Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes

Bricks And Bytes, Patric Hellermann, Dustin Devan
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Industry leaders Patric Hellermann, Dustin Devan, Martin Piekarz & Owen Drury sit down each week to explore tech, news, and trends within the AEC sector. Each week we debate the macro economic issues within the industry and how they those working and building within AEC. Hot takes only.

  1. JAN 9

    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 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 00:00:00 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

    1h 21m

  2. 12/19/2025

    $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 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

    1h 18m

  3. 12/12/2025

    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 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

    1h 19m

  4. 12/05/2025

    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 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

    1h 11m

  5. 11/14/2025

    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 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

    1h 17m

  6. 11/07/2025

    OpenAI Turner Mega Deal, OpenSpace Buys Disperse, Government Shutdown Impact on Construction & Startup Valuation Truth Bombs

    In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen, Martin, Patrick, and Dustin break down what happens when a fully remote startup brings everyone together IRL—plus two major construction tech deals that have everyone talking. Dustin opens up about Ediphi's first all-hands offsite (spoiler: his team didn't win the escape room), before the crew dives into the chaos of government shutdowns and what they actually mean for construction. Then things get spicy with the OpenAI x Turner deal that's got LinkedIn in a frenzy, and Jeevan from OpenSpace and Oli from Disperse join to talk about their recently announced acquisition. Topics covered: Why company offsites are worth every penny for remote teams The real cost of government shutdowns on construction projects Turner's $30M OpenAI deal and what it means for GCs Inside the OpenSpace + Disperse acquisition The uncomfortable truth about startup valuations and M&A "You're not worth that much money when you raise at 30 million or 50 million. You're not truly worth that. It's buying a future." - Dustin DeVan Plus: Owen debuts the new Bricks & Bytes merch, Dustin reveals his founder health transformation (no Ozempic involved), and the team debates whether construction tech is ripe for consolidation. 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 Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:43 Introduction to Company Offsites  07:46 The Importance of Company Offsites  11:42 Government Shutdown in the U.S.  21:00 Turner Construction's Deal with OpenAI  24:20 Exploring OpenAI's Impact on Construction  27:18 The Challenges of Implementing AI in Estimation  29:53 Creative Commercial Deals and Revenue Sharing 31:19 The Role of AI in Streamlining Workflows 34:38 Standardizing Processes for Effective AI Integration 38:58 The Future of Legal Services in the Age of AI 42:21 The Human Element in Legal and Engineering Services 49:34 The Acquisition Journey: From Partnership to Integration 53:03 Leadership Changes and Strategic Growth 57:09 Product Roadmap and Customer Experience 1:00:05 Navigating Competition in Construction Tech 1:01:55 Future of Acquisitions in Construction Tech

    1h 17m

  7. 10/31/2025

    nPlan Raises £11.9M Series B, AI Agents Lack Evals Crisis, WhatsApp Dominates 90% Site Communication

    "Most AI Agents Will Die" - Why This CTO Is Terrified About What's Coming In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, hosts Owen Drury, Martin, and Patric Hellermann sit down with some of construction tech's boldest builders who aren't holding back. Fresh off massive funding rounds and hard-won lessons, they reveal what's really happening behind the hype. What we cover: - nPlan's £11.9M Series B - Alan Mosca (CTO) explains why they accidentally solved molecule generation while building scheduling AI - Factors' $56M raise - How they're financing $250-300M of construction work annually (and the "trick" banks don't want you to know) - The AI agent apocalypse - Why lack of evaluation frameworks will "kill off most agents" - WhatsApp is eating construction tech - 90% of site communication happens here, and smart founders are finally paying attention - Smart glasses revolution - Why this could be as transformative as mobile phones on construction sites - AI consultancies without humans - The controversial future of PM firms charging on outcomes, not hours - Why one founder stopped fundraising - "Customer money is the best capital" and why raising is a "massive distraction" - 5 accelerators, 5 lessons - Prakash Senghani (Navatech) on contradictory advice and what actually works in the Middle East - Regional pricing secrets - Why per-user pricing fails in the UAE and what to do instead Key Quote: "I think we're getting to a stage where AI is going to become like the internet, right? You don't tell people that my app runs on the internet. That's obvious. You're going to get to a stage where your app has AI. Yeah, that's obvious, right? What are you doing with it? What's the outcome?" - Prakash Senghani Featuring: Alan Mosca (nPlan CTO), Nitin Bhandari (Planera), and Prakash Senghani (Navatech) 🎧 Listen to the Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3P7JkiN9X3N4Kh6jlDsOgi?si=91JP5nxvQbKStkp8AQdAOg 📩 Subscribe to the Bricks & Bytes Newsletter: https://bricks-bytes.beehiiv.com/ 🌐 Visit our website: http://bricks-bytes.com/ 📲 Follow us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bricks-bytes/ Twitter: https://x.com/bricksbytespod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricksbytes/ 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 Enjoying the insights? Hit that Subscribe button to stay ahead in construction tech, AI, and the future of how we build. Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:12 Introduction and Guest Introduction 04:61 Funding News and Company Growth 08:03 Technological Innovations in Scheduling 10:40 Generative Models and Unexpected Discoveries 13:31 Developing Custom Models for Specific Tasks 16:24 The Importance of Data and Research 19:08 Convergence of Machine Learning Techniques 22:13 AI Skepticism and Misuse 24:52 The Future of AI in Construction Tech 28:08 Collaborative Scheduling and User Experience 30:57 Evaluating AI Performance 33:36 Insights from Nitin on Data Center Construction 36:32 Planera's Unique Approach to Scheduling 39:28 The Role of AI in Scheduling 42:20 Lessons from Past Collaborative Tools 45:18 The Future of Scheduling Technology 46:33 Introduction and Context Setting 47:25 Navigating Growing Pains in Business 48:17 The Role of AI in Business Operations 49:44 Understanding the Product and Its Impact 51:14 Practical Applications of AI in Safety 54:45 Target Customers and Market Strategy 55:48 Shifting Gears: The Future of Construction Tech 1:00:17 The Evolution of Software and Company Structures 1:04:09 Current Business Climate in the Region 1:06:13 The Rise of Construction Tech Startups 1:10:05 Experiences with Accelerators 1:15:39 Pricing Strategies for Startups 1:18:41 Conclusion and Future Outlook

    1h 29m

  8. 10/24/2025

    Procore’s AI Bomb, Should VCs Pick Ideas, Revolutionary Site Layout Tool

    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, Owen, Martin, Dustin, and Patric 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

    1h 15m
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About

Industry leaders Patric Hellermann, Dustin Devan, Martin Piekarz & Owen Drury sit down each week to explore tech, news, and trends within the AEC sector. Each week we debate the macro economic issues within the industry and how they those working and building within AEC. Hot takes only.

Information

  • Creator
    Bricks And Bytes, Patric Hellermann, Dustin Devan
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    70
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Bricks And Bytes, Patric Hellermann, Dustin Devan
  • Show Website
    Bricks, Buck$ And Bytes