
Shared 6 May, 2025
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TruBuild, the AI-powered construction technology startup focused on preventing delays and unexpected costs in project delivery, has successfully closed a $1 million seed round. The round included participation from Waʼed Ventures, the $500 million venture capital arm of Saudi Aramco, Dar Ventures, the venture arm of Dar, as well as Plug & Play Ventures, OQAL, Taz Investment, and strategic angel investors including Simon Moon, former CEO of Atkins Middle East. TruBuild received an early investment from Antler MENAP as part of the cohort in Riyadh 2023.
“We fully believe in TruBuildʼs mission to eliminate costly project changes and variations, in line with our mission to invest in impactful businesses in the construction sector,ˮ said Anas Algahtani, Wa’ed Ventures.
“TruBuild is combining the best of British construction expertise with cutting edge Saudi AI R&D to support the realisation of the Saudi Vision 2030 and beyond,ˮ said Matt Jones, Saudi British Joint Business Council.
Every year, project changes and cost overruns lead to more than $1.6 trillion in unplanned expenses worldwide, equivalent to 15% of total project costs.
TruBuildʼs AI platform works quietly in the background, analysing project data to spot risks early and provide real-time insights. It integrates directly with tools teams already use, helping project owners, consultants and contractors stay aligned, make decisions faster, and reduce back-and-forth.
“Weʼre not here to disrupt for the sake of it,ˮ said Bisrat Degefa, CEO of TruBuild. “Weʼre here to make everyday decisions easier through objective data, and to help project teams avoid the kinds of issues theyʼve faced for years.ˮ
TruBuild is working with major organisations in Saudi Arabia, including Osool Real Estate Company.
“TruBuild’s approach is an integral part of our digital strategy, allowing Osool to procure and develop projects more efficiently,” said David Watkins, Chief Project Development Officer at Osool Real Estate.
TruBuild is founded by professionals with decades of hands-on experience in construction and technology:
Bisrat Degefa, CEO Former Global Director of Atkins and Gleeds, with more than 15 years of experience leading delivery on complex, multi-billion-dollar projects totaling over $34 billion.
Dr. Sari Sabban, CTO A two-time Fulbright Scholar, AI developer, and patent holder with almost two decades of experience in ML development and R&D.
“With the backing of thoughtful investors and strategic partners, weʼre focused on solving real pain points for teams in the fieldˮ said Degefa. “Weʼre proud to contribute to a more predictable and transparent construction process, creating the next paradigm shift in construction technology.ˮ
The seed funding will be used to enhance TruBuildʼs AI platform, grow its engineering and commercial teams, and scale its impact across Saudi Arabia and abroad.
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BuiltAPI GmbH, the company pioneering API-driven data infrastructure for real estate investment and asset management, has successfully closed its latest funding round backed by industry leaders including Second Century Ventures, TDS, and Propertymark. The investment marks a major milestone as BuiltAPI expands its services across Europe and the UK, following its graduation from the REACH UK Accelerator Program.
BuiltAPI tackles one of the real estate sector’s most persistent problems: fragmented, siloed data ecosystems. The company provides a robust API framework that enables seamless connectivity between legacy systems, modern SaaS tools, and intelligent automation platforms — with interoperability, governance, and cybersecurity at its core.
“We’re building the backbone of real estate data infrastructure,” said Olga Dentzel, Co-Founder of BuiltAPI. “This funding and the support of the REACH UK program are accelerating our ability to deliver secure, scalable integrations to clients across borders.”
BuiltAPI’s technology is already making an impact with major real estate institutions such as HIH Real Estate and its fund service platform INTREAL, through their digital unit INTREAL Solutions. These collaborations highlight a shared vision for practical and scalable digital transformation in real estate asset and investment management.
“The industry doesn’t need yet another tool — it needs a connective tissue,” added Ivan Nokhrin, Co-Founder of BuiltAPI. “Our mission is to empower real estate professionals to access, share, and act on their data securely and without barriers.”
Graduation from the REACH UK Accelerator — the scale-up program backed by Second Century Ventures – marks BuiltAPI’s official entry into the UK market. The program has played a key role in unlocking investors support and refining BuildAPI’s growth trajectory.
BuiltAPI GmbH, the company pioneering API-driven data infrastructure for real estate investment and asset management, has successfully closed its latest funding round backed by industry leaders including Second Century Ventures, TDS, and Propertymark. The investment marks a major milestone as BuiltAPI expands its services across Europe and the UK, following its graduation from the REACH UK Accelerator Program.
BuiltAPI tackles one of the real estate sector’s most persistent problems: fragmented, siloed data ecosystems. The company provides a robust API framework that enables seamless connectivity between legacy systems, modern SaaS tools, and intelligent automation platforms — with interoperability, governance, and cybersecurity at its core.
“We’re building the backbone of real estate data infrastructure,” said Olga Dentzel, Co-Founder of BuiltAPI. “This funding and the support of the REACH UK program are accelerating our ability to deliver secure, scalable integrations to clients across borders.”
BuiltAPI’s technology is already making an impact with major real estate institutions such as HIH Real Estate and its fund service platform INTREAL, through their digital unit INTREAL Solutions. These collaborations highlight a shared vision for practical and scalable digital transformation in real estate asset and investment management.
“The industry doesn’t need yet another tool — it needs a connective tissue,” added Ivan Nokhrin, Co-Founder of BuiltAPI. “Our mission is to empower real estate professionals to access, share, and act on their data securely and without barriers.”
Graduation from the REACH UK Accelerator — the scale-up program backed by Second Century Ventures – marks BuiltAPI’s official entry into the UK market. The program has played a key role in unlocking investors support and refining BuildAPI’s growth trajectory.
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