Last Week in ConTech - 3 August 2026
Where can you learn ConTech Marketing?
Deep Insight: Where can you learn ConTech Marketing?
One year ago, Stefanie, Allister and I incorporated AEC Tech Jobs after having only met online.
Building a business with people I’d only ever known through a screen felt crazy, but we’d just landed our first contract and decided to take the leap.
Since then, the business has had multiple iterations and now has two core offerings:
AEC Tech Hub: a marketing agency for construction tech startups. We act as an in-house partner, helping Seed to Pre-Series A companies define and execute their inbound marketing strategy.
AEC Tech Jobs: a software platform connecting construction technology employers with job seekers.
The first provides cash flow for the second, with the hope that as it grows, we can switch to a fully product offering. Additionally, AEC Tech Hub allows us to develop marketing systems, content processes and distribution infrastructure that can also support our own media platforms and future content ideas.
It’s been pretty fun so far.
We’re onboarding our first software dev this week (tell us if you have ideas for AEC Tech Jobs!) and next month the three of us will finally meet in person in Chicago.
And while planning this trip, we had an idea. Why not host a one day workshop on ConTech marketing?
So on September 10, we’re bringing together a small group of construction technology founders and operators for an interactive working session on Marketing in an AI-Forward World (Sign up here if you want to join!).
Rather than a conference of presentations, our goal is to make it practical. We’ll share the playbooks we’ve developed building our own brands and helping clients grow, alongside friends from the industry such as Sid from Constructing Tomorrow, who will also be attending.
We’ll cap attendance at around 20 to 30 people to keep discussions interactive.
Some of the topics we’re considering include:
Linkedin Personal Branding
Sharing lessons on our journey building LinkedIn followings including best practices for growth in 2026 since the adoption of their new AI based algorithm.Identifying your Ideal Customer Persona
Strategies to identify your key customer type including mapping individual stakeholders and defining a ‘personality’ for each to create content that resonates.Influencer Marketing Strategies
How to find aligned construction creators, pitch them, negotiate contracts, build a campaign and track ROI.How to grow Owned Media on Youtube and Instagram
Sid grew his construction instagram account by 4k followers in the last 30 days. He’ll share his playbook.Employee Advocacy programs
How to build content guidelines and pillars as well as an idea book to make it easier for your employees to act authentic advocates for your company on social media.‘World Building’ as Marketing Strategy
How to develop a ‘world’ around your product with each content strategy building on your ecosystem (Construction Yeti is a great example of this).How to build Newsletter brands
We share how we build newsletters including defining the brand, the standard eight section every newsletter uses and growth tactics.Loop Marketing
This is our content repurposing framework we use for clients where we identify the content which resonates and repurpose it across social media platforms using AI to expand reach.
We probably won’t have time to cover everything, so we’ll survey attendees beforehand and build the agenda around the topics they’re most interested in. If there’s something we can’t fit into the day, we’ll aim to make time with those interested afterward, virtually or in person, to continue the conversation.
Our goal isn’t to start a training business. It’s a one-off since we’re all in the same city and is paid given the costs associated.
If you’re a founder or operator in construction tech, it’d be great to see you there! I love talking about these topics so I’m very excited to share what we’ve learned as well as hear from those attending.
Sign up here if you’re interested.
In this issue there are:
8 Startup Fundings
1 Startup Emerged from Stealth
16 Policy and Regulatory Changes
6 New National Infrastructure Projects & Priorities
0 New investment funds
1 Acquisitions
8 News articles
71 new jobs posted - view here
Reading time: 11 mins
Startup Funding
Design
goNeon, a Zurich startup, raised €160k in funding. They are building an AI platform for infrastructure planning that automatically generates designs based on engineering requirements, local regulations and real-world constraints helping engineers to rapidly generate technically feasible planning options to assess and refine. More here.
AI
Nomic, a New York startup, received investment from Arcadis, a global engineering firm. They are building an AEC specific AI platform to automate tasks over drawings, specs, standards and firm knowledge. More here.
