From Carpentry at 12 to AI Pioneer: Sarah Buchner’s Construction Startup Secures $20 Million in Funding

In the construction sector, handling the myriad documents necessary for project completion can be overwhelming. A recent survey revealed that one-third of construction professionals struggle to access essential documents, severely impacting project timelines, with one-quarter reporting that paperwork inaccuracies have led to project delays.

Sarah Buchner has firsthand experience with these challenges. Once a carpenter, she later founded Trunk Tools, a startup aimed at automating the management of disorganized construction documents.

“My journey began in a small Austrian village, where I started working as a carpenter at the age of 12,” shared Buchner with TechCrunch. “Transitioning from carpentry to a general contractor role, I advanced from a superintendent to a project manager and eventually to a group leader. It was during my Ph.D. studies that I identified a unique opportunity to revolutionize construction technology, driving me to relocate to Silicon Valley to pursue an MBA at Stanford.”

The platform developed by Trunk Tools is capable of processing various file types, from PDFs to spreadsheets and blueprints, facilitating question-and-answer sessions through a chatbot feature (for example, “What kind of power outlets does the art studio have?”). It is also designed to associate scheduled construction tasks with relevant documents to predict and identify potential project challenges and offer actionable insights.

Buchner contrasted traditional construction software, such as Procore, with Trunk Tools’ innovative approach, which leverages AI and natural language for a more intuitive interaction with information.

“In one striking example, a $500 million high-rise condo project in NYC involved over 3.6 million pages of documentation. The sheer volume makes it clear why the construction sector often views paperwork as a significant burden,” Buchner added.

A survey conducted by Dodge Data and Viewpoint highlighted that a mere 28% of contractors are comfortable with paper-based processes, and even fewer, 47%, are satisfied using spreadsheets. Interestingly, 79% indicated their openness to implementing construction management technologies.

“Laid end to end, the 3.6 million pages would surpass the height of the building threefold,” noted Buchner. “While a human would need 50 years to go through all the documents, Trunk Tools does it in seconds, structuring and providing insights efficiently.”

As Trunk Tools carves out its niche in a construction software market projected to reach $7.5 billion by 2032, it distinguishes itself against competitors like Briq, Join, and PlanRadar by offering unique services and boasting a growing customer base with thousands of users.

In its latest move, Trunk Tools has secured a $20 million Series A funding round led by Redpoint, totalling $30 million raised to date. These funds are earmarked for team expansion in New York and the development of innovative services, including a newly introduced construction worker incentive scheme, according to Buchner.

“Our goal is to transform the construction technology landscape from mere digitization to a more engaged, interactive process, helping to safeguard project margins against delays and rework,” Buchner stated.