Things have been moving quickly in the con-tech-prop-tech space and with approximately $6.1 billion being invested into the sector, which is a 1,632% increase from 2016’s $352 million (Forbes), it’s clear that there has been significant disruption in the building and infrastructure industry. With so many tech-start-ups flooding the market how are venture capitalists, angel investors, or lenders viewing the sector today? What has changed in the last 18 to 24 months? What opportunities are they now looking for? What is the next 5 years going to look like for con-tech and prop-tech?
Scott is a Silicon Valley-based advisor, consultant, and investor focused on tech- and data-driven businesses, including a number of those in the Prop/ConTech & Smart Cities sectors. He was previously a partner at a large growth equity firm and a consultant at a leading global strategy consulting firm. He has advised a number of Founders, C-teams, & Boards & is particularly experienced on issues related to business development, funding & capital structure, business models/pricing, & go-to-market strategies.
Things have been moving quickly in the con-tech-prop-tech space and with approximately $6.1 billion being invested into the sector, which is a 1,632% increase from 2016’s $352 million (Forbes), it’s clear that there has been significant disruption in the building and infrastructure industry. With so many tech-start-ups flooding the market how are venture capitalists, angel investors, or lenders viewing the sector today? What has changed in the last 18 to 24 months? What opportunities are they now looking for? What is the next 5 years going to look like for con-tech and prop-tech?
Atul Khanzode has been instrumental in the successful growth of DPR, working on projects and with project teams throughout his career and helping improve our business through his leadership in Building Information Modeling (BIM), Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), and Lean. As a member of the Management Committee, he dedicates his efforts to making DPR’s strategies around VDC, data, prefab and SPW successful—leveraging the very best of DPR to build great things for the future.
Starting with DPR in 1997 as a project engineer, Atul works with project teams across the country to implement Virtual Building and Lean Construction tools and processes and collaborates with academia and research groups around the world to move our industry forward in the use of technologies to improve project delivery processes. Atul has shared his insights on the impact of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), lean construction and integration of project delivery process at various forums around the world and is a co-author of the book titled “Integrating Project Delivery." Atul loves his role at DPR because he gets to work with creative, ambitious and entrepreneurial group of people who are always coming up with new ideas and innovative ways to get the job done and change the world of construction.
(DBEI) organizing committee whilst in Asia and is now part of the DBEI North America Committee since her relocation back to San Francisco. After realizing the slow pace of digitization in the construction industry, Alice joined the Brick & Mortar Ventures team to work with startups that want to disrupt the way we design, construct and maintain the built world.
Alice holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Brown University where she was on the Formula SAE racecar team and worked in a materials science lab researching lead-free piezoelectrics.
Tony Van Bommel is Senior Managing Partner in the Industrial, Clean and Energy (ICE) Technology Venture Fund in BDC Capital’s Toronto office. He is responsible for overseeing the ICE Fund investments and maximizing value creation across the portfolio. Tony has been with BDC Capital since 2001 and with the ICE Fund since its inception in 2011. Prior to joining BDC, he spent four years as Senior Investment Manager with InNOVAcorp, a General Partner for the Nova Scotia First Fund, an early stage knowledge‑based venture fund. For 10 years prior to this, he worked as a lawyer and partner in the business law firm Little & Wright in London, Ontario. Tony has held multiple directorships in both public and private emerging growth companies across Canada. He is also a past Chairman of Junior Achievement of Nova Scotia. He has received the CVCA VC Deal of the Year award for Q1 Labs in 2012 and was instrumental in two companies that also won the CVCA Deal of the Year award: Radian6 in 2011 and Bit Stew in 2016. In 2019, one of his investee companies, CarbonCure was awarded the Cleantech Company of the year award by the Cleantech organization. Tony was recognized in 2015 as one of Canada’s CLEAN50 and in 2014 as one of the world’s most influential environmental investors by the Journal of Environmental Investing. Tony earned the Dalhousie Governor General’s Gold Medal for the top graduate student chosen from all faculties at Dalhousie University and the gold medal from the Dalhousie University MBA program. He received his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Western Ontario where he won the Pitney Bowes Award for the top graduating law student in Ontario who combined academics, athletics and service to the community.
Heather Widman is a Principal at Building Ventures, an early-stage firm investing in the entrepreneurs who transform how we design, build, operate and experience our built environment. At BV, Heather leverages her technology and startup experience to source and evaluate prospective investment opportunities as well as advise current portfolio companies by lending expertise in go-to-market and product strategy. Before joining Building Ventures, Heather led the Product, Customer and Brand Marketing functions at SaaS startup WordStream (acquired by Gannett). Prior to WordStream, she held product management and marketing leadership positions at ownerIQ (acquired by InMar) and Express Scripts (acquired by Cigna). Heather is actively involved in the startup and proptech ecosystem through organizations including TechStars, Women In PropTech, CREtech, MIT DesignX, and All Raise where she is a member of the 2nd VC Champions cohort. Heather is an alumnus of Boston College (BA) and Washington University in St. Louis (MBA). Longer bio here: https://buildingventures.com/heather-widman/
