BRAIN - CASH - PROXIMITY  BRAIN: We are engineers, developers, scientists and business people – but we‘re all entrepreneurs. We meet you at eye level and do whatever is takes to help you achieving your goals. Strategy, product development, regulatory, hiring or sales – we use our hands and brains for you and your team to become successful. CASH: Becoming the next category leader doesn‘t come for free. We fuel your ambition by investing early-stage venture capital. For a reliable long-term relation, we invest early and have a decent reach to support you on your journey. Our international network backs your later rounds. PROXIMITY: Authentic early-stage investing takes a lot of work and time. We believe that real human-to-human interaction is the key to successful long-term relationships. We are here for you when you need us and at your site if you call for us. That‘s why we mainly invest in teams that we can reach within two hours.

TechVision Fund

LBBW VC founded in 1998 as an independent subsidiary of the Landesbank BadenWuerttenberg, LBBW Venture invests in early and late growth stages of companies. Apart from long term financial support for its portfolio companies, the team offers special commercial support by active introductions to LBBW’s fast corporate client network, pitch sessions with potential commercial clients or direct applications within the bank itself. They have a broad successful international investment track record and growth support experience given their investments in over 60 companies. Their team members backed companies in Europe, Israel and the US and gained deep expertise across various industrial sectors. Their teams track record counts 2 IPO's, 1 unicorn and multiple trade sales.

LBBW VC

We are xdeck. from founders, for founders. xdeck is Germany’s first startup accelerator from founders for founders and not for profit. xdeck is a venture-platform that accelerates and invests into innovative, data-enabled tech startups. xdeck is seed-funded by the founders of FOND OF and made possible through strong partners: Capnamic Ventures, Cherry Ventures, Deutsche Bank, Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek, High-Tech Gründerfonds, Kienbaum Consultants International, Köln Business, McKinsey & Company, Volksbank Köln Bonn. Get in touch if you are looking for a strong network, access to funding and operative know-how. No frills. no fuss.

xdeck

specter automation

The construction sector is the second largest, but at the same time the least digitised sector in the world with a total of 96% of all data unused. Although detailed planning data is created in advance, a lack of suitable digital tools prevents it from being transferred to the construction site. specter's web-based construction management software uniquely integrates the core components of construction planning, reduces the organisational effort for construction management, and halves construction delays.

Specter Automation, founded in 2021, offers a SaaS and automation platform for the construction industry. The company's cloud-based solution generates 3D graphical models of construction projects, providing real-time estimates of cost, material usage, and lead times. This technology aims to address the low digital adoption rates in the construction sector, which has been identified as a significant revenue generator yet lagging in technological integration. Specter Automation's platform is designed to enhance efficiency in construction processes, potentially reducing organizational effort by up to 40%. The company's focus is on digitizing operations directly at construction sites, aiming to improve quality, adherence to schedules, and automated documentation of on-site activities.

Cologne construction tech startup Specter Automation raises €2.7 million

Technologies and processes that revolutionize the traditional construction industry

Construction Tech

Specter Automation, founded in 2021, offers a SaaS and automation platform for the construction industry. The company's cloud-based solution generates 3D graphical models of construction projects, providing real-time estimates of cost, material usage, and lead times. This technology aims to address the low digital adoption rates in the construction sector, which has been identified as a significant revenue generator yet lagging in technological integration. Specter Automation's platform is designed to enhance efficiency in construction processes, potentially reducing organizational effort by up to 40%. The company's focus is on digitizing operations directly at construction sites, aiming to improve quality, adherence to schedules, and automated documentation of on-site activities.

