Building for Engineers, Not Investors: Why Billion-Dollar Valuations Aren’t Everything?
In this conversation, Aakash Prasad, CEO and co-founder of InspectMind AI, shares his journey from growing up in a family of engineers to becoming an entrepreneur in the tech-enabled engineering space. He discusses the importance of a beginner mindset, learning through experience, and the significance of perseverance in the face of challenges. Aakash also highlights the role of technology in engineering, the birth of InspectMind AI, and insights gained from participating in Y Combinator and AI Grant. He emphasizes the value of building relationships in the construction tech industry and shares strategies for customer acquisition.
Takeaways
Aakash grew up at the intersection of construction and software.
Learning by doing is crucial for personal and professional growth.
Every company is unique; a beginner mindset is essential.
Perseverance is key; the greatest killer of startups is giving up.
Building relationships is vital in the construction tech industry.
Technology can significantly enhance engineering processes.
Customer feedback is essential for product development.
Y Combinator provides a strong community for founders.
Networking and introductions are more effective than cold outreach.
Not every business needs to aim for billion-dollar valuations.
Chapters
00:00 From College to CEO: A Journey Begins
02:33 Learning by Doing: The Importance of Experience
04:53 Skills Development: From College to Entrepreneurship
07:17 The Long Game: Mindset and Perseverance
09:56 Navigating Challenges: The Importance of Taking Steps
12:20 Lessons from Past Ventures: Embracing the Beginner Mindset
15:07 Overcoming Low Points: The Power of Persistence
17:31 Building a Tech-Enabled Engineering Firm
20:00 Different Business Models: Lifestyle vs. Bold Vision
21:17 Understanding the VC vs. Private Equity Mindset
22:37 The Birth of InspectMind AI: From Idea to Execution
25:54 The Importance of Customer Feedback in Product Development
27:28 The Value of Community in Startup Ecosystems
31:17 Navigating Early Customer Acquisition
34:13 Go-to-Market Strategies and Experimentation
35:40 Building Trust in Traditional Industries
37:21 Personal Insights and Recommendations for Founders
Don’t miss future episodes. Subscribe to the AEC Tech + AI Newsletter: https://aiaecdigest.substack.com/
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38:57
Digital Twins to Jobsite Robots: Orchestrating Humans + Machines
In this conversation, Igor Starkov shares his journey from immigrating to the United States to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the construction technology sector. He discusses the challenges and opportunities within the industry, emphasizing the importance of relationships and strategic decision-making. Igor also highlights the significance of customer feedback in product development and the technical challenges faced in creating innovative solutions like Teleworker AI. He offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs, including the necessity of mentorship and learning from past experiences.
Takeaways
Igor Starkov's entrepreneurial journey began after immigrating to the U.S.
The construction industry presents unique challenges that require careful navigation.
Building strong relationships is crucial for success in business.
Simplicity in product design can lead to greater financial success.
Startups should focus on customer feedback to refine their products.
There is no room for failure in the early stages of a startup.
Understanding various business functions is essential for startup founders.
Teleworker AI aims to enhance remote work in the construction industry.
Technical challenges in hardware development can be significant.
Mentorship and learning from others' experiences are vital for growth.
Chapters
00:00 Igor Starkov's Journey: From Immigrant to Entrepreneur
08:52 Lessons Learned: The Hard Truths of Running a Startup
15:52 Building Teleworker AI: Innovations in Construction Tech
23:17 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Navigating the Startup Landscape
📩 Don’t miss future episodes. Subscribe to the AEC Tech + AI Newsletter: https://aiaecdigest.substack.com/
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26:49
How CODiii Is Reinventing Architectural Compliance?
In this conversation, Dennis Dixon, CEO & Co-founder of OQULi, shares his journey from a passionate tech enthusiast to leading a company reimagining compliance in architecture through AI. He walks us through the emotional and strategic challenges of pivoting business models, how CODiii came to life, and why understanding real market needs is essential to long-term success.
Dennis emphasizes the importance of mentorship, authenticity, and continuous learning in both personal growth and product development. He also unpacks insights on user experience, fundraising, and how AI can empower—not replace—creative professionals. The episode concludes with his vision for CODiii and advice for emerging architects and founders.
Takeaways
Dennis Dixon’s early passion for technology shaped the foundation of his career.
Mentorship played a critical role in his personal and entrepreneurial development.
Pivoting business models is not just a strategic shift—it's an emotional one too.
A deep understanding of compliance challenges in architecture inspired CODiii.
Asking questions and staying curious is key for new graduates.
Fundraising should be a tool, not the end goal, for startups.
Building authentic relationships and trust leads to real traction.
Constant iteration and feedback loops fuel product improvement.
AI should serve as a creative amplifier—not a replacement.
