PlanGrid Founders Return to Construction, 27% of GCs Using Personal Funds, $9.2M Nextlight Raise, AI Go-To-Market Race, with Will Mitchell from Rabbit

2026 Construction Industry, $3 Billion Construction Tech Exits, Canvas Robotics Acquired, Pre-Con Debates & LinkedIn Content Crisis

Is $3 Billion the New Normal for Construction Tech Exits? In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen, Patric, Martin, and Dustin kick off 2026 with hot takes, bold predictions, and a no-holds-barred discussion on what's really happening in construction tech. What we cover: * The 2026 construction industry trends everyone's talking about (data centers, manufacturing plateaus, and the office market reality) * Why LinkedIn has become a wasteland of AI-generated garbage and what actually works now * Patric's spicy prediction: "$3 billion exits in construction tech in 2026" * The great pre-construction debate: Can you really reduce years of work to minutes? * Why most tech companies are marketing to VCs instead of actual customers (and how to spot the BS) * Canvas Robotics gets acquired by JLG - what this means for the robotics wave * Steve Dellorto from ConCntric joins to talk about his 26 years at Clark Construction and why pre-con is broken * The most ridiculous products from CES 2026 (AI-powered hair clippers, anyone?) * A heated debate on socialism, taxes, and why New York's mayor might be the worst businessman in America Key quote: "It was never easier to start a business, but it was also never more difficult to build a great business." - Patric Our Sponsor: Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.co [http://aphex.co] Archdesk -  “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.com [http://archdesk.com] BuildVision -   streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:09 Introduction to 2026 Construction Trends  00:04:09 CES Conference Highlights and Innovations  00:07:08 Shifts in Construction Project Types  00:10:21 The Impact of Social Media on Industry Trends  00:13:13 The Evolution of Content Creation and Marketing  00:16:09 The Future of Business Models in Tech  00:19:21 The Role of People in Business Success  00:22:09 Reflections on Quality in Content and Business  00:25:15 Closing Thoughts and Future Directions  00:28:26 Trends in Construction Mergers and Acquisitions  00:31:49 The Impact of Tariffs and Supply Chain Localization  00:35:34 Global Economic Shifts and Their Effects on Construction  00:40:02 The Rise of Offsite Manufacturing in Construction  00:43:03 Advancements in Robotics and AI in Construction  00:48:03 Green Building Mandates and Energy Challenges  00:53:38 Innovations in Pre-Construction Technology  00:59:47 Transitioning from Construction to Tech  01:01:14 Building Effective Teams in Tech  01:02:49 Customer Engagement in Tech  01:04:24 Project-First Focus in Construction Tech  01:06:16 The Reality of Pre-Construction  01:07:36 Building for Builders  01:09:01 Ridiculous Innovations from CES  01:16:07 Best Recent Purchases

$100K Christmas Party, AEC UFC Arrives, EquipmentShare Files Public, Three?? AEC Tech IPOs Coming

A $100,000+ Christmas party, strip clubs as corporate bonding, and a secret betting ring—this is how construction tech really celebrates. In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, hosts Owen, Martin, and Dustin close out 2025 with Santa hats, sick days, and the unfiltered truth about the AEC industry's wildest traditions. In this festive year-end special, you'll hear about: * The two-week closed beta of their AEC prediction market experiment and why it's harder to execute than anyone expected * Dustin's legendary Building Connected Christmas party where they blew over $100K knowing they were about to get acquired (casino night, no budget limits, zero regrets) * Why construction industry Christmas parties always end with at least one fight and HR scrambling the next day * Equipment Share's IPO filing and why 2026 could see three major AEC tech companies go public * The leaderboard drama where Dustin bet big on himself for "best looking host" and actually won "I don't know if that time will ever come again because money was treated very differently." – Dustin DeVan on Silicon Valley's glory days The crew signs off until January 8th with holiday cheer, confession-booth honesty, and predictions for an even wilder 2026. Our Sponsor: Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.co [http://aphex.co] Archdesk -  “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.com BuildVision -   streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io Watch the Breadcrumb Ad here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKUPzoHig2M Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:06 Holiday Cheer and Predictions 03:52 Exploring Prediction Markets 06:50 Reflections on Christmas Parties 09:45 Media Influence and Public Sentiment 12:37 Personal and Company Growth in 2025 18:01 Looking Ahead to 2026 in Construction Tech  25:16 The Software Selection Dilemma  27:07 The AI Landscape in Construction  28:34 Anticipating Acquisitions in 2026  31:20 The Great Debate: Cloud vs. Desktop Solutions  38:58 Innovative Marketing in Construction Tech  50:36 The Risk of Bold Marketing in AEC  52:50 Building Effective Marketing Teams for Startups  55:05 Navigating Marketing Strategies for Startups  56:34 Insights on Rebranding Strategies  57:52 The Future of Marketing in AEC  01:00:23 Debate Recap: AI in Construction Estimating  01:07:12 Christmas Traditions and Predictions for 2026