New Materials
Alpen High Performance Products, a Colorado startup, raised $6m in Series B funding. They manufacture window solutions including thin glass insulated glass units (IGUs), secondary glazing solutions, and high-performance fiberglass and uPVC window, door, and architectural glass systems. More here.
Green Materials
Quickblock, a UK startup, raised £940k in funding. They develop modular building solutions that use recycled materials for construction and emergency shelters. More here.
Logistics
Fixxly, an Indian startup, raised $5.5m in funding. They are building a quick commerce platform for building materials, delivering materials on demand and within ~30 minutes using a network of local dark stores. More here.
Labor
Buildforce, a Texas startup, raised $10m in Series A funding. They have developed a technology enabled staffing platform to connect electricians with contractors working on commercial and industrial construction projects helping to streamline the process for identifying, screening, placing and managing. More here.
TaskHer, a London startup, raised £650k in funding. They are building a platform which connects homeowners and organizations with verified tradeswomen for property maintenance and home services. More here.
Payroll
Dili, a New York startup, raised $15m in Series A funding from investors including Brick & Mortar Ventures. They are building a compliance platform automating prevailing wage and apprenticeship monitoring, Davis-Bacon compliance, certified payroll review, and providing audit-ready reporting. More here.
Out of Stealth
Kebra, a San Francisco startup, emerged out of stealth. They are building a vision based system that is able to guide field technicians during jobs as well as capture tasks to trigger back office workflows and update systems such as ServiceTitan, financial software, warranty portals and more. View the website here.
Policy and Regulatory Changes
US
Energy Department Says Grants Were Cut Because States Voted Blue
Democrats are demanding that the Trump administration release billions in funding for energy projects.
This is after a top Energy Department lawyer conceded in court filings that the only reason they were canceled is that they were in “Blue States.”
He said politics, not policy, drove the decision.
Notes:
The Energy Department eliminated nearly $8 billion in energy grants last October.
Nuclear Waste Could Be Headed to Five States in New US Plan
Tennessee, Utah and three other US states are offering to take atomic waste in exchange for federal government help in spurring development of the domestic nuclear energy sector.
The states will host Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses that would include waste sites as well as uranium enrichment, spent-fuel reprocessing and fuel fabrication.
The campuses have the potential to attract up to $50 billion in private investment and generate as much as $10 billion in state and local tax revenues.
Legislation would be needed to change the 1987 law that mandates only Yucca Mountain can be used for commercial nuclear waste disposal.
Trump administration bans new Chinese humanoid robots
The Trump administration announced a ban on new foreign-made humanoid robot imports to the US over “unacceptable risks” to America’s national security.
The move applies to advanced robots including humanoid and four-legged machines.
Notes:
China is a major player in robotics manufacturing.
These policies are a concern for construction robotic startups which may need to consider supply chain risks.
There is a possibility that federal construction projects may institute policies banning Chinese robots.
This has already occurred in the drones sector where DJI and other Chinese-made drones are banned from federal projects and cannot be procured or used where federal funding is involved.
A legal case against rent controls
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s push for aggressive rent controls may have overstepped legal bounds.
A group of landlords has filed suit, arguing that the mayor’s office improperly interfered in what should be an independent regulatory decision.
The board’s vote last month to block rent increases on one- and two-year leases, even to adjust for inflation, may not have complied with legal requirements.
Before the new policy, landlords were only allowed to raise rents 3 percent per year.
The plaintiffs are challenging New York’s entire rent stabilization law on constitutional grounds.
They argue compellingly that the policy violates the Fifth Amendment’s takings clause, which prevents the government from taking private property for public use without compensation.
John Deere owners will get the right to repair their own equipment under a new FTC settlement
The Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from several states secured a right-to-repair settlement.
This requires the company to let farmers and independent shops fix their own equipment.
