Last week at Groundbreak, Procore launched Helix AI Agents claiming to make startups like Trunk Tools and Datagrid "obsolete overnight."
In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, we invited Datagrid's CEO Tiago to respond (spoiler: he ghosted us... draw your own conclusions 👀)
Owen, Martin, Dustin, and Patric also dives into one of the most controversial questions in startup investing: Should founders ask VCs for business ideas?
In this episode:
Why asking investors for startup ideas means you're already losing
The real reason big corporations can never innovate from within
Where the truth about building outlier businesses actually lies
Why construction tech is heating up right now (and nobody knows what's coming)
The Procore AI agent announcement that's shaking up the industry
How to find insights that actually matter (hint: it's not from VCs)
The Brutal Reality: "If a VC had such a unique insight on that business, it would almost be a compelling enough reason to leave their job to pursue it because those things are so special and so rare"
The construction tech arena is heating up. Big announcements. Bold claims. But who's actually solving real problems?
If you're building in construction tech, this episode reveals the playbook no one's talking about.
Watch the full breakdown before everyone else figures it out.
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:32 Introduction to Business Ideas and AI Agents
04:21 The Role of Investors in Business Ideation
07:26 The Nature of Outlier Businesses
10:05 The Limitations of VC Insights
13:01 The Impact of New Browsers on Market Dynamics
15:54 Procore's AI Agent Announcement and Industry Reactions
18:51 Comparing Procore with Competitors
28:01 Procore's Evolving Submittal Process
29:04 Market Dominance and Industry Assumptions
29:45 AI's Role in Construction Tech
30:59 Data Activation Challenges
32:10 The Importance of Data Connectivity
33:54 Market Power and Vendor Lock-in
34:23 Assumptions in the Construction Tech Landscape
35:34 Tracy's Insights on Startup Strategies
36:44 Defensibility in Construction Tech
38:28 Collaboration and Network Effects
39:20 Introduction to Mechasys
40:07 Innovative Layout Solutions
42:29 As-Built Documentation and Modifications
44:29 Comparing Layout Solutions
46:15 Hardware Development and Manufacturing
49:20 Accuracy and Cost Competitiveness
51:39 Understanding BOM Costs in Manufacturing
54:32 Product Versatility and Customer Needs
55:23 Innovations in Construction Management Software
01:00:06 Challenges Faced by Residential Contractors
01:04:21 The Importance of Estimating in Construction
01:08:04 Navigating the Competitive Landscape of Construction Tech