Bobyard's $35M AI Claims, Oracle's $523B Backlog, Larry Ellison's Debt Mastery, Parallax Worlds $4.9M Robot Testing, ChatGPT vs Construction Reality

Can You Really Bid a Construction Project in Minutes? One Founder Says Yes, a Contractor Says It's "Completely Inaccurate" In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Martin, Patric, and Dustin tear into the latest construction tech funding news, Oracle's jaw-dropping earnings, and set up what might be the most heated debate in AEC tech this year. What's covered: * Bobyard's $35M Series A for AI-powered takeoffs—and why Dustin thinks their marketing claims miss the mark on how pre-construction actually works * Oracle's $523 billion revenue backlog (yes, that's more than the GDP of Norway, Austria, and Vietnam combined) * How Larry Ellison became the master of debt financing and why the AI bubble might not be bursting yet * Tanmay Agarwal from Parallax Worlds joins to explain their $4.9M raise and how they stress-test robots in hyper-realistic digital twins before they hit factory floors * The battle lines drawn: Mike Powers and Luigi La Corte face off in a heated teaser for Tuesday's debate on whether ChatGPT and Gemini have actually "solved" construction estimating The quote: "Estimating, quantity takeoff is not the most time consuming aspect of pre-construction. For any person that's ever been a part of pre-construction, that spans years. You do not spend years doing quantity takeoff." — Dustin Plus, next week is the final episode of 2025—and there might be costumes involved. Our Sponsor:  Archdesk -  “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.com BuildVision -   streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.co [http://aphex.co] Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:31 Introduction and Overview of Topics  04:24 Bobyard's Series A Funding and Impact on Construction  07:18 Debate on Trade-Specific Models vs. General Models  10:21 Challenges in Construction Estimation  13:22 The Role of Pricing in Construction Estimation  16:08 Oracle's Financial Performance and Its Implications  19:03 Future of AI in Construction  31:44 The Role of AI in Financial Models  32:41 Data Centers and the Future of AI  33:53 Understanding Oracle's Business Model  35:22 Debt Financing and Its Implications  37:19 Market Dynamics in Dubai's Real Estate  39:58 The German Economy and Construction Trends  41:19 Current State of the US Construction Market  49:33 Advancements in Robotics and AI Testing  1:00:33 Intersection of Hardware and Software in Robotics  1:01:15 Construction Robotics and Digital Twins  1:02:37 The Value of Simulation in Construction Tech  1:03:31 Data Integration from On-Site Solutions  1:04:10 Closing Thoughts and Future Directions  1:07:39 Debate on AI in Construction  1:12:24 Open Source and Benchmarking in Construction Tech

AEC's Craziest Acquisition Ever? Landing Page 101, UK Construction Doomed, Robotics to win 2026

