AI Startup Trunk Tools, Founded by Ex-Carpenter, Raises $20M

Sarah Buchner's journey from a small village in Austria to Silicon Valley is nothing short of inspiring. Starting as a carpenter at the age of 12, Buchner has now become the founder of Trunk Tools, an AI-powered construction tech startup that has just secured $20 million in Series A funding. Her company is revolutionizing the way construction companies manage the overwhelming volume of documents that often bog down projects.

The Challenges of Construction Documentation

Construction projects generate vast amounts of documentation, from blueprints to spreadsheets, making it challenging for professionals to access and manage this data effectively. A recent survey highlighted that one-third of construction professionals struggle with accessing documents, while a quarter reported that inaccurate paperwork has led to delays in project completion. Buchner, with her extensive background in carpentry and construction management, was all too familiar with these challenges.

The Birth of Trunk Tools

Trunk Tools was born out of Buchner's desire to address these pain points. Her platform automates the organization of unstructured construction documents, enabling users to query files like PDFs, spreadsheets, and blueprints through a chatbot-like interface. For example, users can ask, "What type of power outlets are in the art studio?" and receive accurate answers instantly. The platform also links scheduled construction activities with supporting documentation to identify potential issues and surface critical insights.

“Traditional construction software, like Procore, is centered around documenting workflows and storing data within a predefined system,” Buchner explained. “We’re introducing a paradigm shift where Q&A and AI enable construction teams to interact with information using natural language.”

Disrupting the Construction Industry

Trunk Tools has already made a significant impact in the construction industry. For one high-rise condo project in New York City valued at $500 million, the platform handled 3.6 million pages of documentation. To put that into perspective, Buchner noted, “If printed and stacked, the 3.6 million pages would be 3x the height of the building itself. It would take a human 50 years to read — it takes Trunk Tools seconds to structure and give insights.”

The construction software market, expected to reach $7.5 billion by 2032, is competitive, with players like Briq, Join, and PlanRadar offering various digital solutions. However, Trunk Tools is holding its own, boasting a growing customer base in the construction industry and thousands of active users. Buchner also highlighted that the company is targeting a 4x revenue-to-burn rate ratio.

Securing Funding and Expanding the Team

This month, Trunk Tools secured $20 million in Series A funding led by Redpoint, bringing the company’s total funding to $30 million. Buchner plans to use the new capital to expand Trunk Tools’ 30-person team in New York and develop new services, including a recently launched construction worker incentive program. “Construction technology so far has focused mainly on digitizing — taking what we used to do on paper and doing it on computers,” Buchner said. “Slipped timelines and rework can completely crush the razor-thin margins of construction projects, and Trunk Tools can alleviate both.”