Community feedback drives meaningful innovation in architecture tech.
Chapters
00:00 – Introduction to Dennis Dixon and OQULi
02:26 – Career Journey and Mentorship
04:09 – Founding Stories of OQULi
05:16 – Starting a Company in Today's Landscape
06:30 – Advice for Recent Graduates in Architecture
07:52 – Finding Customers and Market Fit
08:51 – Deep Dive into CODiii
11:31 – Challenges in Building CODiii
12:59 – The Future of the Industry and AI
14:12 – Developing UI/UX for AI Tools
16:38 – Examples of Successful AI Implementations
17:52 – Fundraising vs Bootstrapping
19:09 – Preparing for Go-to-Market
Don’t miss future episodes. Subscribe to the AEC Tech + AI Newsletter: https://aiaecdigest.substack.com/
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27:36
Why Construction Procurement Is Broken — And How StructShare Fixes It?
In this conversation, Or Lakritz, CEO and Co-founder of StructShare, shares his journey from Israel to the forefront of construction technology. He opens up about the challenges of building a startup in one of the most complex and slow-moving industries, and how resilience, strategic thinking, and deep customer understanding helped him navigate those obstacles. Or discusses the importance of building an MVP tailored to real industry pain points, hiring talent that thrives in startup environments, and adjusting sales strategies for a traditionally offline sector. He also offers practical insights into early fundraising and preparing for acquisition—highlighting both the tough lessons and unique opportunities in construction tech.
Takeaways
Or Lakritz's path began in Israel, evolving from military service into tech entrepreneurship.
The lack of standard practices in construction made it difficult to design scalable solutions.
MVP development required isolating procurement and supply chain pain points.
Customer acquisition was tough early on due to resistance toward digital adoption.
Resilience and belief in the team were crucial during challenging periods like the COVID-19 crisis.
In the beginning, startups must often do unscalable things like manual data handling.
Construction tech, while tough, offers immense opportunities for impactful innovation.
Hiring must align with both startup dynamics and construction-specific knowledge.
Sales strategies need to reflect how construction professionals actually work and buy.
Fundraising success depends on building a compelling story and deeply knowing your market.
Chapters
00:00 – Introduction and Background
01:40 – Journey into Entrepreneurship
04:49 – Challenges in the Construction Tech Industry
07:04 – Proudest Moments and Strategic Partnerships
08:21 – Lessons from Early-Stage Startups
09:56 – Hiring and Team Distribution Strategies
15:23 – Sales Strategies in Construction Tech
20:53 – Fundraising Insights and Strategies
24:09 – Opportunities in Construction Tech
26:59 – Acquisition Insights and Future Considerations
28:13 – Rapid Fire Round and Closing Thoughts
Don’t miss future episodes. Subscribe to the AEC Tech + AI Newsletter: https://aiaecdigest.substack.com/
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29:59
AI That Speeds Up Structural Design
In this conversation, Mayur Mistry hosts Zhihao Zhao and Robin Li, the Co-Founders of Genia, a generative AI platform for structural engineering. They discuss their backgrounds, the challenges faced in the structural engineering industry, and the need for innovative solutions like AI to streamline design processes. The conversation delves into the barriers to technology adoption in the AEC industry, the importance of accurate design and communication, and the proud moments in their journey. They also provide a demo of their product, highlighting its value proposition and future developments.
Takeaways
Genia AI aims to revolutionize structural engineering with generative design.
The traditional design process is tedious and relies heavily on Excel.
AI can enhance creativity in structural design.
Adoption of new technology in the AEC industry is slow due to high accuracy requirements.
Communication of design calculations is crucial for engineers.
The MVP concept does not apply well in the AEC space.
Genia AI can generate designs significantly faster than traditional methods.
Understanding local building codes is essential for structural design.
The founders emphasize the importance of patience in the industry.
Future developments include expanding support for different materials and international markets.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Genia AI and Founders' Background
01:50 The Challenges in Structural Engineering
03:40 Identifying Pain Points and Market Validation
05:56 Adoption Challenges in the AEC Industry
07:49 The Journey of Genia AI: Milestones and Achievements
09:44 Advice for Innovators in Structural Engineering
11:30 Product Development and Communication with Engineers
13:04 Demonstration of the Genia AI Platform
19:52 Future Developments and Market Expansion
📩 Don’t miss future episodes. Subscribe to the AEC Tech + AI Newsletter: https://aiaecdigest.substack.com/
A platform for professional growth and personal growth for AEC Technologists with inspiring conversations with founders, builders and experts in AEC space.
I am Mayur Mistry, cofounder of 3DGuru.ai, ex Perkins & Will Digital Innovation Technologist with M.Arch at University of Illinois and B.Tech Civil Engineer from IIT Bombay.
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