Brick & Mortar Ventures

Developer of artificial intelligence application designed to convert images of interior structures into detailed lists of conditions, measurements, materials, and technical drawings/CAD models. The company's platform leverages A.I. to detect materials, respective surface areas, and architectural and spatial data from just a simple picture, enabling insurers, lenders, and maintenance managers to make informed decisions about their real estate structures.

Fohlio Inc. is a company that offers a product specifications and data management platform tailored for design and construction professionals. Founded in 2015 and based in New York, Fohlio's software facilitates the centralization of building material data and streamlines the transaction process. It enables architects, interior designers, engineers, and contractors to efficiently create project schedules, product documents, and presentation materials, integrating these elements seamlessly into their projects. By simplifying the research and selection of building products, Fohlio enhances collaboration and productivity within the construction industry.

Canvas, founded in 2017 and based in San Francisco, California, specializes in the development and manufacturing of construction machinery, particularly focused on robotics technology. The company's innovative products aim to enhance the construction of infrastructure by transforming processes such as dry-wall finishing. By delivering robotic solutions to skilled workers, Canvas enables construction companies to reduce costs while also improving working conditions for laborers. This approach not only increases efficiency in building projects but also aligns with the goal of making construction work more affordable and sustainable.

Branch Technology, Inc. is a Chattanooga, Tennessee-based company specializing in cellular fabrication technology through advanced 3D printing. Founded in 2014 by Christopher W. Weller and Platt Boyd, the company focuses on creating innovative architectural components such as decorative walls, non-loadbearing interior partitions, ceilings, and furniture. Utilizing proprietary algorithms, Branch Technology constructs complex geometries in open spaces without the need for support materials or highly controlled environments. This unique approach allows for the development of structures that traditional construction methods cannot achieve, resulting in cost-effective designs with improved material strength, reduced energy consumption, and enhanced job site efficiency.

Canvas, founded in 2017 and based in San Francisco, California, specializes in the development and manufacturing of construction machinery, particularly focused on robotics technology. The company's innovative products aim to enhance the construction of infrastructure by transforming processes such as dry-wall finishing. By delivering robotic solutions to skilled workers, Canvas enables construction companies to reduce costs while also improving working conditions for laborers. This approach not only increases efficiency in building projects but also aligns with the goal of making construction work more affordable and sustainable.

The Connect Homes housing system comes from a decade of research on making high-modern, green architecture affordable to the mass-market. The results are low-cost modular prefab homes that mimic the spatial and aesthetic qualities of mid-century modern California residential architecture. These homes can be shipped anywhere, adapted to any environment, and are move-in ready a few weeks later. Connect Homes modules emerge from our San Bernardino factory 95% complete -- with all interior and exterior finishes, doors, windows, appliances, plumbing, mechanical, fire sprinkler systems, finish flooring, and roofing already installed. The homes can be shipped worldwide on the intermodal shipping container network, and can be installed in as little as two weeks.

HELIX, formerly Flux, was the first spin-out of Google X. Initially focused on generative building design to automate planning and design of sustainable buildings, HELIX pivoted in 2019 to attack the high cost and complexity of digitizing buildings. Based in Oakland, CA, HELIX built the HELIX Creator platform to enable architects, engineers, builders, and owner-operators to use LiDAR and photogrammetry to capture accurate building geometry and convert it into usable plans and models. HELIX users need accurate 2D and 3D information and access to documents and data related to the building without delays. HELIX is used to evaluate buildings' potential, plan for renovation, document buildings in detail for disaster planning and more. HELIX believes that for Digital Twins to achieve their potential the data must be accurate, intuitive to access and easy to keep up to date.

ALICE empowers construction engineering and management professionals with modern AI and Optimization techniques. Its software automatically produces detailed schedules and resource allocations, which accurately estimate the cost and time frame for a project. Users understand the construction process through an interactive visualization, and can quickly tweak or modify a schedule to reflect the shifting realities of the construction cycle. It is born out of research at Stanford by a collaborative effort between experienced construction managers, software engineers, and computational methods specialists. ALICE enhances construction planning and scheduling abilities to help keep crews flowing on any size project. It works directly with 3D BIM and using a simple rule-based system, it explores millions of different schedule sequences and gives teams the power to answer “What If?” scenarios and completely reschedule in just minutes. It was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Menlo Park, California.