2025 Construction Tech Request for Startups

Where insiders would like to see more startups and innovation

This post is a collaboration with Last Week in ConTech, a construction tech newsletter highlighting the latest innovation in the sector. Originally appeared on The SandHill newsletter.

The construction industry is facing a convergence of market forces that is opening unprecedented opportunities for new innovators. After years of slow adoption and fatigue with point solutions, insiders are now seeing real momentum amidst meaningful adoption of tech across the sector.

Given our shared excitement for the construction industry’s transformation, we set out to explore where investors, executives, and operators most want to see innovation. Our aim is to highlight the areas insiders believe hold the greatest potential for startups.

We drew on a panel of experts that includes operators on the front lines of building and investors backing the next wave of entrepreneurs. Their perspectives highlight where the need is most acute and where the opportunities are most compelling.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list but rather a starting point that surfaces some of the most promising areas. If you see an angle we’ve missed or an area worth exploring, do reach out.

We found the experts highlighted 3 broad categories of opportunities, and we’ve broken out our post as such:

1. Unsolved, sector-wide challenges that require more innovation
2. Underserved market segments where innovation has barely scratched the surface
3. Opportunity areas to capitalize on market shifts and/or emerging technology

Problem Areas: Big Industry Pain Points Needing Solutions

Zone 1: Labor Shortage & Knowledge Transfer

Many of our experts highlighted the labor shortage problem as the most pressing challenge facing the construction industry. This shortage is compounded by the fact that older workers are retiring in large numbers, creating not only a gap in manpower but also a loss of accumulated expertise.