"We acquired a robotics company that nobody knows about and robot costs just crashed from $100,000 to $15,000."

In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Matt Daly, CMO of DroneDeploy, and we got to learn about the hidden robotics revolution happening in construction, why most startups are choosing the wrong funding path, and how AI agents with "a million eyeballs" are about to transform job sites... and many more!

Tune in to find out about:

✅ How ground robots went from $100K to $15K and why this changes everything

✅ Why 60% of DroneDeploy's new customers come from word of mouth

✅ The biggest mistake early-stage construction tech founders make with funding

✅ How multimodal AI models are replacing human-powered data analysis

Listen now on Spotify to discover why Matt believes "this is such a phenomenal time to be building products in reality capture" and what's coming this fall that will deliver answers, not just mountains of photos.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

03:24 Introduction and Overview of DroneDeploy

06:20 The Role of Robotics and AI in Construction

09:17 Merging for Market Consolidation

12:07 The Future of Reality Capture Solutions

15:19 Vision for Automated Data Capture

18:18 Challenges in Robotics and Automation

21:02 Cost Dynamics in Ground Robotics

24:10 The Impact of Major Tech Companies

27:02 Understanding Customer Personas

30:00 Visibility and Data Sharing Among Stakeholders

33:07 Customization of Solutions for Different Trades

35:56 Lessons Learned in Business Growth

40:01 Mastering Talent Acquisition

47:07 Navigating Capital Acquisition

53:59 Effective Resource Allocation

01:00:18 Marketing Strategies and Customer Acquisition

01:03:26 The Evolution of Reality Capture with AI

01:06:17 Pricing Models in Construction Software

"Hardware is hard" is the biggest lie in tech.

Yet VCs keep repeating it while holding their iPhones - literally a piece of hardware that made Apple one of the world's biggest companies.

In today's episode of Bricks & bytes, we had Nathan Kirchner and we got to learn about why the "hardware is hard" myth is killing innovation in construction, how to break through corporate inertia, and the real barriers startups face when selling to billion-dollar companies... and many more!

Tune in to find out about:

✅ Why 7 out of 10 biggest companies are actually hardware-dependent

✅ How to escape "pilot purgatory" and get real corporate deals

✅ The psychology behind why big companies resist innovation

✅ Why bringing domain experts into your team beats perfect tech every time

Listen now on Spotify and discover how construction startups can actually win against corporate giants.

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

02:30 Introduction to Hardware Startups

05:30 Challenges in Building Hardware Startups

08:20 The Role of Hardware in Major Companies

11:19 Nathan's Journey into Hardware and Robotics

14:12 Innovations in Construction and Robotics

17:03 Engaging with Large Corporations

20:15 The Consultant vs. Innovator Mindset

23:07 Incremental Innovation vs. Grand Solutions

26:00 Cultural Differences Between Startups and Corporates

28:54 Bridging the Gap Between Startups and Corporates

36:56 Breaking Barriers in Compliance

41:40 Navigating Commercialization in Robotics

49:15 The Pilot Process: A Necessary Evil?

57:44 The Future of Robotics: Visible vs. Invisible

62:15 Insights from the Venture Capital Perspective

"AI can create decent poetry way before it can deal with engineering work."

This blew my mind during our conversation with Francesco Iorio, CEO of Augmenta.

The construction industry is facing a massive problem. The gap between what technology can do and how we actually build is bigger than almost any other field.

Francesco shared how his team is tackling electrical design automation - one of the most complex problems in construction. They're not just speeding up workflows. They're completely rethinking how buildings get designed.

In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Francesco and we got to learn about why electrical design is so complicated, how AI misconceptions are holding back the industry, and why automation is the only path to sustainable building design... and many more!

Tune in to find out about:

✅ Why recreating software like Revit costs over 500 million dollars

✅ How labor shortage is driving construction tech innovation ✅ Why error-free design is still years away but getting closer

✅ How automation will change construction contracts and insurance

Listen now on Spotify and join the conversation about the future of construction technology.

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

02:45 Introduction to Generative Design in AEC

07:51 Francesco Iorio's Background and Journey

12:33 Identifying the Need for Augmentor

17:31 The Evolution of Augmentor's Focus

22:41 Challenges in Electrical Design

27:39 Augmentor's Current Capabilities and Future Goals

33:02 Addressing Labor Shortages in Electrical Design

35:23 Funding Journey and Investor Conviction

39:05 Sustainability and Automation in Design

41:49 Integration Challenges in AEC Solutions

45:18 The Quest for Error-Free Design

50:33 AI's Role in Generative Design

54:46 Customer Engagement and Sales Strategies

59:13 Demographics of Early Adopters

01:02:49 Future Expansion Beyond Electrical Design