Local construction industry companies and strategic US-based investors have supported a raise for BuildPass, a company founded by Matt Perrott and Aaron Vanston. While working together at realestate.com.au, they met with principle engineer James Formica and built the Spacely product. With plans to expand into the US market within the next 1-2 years, the oversubscribed pre-seed round will help grow the team, accelerate product development, and expand nationally. According to Perrott, they are now seeking designers and engineers to grow with the company and execute on their plans. Despite setting a target of $550,000, they were able to secure double that amount in less than four weeks, enabling them to focus entirely on the product and customers.
In June, their app and web-based platform was launched in beta mode, and it has recently become available to the public. Its primary objective is to facilitate the secure and efficient management of construction sites.
According to Perrott, small construction business owners often rely on paper, email, and complex spreadsheets to manage their projects. However, BuildPass offers a unique solution by combining the builder, subcontractor, and workers into a single connected platform.
Perrott noted that the existing solutions are complex, cumbersome, and only partially address the problem. Therefore, they are utilizing their experience from ASX-listed tech firms to develop a world-class technology platform that prioritizes the user experience of both the builder and worker.
To disrupt the construction sector, Perrott drew inspiration from digital disruptors such as Xero and Up. Both companies disrupted antiquated software solutions in their respective industries, and BuildPass is doing the same for construction.
Unlike most construction tech firms, BuildPass concentrates heavily on design and engineering. Rather than employing a large sales team to promote their product, their strategy is to please their customers and concentrate on product-led growth. Moreover, their smart onboarding process eliminates the need to charge customers implementation fees.
Up until now, the business has been self-funded and developed by the founders and initial team members in under six months.
BuildPass currently has a diverse customer base, ranging from small-scale residential builders to medium-sized commercial builders. The company is fortunate to collaborate with some of the most renowned architectural builders in the country, such as Dome Building Projects and Visioneer Builders.