EquipmentShare is a construction technology and equipment solutions provider founded in 2015 and headquartered in Columbia, Missouri. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services including equipment rental, fleet management technology, and digital solutions for the construction industry. At the core of EquipmentShare's offerings is its proprietary T3 technology platform, a cloud-based operating system that integrates telematics, hardware, and software to monitor equipment health, track utilization, and optimize rental operations. The T3 platform allows contractors to gather real-time data on their machinery, enabling them to make data-driven decisions and improve productivity.
The company's rental fleet features equipment from trusted brands like Genie, Takeuchi, and Doosan, enhanced with EquipmentShare's T3 technology. This technology enables features such as GPS tracking, real-time alerts on location and rental status, and remote monitoring of machine utilization and health. EquipmentShare also offers a mobile app for customers to manage their rentals, including online reservations and instant off-renting capabilities. Beyond rentals, the company provides equipment sales, both new and used, with machines outfitted with their fleet management technology.
EquipmentShare has experienced rapid growth since its inception. As of September 2023, the company had expanded to more than 185 locations across the US, including rental, retail, and service centers. In 2022 alone, EquipmentShare opened 32 new branch locations. The company employed over 4,100 team members as of April 2023. EquipmentShare is also investing in its future growth, with plans to build a new headquarters in Columbia, Missouri, which could potentially be ten times the size of its current campus and create 500 new jobs.

EquipmentShare

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 Procore is a leading cloud-based construction management software platform that connects stakeholders across construction projects. Founded in 2003, Procore offers a comprehensive suite of tools for project management, quality and safety, construction financials, and field productivity. The platform allows unlimited users to access real-time project data, facilitating collaboration between office and field teams. Procore's core functionalities include document management, drawing management, RFIs, submittals, scheduling, budgeting, and reporting. The software is designed to streamline workflows, improve communication, and provide visibility into project health and performance.
 
 
 
 
 Procore's platform is accessible via web browsers and mobile apps for iOS and Android devices. The company emphasizes user-centric design and regularly updates its software based on customer feedback. Procore integrates with numerous third-party applications through its App Marketplace and offers an open API for custom integrations. The platform is used across various construction sectors, including commercial, residential, industrial, and infrastructure projects.
 
 
 
 
 In May 2021, Procore went public and is now traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The company has expanded internationally, with offices in the US, Canada, and other locations worldwide. Procore's pricing model is based on a company's annual construction volume rather than per-user fees, with custom enterprise solutions available for larger organizations.
 
 
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 
 
 
 Procore serves a diverse range of clients in the construction industry, from small contractors to large enterprises. Some notable customers include Mortenson Construction, Lennar, HITT Contracting, and Turner Construction. In Canada, companies like Houle Electric have adopted Procore to manage their hybrid work environments and multi-trade collaborations.
 
 
 
 
 Procore has established partnerships with various technology providers to enhance its offerings. For example, the company integrated with ProEst estimating software in 2013 to streamline the transition from estimating to project management. Procore also supports integrations with common business tools like Microsoft Office, Google Drive, and Salesforce, as well as construction-specific software such as Sage 300 CRE and Viewpoint.
 
 
 
 
 The company has focused on expanding its presence in international markets. In November 2022, Procore announced that several European contractors, including Ardmac, Henry Boot Construction, and BW: Workplace Experts, had adopted its platform. These partnerships demonstrate Procore's growing influence in the global construction technology market.
 
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Procore

OpenSpace is a technology company focused on enhancing efficiency and reducing risk in the construction industry. The company's primary offering is a reality capture and documentation platform for construction sites. OpenSpace's system allows users to capture site imagery by simply attaching a camera to themselves and walking through the site. The OpenSpace Vision Engine then automatically maps these photos to project plans, providing a complete visual record of the site. This process is notably fast, with images available for viewing in approximately 15 minutes. The platform offers a comprehensive as-built record of construction projects from preconstruction to handover and operation.
The company's technology enables construction firms, specialty contractors, and property owners to maintain a real-time visual record of their jobsites. This documentation helps teams stay updated on progress, verify completed work, improve coordination, and mitigate risks. OpenSpace's platform includes features such as BIM Compare, Split View, OpenSpace BIM+, and OpenSpace Track. The Field Notes feature facilitates communication about changes, quality assurance and control documentation, and streamlines processes like punch lists and RFIs. OpenSpace's technology is designed to integrate with existing project management software, offering seamless workflows for users. The company also partners with insurance carriers to offer lower-cost policies to its clients, leveraging the risk reduction benefits of its platform.