The manufacturer has faced complaints for years for withholding the software needed for repairs and forcing customers to use authorized dealers instead of independent ones.
Deere also makes engines and equipment for forestry, landscaping and construction.
To protect against flooding, Army Corps calls for investing billions into Boston’s waterfront
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is recommending $10 billion in infrastructure investments to protect Boston from the worst harms of climate change-caused flooding.
The Army Corps is four years into a six-year study on the city’s flood risks.
The study will qualify Boston for federal funding to cover 65% of the project costs.
The Army Corps estimates that every dollar spent on flood prevention can recoup $4 in losses.
FERC Streamlines Reviews to Expedite Actions at Hydropower Projects
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) unanimously approved measures in two orders streamlining its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review.
This was for procedures for certain hydropower-related actions with minimal environmental impacts.
The Bureau centralizes the planning, operation and maintenance of the City’s growing network of coastal flood-protection infrastructure.
It has relied on a team of six staff.
The Mayor has invested $43.2 million across the City’s financial plan, including $10.6 million in the current fiscal year, to hire 69 additional staff members to the Bureau.
Mass transit, bike lanes, EV infrastructure face substantial cuts in DOT proposal
The Transportation Secretary proposed eliminating the Highway Trust Fund’s mass transit account, which provides funding for public transportation.
He also proposed cutting funding for Complete Streets activities that focus on safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, bicycle lanes and grants for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Austin weighs cheaper building rules for small multifamily housing
Austin City Council voted to study whether smaller multifamily developments can be built under less costly construction standards while maintaining fire-safety protections.
This will direct staff to study whether projects with up to four attached homes can safely be built under the residential building code that is typically used for single-family homes.
India
Cabinet to take up scheme for manufacturing of construction gear
The Union Cabinet is expected to soon consider an incentive scheme for construction and infrastructure equipment manufacturing.
The scheme was announced in the 2026-27 budget and approvals are expected by August-end.
It is to enhance construction and infrastructure equipment manufacturing to strengthen domestic production of high-value, technologically advanced equipment.
A.P. amends building rules to speed up construction, boost investment
The State government has introduced reforms to the Andhra Pradesh Building Rules, 2017.
These are aimed at accelerating construction approvals, attracting investment and promoting safer and more sustainable urban development.
It is also aimed at strengthening safeguards related to structural safety, fire protection and environmental standards.
Australia
Australia’s ‘World-First’ Data Center Rules Hit First Hurdle
The Prime Minister’s proposed national environmental and energy controls for Australia’s A$150 billion data center pipeline hit their first hurdle, as two states opted not to back the planned rules.
Queensland state and the Northern Territory opposed most measures related to putting guardrails on the data center sector, including introducing a national set of regulations.
New data centers would need to add at least as much electricity generation to the grid as they consume, the Prime Minister said.
Operators would be expected to build renewable generation, minimize water use, maximize energy efficiency and fund any additional water infrastructure required
Philippines
Philippine economy council approves $170m geothermal de-risking facility
The Economy and Development Council of the Philippines has approved the Philippine Geothermal De-Risking Facility (PGDRF).
This aims to help reduce the upfront risk of geothermal exploration.
Through the PGDRF, companies can tap into the fund for the government to shoulder at least 50% of the cost for geothermal exploration or drilling through a conditionally repayable grant.
Funding from the facility will be considered an obligation of the borrower should the exploration activities show strong opportunities.
If not, it will be considered a grant.
Malaysia
Malaysia’s resource anxiety tests Asia’s fastest data centre build-out
Malaysia is the fastest-growing data centre market in Southeast Asia, with Johor having attracted more than $35 billion investment so far.
Protests over a data centre complex in Johor state’s southern tip were the first of their kind in the country.
New projects in Johor must show how they will source electricity, with renewable energy increasingly a prerequisite for approval.
Late last year, the state announced a blanket ban on two categories of extremely water-intensive data centres.
