Formidable, Resourceful & Moving Forward
When discussing our investment decisioning process, one of the most frequently asked questions we field is, “What does Building Ventures look for in a founder?” While there truly is no single paradigm, after twenty-plus years of working with startup teams, we have refined our tenets. We seek to invest in founders who are “formidable” and “relentlessly resourceful”. If ever there was a year to test the mettle and resolve of an early stage leader, 2020 was that year. Looking back we could not be prouder or feel more privileged to be working with the incredible women and men who lead our portfolio companies. Despite the many challenges met and overcome, the year – and Q4 in particular – saw some spectacular achievements. We also welcomed some formidable new additions to our portfolio and team as you will read below. While 2020 certainly reinforced some of our firm principles, it also was a year during which dogged beliefs about how and where we work were challenged. Freed from these anachronistic assumptions, we see companies all across the landscape of the built environment imagining new ways of designing, building, operating, and improving. It has been said elsewhere that overall digital transformation has accelerated two to five years over the past 12 months. We have seen it with our own eyes and heard it from many of you across our Innovation Network. As Jesse likes to say, “Buckle up, 2021 is going to be an exciting ride!”
Our Investment in CANOA
CANOA Founder & CEO Federico Negro and his team understand the complexity and urgency of managing, updating and expanding a portfolio of physical locations, and they have built the platform to make this difficult process as simple and sustainable as possible. We were excited to participate in their Series Seed! Read more
Our Investment in Envoy
Founded by real estate tech entrepreneurs Aric Ohana and Ori Sagie, Envoy’s Mobility as an Amenity™ platform is a turn-key solution including an app to reserve EV vehicles, insurance, maintenance, and chargers for CRE properties. We were thrilled to co-lead Envoy’s $11 million Series A. Read more
BV News & Activity
Gregg Wallace joins Building Ventures
We have added another evangelist for a better built world! Gregg Wallace joins Allen on the West Coast, as a Principal on the BV Investment Team. Read why Gregg was eager to join the BV mission
Last week, Realcomm invited Travis and Metaprop’s Aaron Block for a compelling discussion of the future of PropTech in 2021 and beyond. Watch the discussion
Built World’s Matt Gray hosted a fireside chat with Jesse and Darren Bechtel of Brick & Mortar to showcase the unique perspectives of these two built environment pioneers. Watch the fireside chat here
Allen attended the AEC Advisors 2020 Chief Executives Summit to present and moderate a “Shark Tank 2.0” session of digital ideas for the AEC industry that featured live voting from the CEO audience. Read more here
Heather participated in the Drastic Summit panel discussion VCs in the Construction Space alongside Michelle Killoran of OMERS Ventures, Kaustubh Pandya of Brick & Mortar Ventures, and moderated by Josh Kanner from Smartvid.io. Check out the highlights
Portfolio News & Activity
(Virtual) Ribbon Cutting Phoenix Rising Blokable unveiled Phoenix Rising, the world’s first Vertically Integrated Modular housing development, providing high-quality, energy efficient housing. Watch the video
Cleantech Group, named 75F to its 2021 Global Cleantech 100 Company list. This distinct recognition goes to companies around the globe that demonstrate innovation with potential to make a real, meaningful difference in the climate crisis.
In The Press
Dandelion was profiled in Vox feature The Earth itself could provide carbon-free heat for buildings
Built Robotics was featured in a CNBC piece How autonomous robots are changing construction
Hypar’s Anthony Hauck shared his 2021 perspectives and predictions with Architect Magazine in The Tech to Expect in 2021—and the Impact of 2020
Join.build was featured by billd in Contractor Management Software: The Best Platforms to Transform Your Operations
Worth profiled enVerid Energy: A Pathway to Reopening Schools and Offices During COVID-19 on how its products and expertise in indoor air quality are helping stop the virus’ spread.
Musings
Charles Stucki of Join Digital penned a thoughtful piece for Realcomm prognosticating The next two normals
Measurabl expounded on BlackRock’s Larry Fink’s Letter to CEO’s in their own thoughtful piece 2020: The Year ESG Became Impossible to Ignore
Mosaic shared their experience as they poured the first concrete foundation at Adora, one of their design-build projects located in the beautiful Timber Sky community in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Laura Paciano shared her excitement to join Team Smartvid as VP of Marketing. Welcome, Laura!