Is the $390M AECOM-Consigli Deal Actually Worth It? (And Why Everyone Has an Opinion) In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen, Martin, and Dustin dive into the construction tech industry's hottest acquisition while unpacking what it means for the future of AEC software. Key topics discussed: * The AECOM acquisition of Norwegian AI startup Consigli for $390M and whether the valuation is justified * Engineering consultancies buying software startups: smart strategy or risky bet? * Dustin's firsthand experience with acquisitions and what actually happens post-deal * The hidden challenges of integrating AI software into traditional construction firms * Out-of-the-box LLMs vs. custom-built AI: which wins for construction takeoffs? * Announcing the AEC Prediction Market closed beta (launching December 8th) "The level of precision that these models are gonna reach is gonna far exceed even what you would do on your own at some point. And it's very, very close anyway." – Dustin DeVan Plus: Why Owen's satirical LinkedIn post about the deal went viral, Dustin's impressive turkey trot performance, and the upcoming debate between Luigi and Powers on whether general AI models can truly replace specialized construction tools. Our Sponsors Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.co [http://aphex.co] Archdesk -  “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.com BuildVision -   streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:24 Introduction to Live Streaming Challenges  07:24 Discussion on AECOM's Acquisition of Consigli  19:19 The King Making Strategy in VC Investments  24:22 Funding Strategies in Competitive Markets  26:26 The Challenges of Venture Capital  29:19 Navigating Market Pressures and Investment Timing  31:40 UK Construction Market Trends  34:19 US Construction Landscape and Economic Outlook  36:10 Innovations in Construction Technology  38:07 The Future of Robotics in Construction  41:10 Landing Page Strategies for Startups  50:48 The Importance of Visuals in Product Presentation  53:14 Building Trust Through Social Proof  53:56 Effective Website Design Principles  55:51 The Role of Terminology in Industry Credibility  59:07 Innovative Approaches to AI in Construction  01:02:53 The Upcoming LLM Debate 01:09:20 Launching the AEC Prediction Market

PlanGrid Founders Return to Construction, 27% of GCs Using Personal Funds, $9.2M Nextlight Raise, AI Go-To-Market Race, with Will Mitchell from Rabbit

27% of contractors are using PERSONAL MONEY to keep their businesses alive—and it's worse than you think. In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen, Dustin, and Martin break down the biggest shakeups in construction tech, from the PlanGrid founders' surprise return to AI, to the shocking payment crisis threatening to sink contractors across the industry. We’re joined by Will Mitchell from Rabbet, David from NxLite, and Vardhan Mehta from Acelab to unpack what's really happening in construction payments, energy efficiency, and materials management. Key Topics: * Tiger Eye's big pivot: Why Tracy Young and Ralph Gootee are bringing AI back to construction after PlanGrid * The AI arms race: Will there be one winner or will construction tech fragment like consumer markets? * Rabbet's 2025 Construction Payments Report: 44% of firms are getting paid late and 20% hit negative cash flow * The personal finance nightmare: Why nearly 1 in 3 GCs are dipping into their own pockets to cover payroll * NxLite's $9.2M Series A: How smart window coatings can slash building energy costs by 25% * Acelab's $13.5M raise: The two-sided marketplace that's won over half the top 100 AEC firms "None of these companies are building their own foundational models. They're using other people's models. So I think it's going to be a go-to-market race." — Dustin DeVan Sponsors: BuildVision -   streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io Archdesk -  “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.com [http://archdesk.com] Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.co Chapters  00:00 Intro 01:30 Introduction to New AI Player in Construction  04:16 Trimble Dimensions: Key Takeaways  07:10 The Future of AI in Construction  10:11 Trimble's Innovations and Market Position  12:56 Challenges in Construction Payments  15:50 Insights from the 2025 Construction Payments Report  38:35 The Challenges of Payment Processes in Construction  41:46 Incentives for Faster Payments 42:44 The Impact of Payment Delays on Project Costs  45:26 Innovations in Payment Solutions  48:26 Advancements in Energy Control Coatings  51:22 The Future of Coating Technologies  57:17 The Role of Patents in Tangible vs. Software Businesses  59:10 Building a Robust Materials Management System  01:09:06 Funding and Growth Strategies for Startups