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