:15-0:39:39) - What happens if you don't change your technology? (0:39:39-0:43:30) - What is construction acquisition? (0:43:30-0:53:24) - How conversational AI will help in 10 to 15 years? (0:53:24-0:56:22) - How to stay curious? (0:56:22-0:56:40) - Outro

Excited to share this brilliant and latest episode of the Bricks and Bytes Podcast, where we take a deep dive into the world of construction, technology, and business. In this episode, Scott Ellison, a strategy consultant, talks about his personal connection to the construction industry and his journey to becoming an advisor and investor in tech companies. Here are some of the highlights: ⁃ How Scott's personal connection to the construction industry started with his uncles, who were general contractors, and his job working in a hardware store. ⁃ The impact of the ubiquity of smartphones, cloud, and SaaS on the construction industry and how it has led to a slower but steady shift towards digitisation. ⁃ The importance of software infrastructure in construction tech and how it needs to be laid down first before we can fully appreciate the benefits of new ways of capturing information. ⁃ Go-to-market strategies, such as product-led growth that have created value in certain sector. Tune in to the episode to learn more about Scott's insights and his thoughts on the future of the construction industry! If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review! This helps us get more amazing guests to give you guys the best and most informative content on technology in the built world. --------------------------------------- Scott Ellison - Investor | Advisor | Judge | Mentor --------------------------------------- Today's Sponsor: beta - Construction and technology network platform - connecting the tech industry with traditional partners. Chek: www.the-beta.com --------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00:00 --> 00:01:05 - Intro 00:01:05 --> 00:01:45 - Sponsor 00:01:45 --> 00:03:33 - Scott's background and personal connection to the construction industry 00:03:33 --> 00:04:26 - The impact of technology on the construction industry 00:04:26 --> 0006:38 - The importance of software infrastructure in construction tech 00:06:38 --> 00:08:12 - The challenge of data islands and pockets in the construction industry 00:08:12 --> 00:10:40 - Go-to-market strategies in built tech, and how it can make or break a startup 00:10:40 --> 00:13:06 - Table stakes in the game of building a successful startup 00:13:06 --> 00:14:35 - Playbook in construction tech  00:14:35 --> 00:20:30 - Introduction to the concept of Product-Led Growth (PLG)  00:20:30 --> 00:24:25 - The unique dynamics of construction industry 00:24:25 --> 00:26:04 - The concept of respect to disrupt ratio 00:26:04 --> 00:27:17 - Setting up a strategy for a startup  00:27:17 --> 00:32:35 - The challenges faced by people from outside and inside the industry when introducing change 00:32:35 --> 00:34:52 - Key metrics in early-stage investing  00:34:52 --> 00:37:41 - Individual (jockey) over the idea (horse) in early-stage investing 00:37:41 --> 00:39:15 - Exciting ideas and technologies in construction tech  00:39:15 --> 00:41:02 - Scott's advice to companies in the construction tech on hiring, firing, marketing and finance  00:41:02 --> 00:42:25 - The student debt crisis in the US and how it impacts the construction industry's ability to attract top talent 00:42:25 --> 00:44:43 - Robotics and technology changing the construction industry workforce 00:44:52 --> 00:46:36 - Thoughts on hot trends in construction industry  00:46:36 --> 00:48:55 - Scott's passions 00:48:55 --> 00:49:37 - Top skill for entrepreneurs 00:49:37 --> 00:50:10 - More information about Scott  00:50:10 --> 00:50:28 - Outro 