Selangor isn’t banning any proposals outright, but is vetting them to meet global standards on energy and water efficiency
Notes:
According to Malaysia’s central bank, a 50-megawatt data centre can consume as much water as 2,200 households per day, and as much electricity as 22,000.
New Zealand
Free Trade Agreement set to impact construction sector
Under the FTA, India has agreed to reduce or eliminate tariffs on 95% of New Zealand exports.
The FTA will also increase access to skilled labour and imports from India by creating 5,000 new visas for skilled Indian workers.
The visa can be used by construction professionals in the list of in demand roles such as engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors, surveyors, and site foremen.
National Infrastructure Projects & Priorities
US
US and Japan clash over meltdown liability in $40bn nuclear power deal
Japan’s participation in a $40bn nuclear power project in the US has hit a roadblock over fears that its lenders might have to assume liability for any meltdown on American soil.
The project was agreed as part of Tokyo’s commitment to invest $550bn in the US in return for lower tariffs.
Notes:
In Japan’s regulatory system, nuclear plant operators shoulder liability for any accident.
In the US, financial responsibility is spread across a wider range of parties, including the plant owner.
Nvidia in Talks With OpenAI to Guarantee $250 Billion Financing for Data Center
The guarantees from Nvidia would help the ChatGPT maker lease a 10-gigawatt project.
In total, the project could cost more than $500 billion, including the chips that would go inside the data centers.
The power for the project is controlled by the U.S. government and funded separately by Japan under a recent trade deal.
China
China’s investment and construction engagement in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) 2026 H1
2026 H1 saw the highest BRI engagement for any first six months since 2013, with USD$49.8 billion in investment and USD$76.5 of construction contracts.
Related:
India
India advances small reactor plans, targets five nuclear units by 2033
India has advanced plans for indigenous small modular reactors, and is aiming to bring at least five into operation by 2033.
India plans to increase its installed nuclear capacity to about 22 GW by 2031-32.
Africa
West African States Back $25 Billion Gas Pipeline Project
Member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recently signed an intergovernmental agreement.
This is to support the proposed $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline project.
The proposed pipeline would transport up to 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas annually from Nigeria through 13 West African countries to Morocco.
Iraq
Iraq to Sign Agreement with Syria on Building of Oil Pipelines
Iraq will sign an agreement with Syria on the construction of pipelines linking oil production sites to global export markets via the Mediterranean.
The oil ministry will announce that the Integrated Qayyara Project will be put up for bidding to further develop Iraq’s oil infrastructure and increase output capacity.
Acquisitions
Softbank, a Japanese investment firm, is in talks to acquire Gravis Robotics, a Swiss startup developing autonomous hardware and software for excavators and other heavy construction equipment for over $500m. More here.
News
Housing - The EU needs a bolder strategy for construction (European Economic and Social Committee)
ServiceTitan Waited 10 Years. Procore Waited 21. The Next Vertical AI Winners Won’t Wait at All.
A.I. Companies Are Recruiting Electricians and Carpenters by the Thousands
How can we adapt buildings to cope with heatwaves?
GE Vernova gas turbine backlog climbs to 116 GW
GE Vernova is taking reservations for 2031 deliveries now.
This is up from 100 GW in Q1 2026.
The federal gas tax applies a per-gallon fee to gasoline and diesel purchases.
Drivers pay for their direct usage of the roads.
Minecraft Is Helping Kids Redesign Their Cities
In 55 countries, the popular video game has been used to engage children in the process of urban design.
Why Restarting a Nuclear Power Plant Can Be Much Harder Than Expected
If I missed anything this week, please reply and let me know! I’ll make sure to include it next week.
Do you guys index your news topics - like a 2026 list of start-ups with dates and funding, for instance? Just curious, easy enough to feed the weekly into Claude and generate that if I needed. Thought it might be helpful if I wanted to, say, research a few funded procurement-focused AI start-ups. Thx for the newsletter - always a great update.