"You give me money, and I tell you, 'I'm going to circle back in 18 months and let you know what I did with your money.' That's what a safe note is."

In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Martin, Mike Powers, Dustin DeVan, and Patric Hellermann dive into the messy reality of construction tech funding, government policy shakeups, and the AI hype that's burning through millions.

Key topics discussed:

• The brutal truth about EU vs US startup ecosystems and where the smart money is going

• Why safe notes are "stupid money" and how founders are getting away with zero accountability

• Charlie Javis sentenced to 7 years for defrauding JPMorgan with fake user numbers

• Construction AI is boring: why every startup is chasing the same chatbot dream

• Department of Transportation's new ruling that just invalidated 40,000+ DBE certifications overnight

• Heavy equipment mechanics earning $500K through on-demand platforms while dealers pay them $80K

Plus, guest interviews with:

• Alex Kraft, founder of Heave, on disrupting the $180/hour equipment repair racket

• Wissam Akra, CEO of Toughleaf, breaking down the DOT policy bomb that's reshaping billions in infrastructure contracts

"Think about how absolutely stupid that method is. You come to me, you offer me money, and I tell you, 'I'm going to circle back in 18 months and let you know what I did with your money.' That's what a safe note is." 

From government shutdowns to mechanics making half a million on an app, this episode exposes what's really happening behind the scenes in construction tech.

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Chapters

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:35 Introduction and Government Shutdown Discussion
• 04:07 Comparing EU and US Startups
• 05:29 The Future of Startups in the EU
• 08:29 Investment Trends in the US and EU
• 11:00 Challenges in Construction Tech Across Borders
• 14:06 Transactional Models and Regional Specificity
• 15:41 Startup Ecosystems in Construction
• 17:17 The Future of Construction Tech Startups
• 18:23 AI in Pre-Construction and Its Limitations
• 22:24 Fraud in Startups: A Cautionary Tale
• 30:52 Introducing HEAVE: A Marketplace for Heavy Equipment Repairs
• 38:19 Transforming an Antiquated Industry
• 40:39 Service Agreements and Customer Trust
• 42:16 Innovative Pricing Models in Equipment Maintenance
• 47:46 Changes in DBE Certification and Its Impact
• 55:31 The Future of Construction Tech and Compliance