What is academia's role in ensuring the industry is fit for the future? On today's podcast, we have John Orr - Professor of Structural Engineering At Cambridge University. As a top-tier university ranked in the world's top 5, Cambridge is a powerhouse of knowledge, and we are privileged to have John share his expertise with us. In this episode, we discuss: Why interdisciplinary education can help solve complex problems The future of design for structures Collaboration and its importance in both innovation and climate change How to become a Cambridge University Professor --------------------------------------- John Orr Professor of Structural Engineering. Chartered engineer, academic, industrial consultant in embodied carbon. Aiming to transform real estate and construction. --------------------------------------- Today's Sponsor: Beta Construction and technology network platform - connecting the tech industry with traditional partners. Check www.the-beta.com --------------------------------------- Timestamps: (00:00:00-00:01:50) - An Exciting Introduction and a Word from Our Sponsor (00:01:50-00:03:46) - From PhD to Cambridge Professor: John Orr's Journey in Structural Engineering (00:03:46-00:04:42) - Why Now is the Perfect Time to Be in Structural Engineering (00:04:42-00:06:51) - What Makes Cambridge-Trained Engineers Stand Out from the Rest? (00:06:51-00:09:42) - How to Make Structural Engineering More Attractive and Accessible (00:09:42-00:11:31) - The Role of Structural Engineering in Reducing Carbon Emissions (00:11:31-00:13:12) - Strategies to Improve Structural Engineering's Sustainability Impact (00:13:12-00:17:46) - Tackling the Thorny Issue of PI Insurance in Structural Engineering (00:17:46-00:19:45) - A Glimpse into the Future of Construction (00:19:45-00:23:25) - The Revolutionary ACORN Project and its Integration with Robotics (00:23:25-00:24:52) - Predicting the Most Significant Developments in Structural Engineering's Future (00:24:52-00:26:19) - John Orr's Vision for the Future of Construction (00:26:19-00:27:34) - Balancing Academia and Practical Applications in Structural Engineering (00:27:34-00:29:32) - Understanding the Impact of Part Z in Structural Engineering (00:29:32-00:30:04) - Insights into the Fascinating Work of Part Z (00:30:04-00:31:23) - The Potential Effects of Part Z on Structural Engineering (00:31:23-00:32:15) - John Orr's Key Message on Structural Engineering's Role in Building a Sustainable Future (00:32:15-00:34:15) - Navigating the Intersection of Individual Action and Regulatory Frameworks (00:34:15-00:38:11) - How to Become a Cambridge Professor in Structural Engineering (00:38:11-00:39:07) - John Orr's Diverse Range of Hobbies and Interests (00:39:07-00:39:31) - Get to Know John Orr a Little Better (00:39:31-00:39:48) - A Memorable Outro and Final Thoughts.

On today's show we have Sankha Deep who is the founder and product lead at Lattice - construction supply chain visibility platform.  In this episode, we talk about: supply chain issues implementation of construction technology good and bad software   new business models. If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review! This helps us get more amazing guests to give you guys the best and most informative content on technology in the built world. --------------------------------------- Sankha Deep | Founder and product lead at Lattice --------------------------------------- Today's Sponsor: beta - Construction and technology network platform - connecting the tech industry with traditional partners. Chek www.the-beta.com --------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00:00 --> 00:01:08 - Intro 00:01:08 --> 00:01:51 - Sponsor 00:01:51 --> 00:07:13 - Differences and similarities in the tech scene between the UK and India  00:07:13 --> 00:09:33 - Introducing Lattice 00:09:33 --> 00:12:11 - Software implementation in construction technology 00:12:11 --> 00:14:12 - Picking a software suitable for your business’s needs 00:14:12 --> 00:18:10 - Core problems that Lattice solves  00:18:10 --> 00:23:39 - Business model as a service 00:23:39 --> 00:25:07- Lessons that construction industry can learn from other industries 00:25:07 --> 00:26:31 - Sankha’s experience in fintech  00:26:31 --> 00:28:15 - Cost differences in fintech and construction industry  00:28:15 --> 00:30:48 - Ways of preventing founders from creating a bad software 00:30:48 --> 00:32:11 - Secret source for a sucessulf business  00:32:11 --> 00:33:31 -  Sankha’s usual day  00:33:31 --> 00:34:12 - Book recommendation 00:34:12 --> 00:36:54 - Number one productivity hack  00:36:54 --> 00:38:45 - Our book recommendation 00:38:45 --> 00:39:43 - Our top podcast guests  00:39:43 --> 00:40:18 - More about Sankha 00:40:18 --> 00:40:36 - Outro

Why do construction (tech) companies fail? On today's podcast, we have Stephen Poppe, ConTech Advisor and Customer Success Leader. Stephen is currently the Manager for Research & Development at HITT Contracting and Executive Partner at Blue Collar Capital In this episode, we discuss: Where people go wrong with construction tech & why companies fail Considerations when investing in construction tech companies Implementation and strategies for Main Contractors Stephen's terrible taste in football (soccer) team --------------------------------------- Stephen Poppe R&D | Contech Advisor | Customer Success Leader | Construction Professional | Lean Practitioner(ish) --------------------------------------- Today's Sponsor: Beta Construction and technology network platform - connecting the tech industry with traditional partners. Check www.the-beta.com --------------------------------------- Timestamps: (00:00:00-00:01:57) - Intro and Sponsor (00:01:57-00:04:13) - Why did Stephen choose Contech?  (00:04:13-00:06:02) - What are people not getting right with technology? (00:06:02-00:07:55) - Should construction companies focus on the management process? (00:07:55-00:10:34) - Why does a company fail in Contech? (00:10:34-00:12:43) - What is the lean startup methodology? (00:12:43-00:14:08) - What is important when investing in a company as a capital allocator? (00:14:08-00:16:55) - What are the initial problems that a startup face?  (00:16:55-00:18:23) - What is HITT?  (00:18:23-00:21:28) - Labor shortage (00:21:28-00:22:42) - Is there something else that we should focus on except technology?  (00:22:42-00:24:23) - Future of tech (00:24:23-00:27:38) - How can we get the basics right? (00:27:38-00:31:17) - Trends in construction tech (00:31:17-00:33:49) - VC doesn’t like 100-million-dollar ideas? (00:33:49-00:35:48) - Book recommendations (00:35:48-00:36:37) - Hobbies (00:36:37-00:36:51) - More about Stephen (00:36:51-00:37:09) - Outro