OpenSpace

RenoRun is an ecommerce platform for construction and building materials that aims to streamline the supply chain for builders and contractors. Founded in 2017 in Montreal, Canada, the company offers an on-demand delivery service for construction supplies, including lumber, drywall, insulation, shingles, siding, hardware, doors, and paint. RenoRun's platform allows contractors to order materials through a desktop site or mobile app, with deliveries made within two to four hours directly to job sites. The company sources materials from local hardware stores and its own network of warehouses, offering over 4,500 products through its online catalog.
RenoRun's business model is designed to increase job site efficiency by eliminating the need for contractors to leave work sites to purchase supplies, saving time and reducing labor costs. The platform also enables contractors to manage material orders across multiple job sites, consolidating purchases from various vendors. In addition to its core delivery service, RenoRun has expanded its offerings to include a FinTech product to help contractors finance material purchases.
The company experienced significant growth, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, as customers were drawn to contactless delivery options. By February 2022, RenoRun had expanded its operations to serve six markets across Canada and the US, including Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto, Montreal, and Washington D.C. At that time, the company reported having over 500 employees and serving more than 10,000 customers. RenoRun claimed to be growing 2x to 3x year-over-year and expected to exceed nine figures in revenue in 2022.
However, in May 2023, RenoRun faced significant challenges and was forced to shut down its operations. The company entered an insolvency process and began pursuing the sale of its assets through Quebec courts.

RenoRun

DroneDeploy is a cloud-based drone mapping software company that provides solutions for aerial data capture, processing, and analysis. The platform allows users to plan autonomous drone flights, capture imagery, and generate 2D maps and 3D models from the collected data. DroneDeploy's software is compatible with various drone models and offers tools for industries such as agriculture, construction, mining, and surveying.
The company's platform enables real-time mapping and in-field decision making through features like live map generation during flights. Users can conduct complete reality captures with interior and exterior visual data, gather accurate measurements and annotations for analysis, and create full 360-degree walkthroughs of models. DroneDeploy's photogrammetry algorithms transform drone-captured images into maps, which can be aerial or ground-based, and 3D models with 1-2 pixel ground sample distance accuracy.
DroneDeploy emphasizes ease of use and efficiency in its software design. The platform can process up to 1GB of imagery data at a time, significantly reducing the time between data collection and visualization. Its cloud-based nature allows for easy sharing and accessing of data across teams. The software also offers site comparison capabilities, enabling users to compare current surveys with previous data to track changes over time.
Key customers and partnerships
In February 2024, Trimble announced a partnership with DroneDeploy to enhance drone mapping capabilities. This collaboration integrates Trimble's Applanix POSPac Cloud post-processed kinematic GNSS positioning service with DroneDeploy's reality-capture platform. The integration aims to deliver centimeter-level accuracy and an automated, streamlined workflow for DroneDeploy customers when performing reality capture with drones.
DroneDeploy has also partnered with FedEx and Walgreens to facilitate drone deliveries to US homes, expanding its reach beyond mapping services. The company's recent acquisition of StructionSite has further enhanced its capabilities, allowing for the creation of integrated data products that overlay interior and exterior 3D models.

DroneDeploy

Platforms that assist construction companies and employers with the management of various on-site jobs and functions, along with features for task allocation, collaboration, document management, and job-site management.

Companies that use AI, machine learning, and technologies such as drones to collect and process data that can be used to monitor aspects such as construction progress, material consumption, and equipment utilization and predict site safety risks.

Platforms that allow companies to purchase and rent equipment needed for construction activities.

Platforms that match construction companies with contractors and on-site workers.

Platforms that allow construction companies to procure raw materials and monitor/manage inventory utilization.

Companies that develop robots and autonomous solutions for construction machinery.

Leverages robotics technology to automate certain vehicles and machinery to support construction activities

Leverages AI/ML to capture data from various sites and monitor data and information feeds

specter automation

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