Build Forward: What Contractors Want vs What VCs Fund: Mapping Construction’s Innovation Gaps

The largest construction companies are clear about their priorities: growing backlogs, focus areas and technology perspectives. Meanwhile venture capital is placing bold bets on where the next wave of construction innovation will come from, but are these two worlds aligned? This session bridges the gap. By analyzing earnings calls from the largest publicly traded contractors and mapping them against startup funding data, we reveal where corporate demand and investor dollars overlap and where they miss each other entirely. For executives, founders, and investors, the insights highlight not just where momentum is building, but also where untapped opportunities lie waiting.