Our today's guest is Josh Graham - CEO of tech company EHAB, which uses advanced weather modelling and impact analysis to help construction companies de-risk critical infrastructure projects.  In this episode we talk about: - Josh's journey of setting up EHAB - key lessons learnt when creating his startup  - real use cases of blockchain and smart contracts in construction industry. If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review! This helps us get more amazing guests to give you guys the best and most informative content on technology in the built world. --------------------------------------- Josh Graham | CEO of EHAB and CVC (Climate Venture Collective) --------------------------------------- Today's Sponsor: beta - Construction and technology network platform - connecting the tech industry with traditional partners. Chek: https://www.the-beta.com --------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00:00 --> 00:01:13 - Intro 00:01:13 --> 00:01:57 - Sponsor 00:01:57 --> 00:03:29 - Josh’s history of creating EHAB  00:03:29 --> 00:05:08 - Problems in creating sustainable property development company 00:05:08 --> 00:07:13 - Opportunities in sustainable property development  00:07:13 --> 00:07:38 - Does EHAB stand for something? 00:07:38 --> 00:10:10 - Process of identifying weather as a problem to tackle  00:10:10 --> 00:16:00 - Changes that EHAB makes in weather forecasting  00:16:00 --> 00:17:01 - Accuracy of forecast data  00:17:01 --> 00:20:05 - Key lessons learned in Josh’s journey  00:20:05 --> 00:22:06 - Future plans for EHAB 00:22:06 --> 00:23:02 - Project types that can benefit from EHAB 00:23:02 --> 00:24:44 - More about Climate Venture Collective  00:24:44 --> 00:30:01- Blockchain technology and its impact on construction industry  00:30:01 --> 00:33:54 - Smart contracts agreements  00:33:54 --> 00:35:04 - Josh’s regular day  00:35:04 --> 00:35:35 - What would you do with unlimited budget? 00:35:35 --> 00:36:18 - Book recommendation 00:36:18 --> 00:36:58 - More about Josh 00:36:58 --> 00:37:20 - Outro

How do you get your customers to fall in love with your brand? On today's podcast we have Delia Visan, a master, influencer and advocate in the world of customer success. Delia is currently the head of Customer Success at Bright Spaces and is one of the top 25 CS Leaders of 2023. Getting existing customers to spend more is far easier than obtaining new customers. And in this episode we chat about how CS can result in improved customer retention and a higher customer lifetime value. In this episode, we discuss: Why customer success is important and why startups NEED it How small businesses can integrate customer success into their operations Current and future trends in customer success How to learn (and dream in) new languages  --------------------------------------- Delia Visan Head of Customer Success @Bright Spaces || 25 Most Creative CS Leaders of 2023 by EverAfter || 2022 Top Influencers in the CS Space by Custify --------------------------------------- Today's Sponsor: Beta Construction and technology network platform - connecting the tech industry with traditional partners. Check www.the-beta.com --------------------------------------- Timestamps: (00:00:00-00:02:01) - Intro  (00:02:01-00:04:06) - Tech world in Romania   (00:04:06-00:04:56) - Is Romania exporting tech outside?  (00:04:56-00:05:42) - Are tech teams based in Romania? (00:05:42-00:07:18) - When did you discover customer success and what did you love about it? (00:07:18-00:08:02) - Is customer success different in proptech then the other industry? (00:08:02-00:08:54) - What is customer success? (00:08:54-00:10:27) - What is the checklist for customer success? (00:10:27-00:11:59) - From where the customer success starts? (00:11:59-00:13:47) - Customer success implementations (00:13:47-00:15:18) - When should companies implement customer success? (00:15:18-00:17:21) - Customer obsession and customer is not always right (00:17:21-00:20:07) - What is bright spaces? (00:20:07-00:21:54) - Customer success with lease owner (00:21:54-00:22:04) - Is bright spaces designed for Romanian market? (00:22:04-00:23:42) - Future plans (00:23:42-00:24:34) - Delia other passion (00:24:34-00:26:18) - What are some future trends you see right now? (00:26:18-00:27:51) - Segmentation of the customers (00:27:51-00:29:12) - Should startup approach customer success differently then other businesses? (00:29:12-00:30:13) - Customer satisfaction (00:30:13-00:32:14) - How to deal with customer that you don't like? (00:32:14-00:33:34) - Simple thing to do for customer success (00:33:34-00:37:00) - Delia is multilingual (00:37:00-00:37:42) - Books or resources (00:37:42-00:38:28) - Course (00:38:28-00:38:51) - More about Delia (00:38:51-00:39:16) - Outro