INFORMAZIONI SU QUESTO EPISODIO
Ben Price joins Jason to explain how WND Ventures - the venture arm of DPR Construction - connects startups with one of the country’s largest general contractors. WND helps emerging technology companies test their products on active DPR projects and may invest when those pilots demonstrate real value.
Ben breaks down how DPR evaluates new tools, balances internally developed technology with off-the-shelf solutions, and moves successful pilots toward broader adoption. They discuss WND’s strategic-first investment model, its work with Dusty Robotics, and the growing roles of AI, robotics, prefabrication, and automation in construction.
They also explore why the industry remains in the early innings of its technological transformation, how contractors can avoid chasing shiny objects, and what founders should understand before approaching a major construction company.
In this epiosode:
- How WND Ventures connects DPR with construction technology startups
- Why WND often pilots a product before making an investment
- What strategic success looks like beyond financial returns
- DPR’s approach to internal innovation and project-level technology choices
- How successful tools spread across a large construction organization
- Where AI, robotics, automation, and prefabrication could have the greatest impact
- How DPR evaluates pilots using qualitative feedback and measurable results
- What founders need before approaching WND Ventures or another major contractor
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
02:20 – Ben’s path into venture capital and construction
07:20 – DPR Construction and the evolution of WND Ventures
12:00 – Piloting technology before investing
13:20 – How WND works with DPR’s internal innovation team
15:10 – Defining strategic success beyond financial returns
16:20 – Dusty Robotics as a model for adoption at scale
17:40 – Thesis-driven investing versus opportunistic deal flow
20:20 – Strategic fit for DPR versus broader market potential
31:20 – Building technology internally and spinning out new companies
34:00 – Closing the gap between off-the-shelf tools and individual AI workflows
35:20 – How new technology spreads across DPR projects
37:30 – Is construction technology saturated or still nascent?
39:50 – How AI could transform construction
41:20 – Robotics, automation, and the future construction workforce
43:30 – Avoiding shiny objects and scaling technology thoughtfully
45:20 – Building a more rigorous pilot and evaluation process
47:20 – WND’s areas of interest, from robotics to prefabrication
49:40 – Advice for founders who want to work with DPR and WND
51:30 – Closing thoughts
Show notes:
BuiltForward
Exploring the future of construction and how AI will and won't transform it.
Hosted by Jason Jacobs.
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