SmartPM | Designing & Constructing a Better Built World
In our last newsletter, we teased our new content series defining our vision for a better built world. Since then, we’ve published Allen’s exploration of data-driven design and Jesse’s vision for the future of construction. As you’ll see in the updates below, the entire BV team has been busy this spring, writing on the built environment, speaking at conferences, and judging startup competitions. Of course, these activities are always in addition to the investment team’s focus: supporting our existing portfolio companies and making new investments, including our latest in SmartPM, which we’re excited to share with you.
Our portcos have generated some big news in the first half of the year. Take a look at the roundup of some highlights below, including key partnerships and integrations, exciting press coverage, and new product launches. Most of the companies are also hiring—we have 61 job openings if you know of anyone looking for work for a better built world. We’re looking forward to seeing what the second half of the year brings.
But before we get too ahead of ourselves, the summer is just starting. Enjoy some wonderful weather and quality downtime with your friends and family over the next few months. We hope to see you this fall—if not sooner!
– The BV Team
Investment Updates
Our Investment in SmartPM
We’re thrilled to share our recent investment in SmartPM, the automated project controls platform built for construction. Learn more about the deal, SmartPM’s plans for growth, and our investment rationale here.
Portfolio News
In the media
🌎 Measurabl announced an exciting new partnership with Prequin to provide a global dataset of real estate carbon and energy metrics to private markets. Read more here.
At the BloombergNEF Summit, Aeroseal received the BNEF Pioneers 2024 Award for the company’s solutions in decarbonizing building construction and operation. 👏👏
🐘 ⚡️ Canary Media hosted a conversation on home electrification with leaders in the space, including Elephant Energy’s DR Richardson. Watch the replay.
🏆 75F’s Saffron AI, the digital twin platform for commercial buildings, is a finalist for IBcon’s Digie Award for Best AI Tech Innovation. See all the finalists here.
Skillit’s Fraser Patterson joined the Bricks & Bytes podcast. Listen here. 🎧
👩💻 Work & Mother and its lactation suites were profiled in Employee Benefit News and Nice News.
🛶 Canoa opened its inaugural group exhibition VESSEL during San Francisco Design Week, and Dezeen profiled the show. Read that here.
Built Robotics was named a finalist in the Smart Electric Power Alliance Player Awards for its autonomous piling driving robot for utility-scale solar. 🤖
🏡 Hudson Valley One featured Dandelion Energy and the company’s work installing geothermal in more than 1,900 homes in New York State, avoiding 867,000 tons of carbon-dioxide pollution. Read the piece here.
On the move
Built Robotics, Clearstory, Join.build, and SmartPM attended ENR. 🛠️
📐Earlier this month, the UpCodes team was in Washington, D.C. for AIA.
The Mezo team attended the IMN Singe Family Rental conference. 🏘️
At BuiltWorlds Venture West, Parspec won the demo day competition. 👏
New products, people announcements, and more
🏗️ Join.build launched an exciting integration with Procore. Read the announcement in Construction Dive.
Clearstory released Contractor Insights, a suite of data visualizations tools. Watch a demo with CEO and Founder Cameron Page here.🚀
🛜 Join Digital’s Karl May spoke with B2B tech expert Evan Kirstel about network as a service. Watch that conversation.
enVerid published a guide to optimize DOAS design with sorbent ventilation technology. Check it out. ♻️
✉️ Mosaic sent out its first edition of The Build, a newsletter exploring the company’s technology, market insights, BTR industry trends, and more. Sign up here.
Hypar released a preview of its latest beta. Watch it here. 🎥
Our portfolio companies are looking for systems engineers, designers, and more. Check out the 60+ open roles here. 👀
BVIN Updates
Recent upgrades to the BVIN member site
We’ve made some updates to the BVIN member site. All webinars and summit sessions now have transcripts to help make the content more easily navigable and improve the search function on the site. We also added collections of content for recurring themes in our BVIN events, including decarbonizing our built environment, improving our construction processes, and more.
Members can check the new content out here. If you’re not sure about your access, please reach out to Allen.
BV Activity
In our last newsletter, we teased our new content series outlining our vision for a better built world. Since then, Allen started us off with an exploration of data-driven design, and Jesse shared how construction in a better built world will depend on stronger stakeholder collaboration and tech solutions built with the industry’s hyperlocal challenge in mind. Read Allen’s piece and Jesse’s piece if you missed them.
Last week, Travis, Heather, and Lucas attended Realcomm. Travis spoke on a panel about AI trends in CRE, and during the event, Lucas joined Realcomm Live. You can watch Lucas’s recorded session here.
Lucas and Travis speaking at Realcomm.
In May, Heather served as a judge for the second annual NAIOP NYC Proptech Competition.
Allen attended ENR FutureTech in San Diego and the Plug and Play Silicon Valley June Summit in Sunnyvale.
In the most recent issue of Innovation Spotlight published by Building Transformations, Mayra contributed an article on AI startups in the built environment. You can read that here.
Building Ventures invests in companies that are reshaping the way we design, build, operate and experience our built environment. Do you know a founder we simply have to meet? Send them here!
