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BuiltWorlds US Summit 2021

Where The Industry's Leading Tech Entrepreneurs, Investors, and C-Suite Gather to Discuss the Strategic Implications of Built World Technology. (Check out recording from last year's US Summit 2021 below!)

When

9.1.2021 at 8:00AM - 9.2.2021 at 5:00PM

Where

Chicago, IL

Check out the following recorded sessions from the 2021 Summit:

Moving Beyond Sustainability: A Playbook for Contractors
Susan Heinking, Vice President, Higher Performance and Sustainable Construction, Pepper Construction

Real-Time Data Collection and Implementation
Randy Deutsch, Clinical Associate Professor University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign
Mani Golparvar, Co-Founder and CTO, Reconstruct
Damon Ranieri, Director of Virtual Design and Construction Leopardo Companies

2021 Premier Sponsors

More About the BuiltWorlds Summit

Since 2016, the BuiltWorlds Summit has been the premier gathering of senior level thought leaders from across the many industries that develop, design, build, and maintain our built environment. Collectively, attendees represent the pinnacle of the sector's innovation ecosystem, and the Summit is the place to meet them and to hear about the most potent trends fueling the future of the industry.

At the Summit, you will have the opportunity to:

Meet the Mavericks, leaders from across the Industry who took a different path and made a difference.

Learn the latest from BuiltWorlds Research and Forums, and - most importantly - meet the other members.

Participate in a demo day competition featuring entrepreneurs leading the hottest emerging tech companies, as selected by our Venture Forum Members. Startups looking to participate are invited to apply at the link below.  Also, check out a Demo Day recording from the recent US Summit 2021!

Summit 2021 Speakers

Vivin Hegde

General Manager, ICT, Trimble-Hilti JV, Hilti

David Burns

Vice President, Project Delivery & Emerging Technologies, McCarthy Building Companies Inc.

Stacy Scopano

VP - National Director of Prefabrication and Manufacturing, JE Dunn

Ty Findley

Co-Founder & General Partner, Ironspring Ventures

Meg Baldini

VP, Corporate Development, Procore

Andra Keay

Managing Director, Silicon Valley Robotics

Bethany Gardner

Design Thinking Research Lead, Bechtel

Eric Law

Co-Founder and CEO, Urban Machine

Anna Walkowska

CTO, ProperGate

Atul Khanzode

Chief Technology Officer, DPR Construction

Ben Price

NOVA External Ventures, Saint-Gobain

Abhinav Krishna

Executive Director, Strategic Partnership Development & Commercialization, Constellation Energy Resources LLC

Keith Churchill

Chief Innovation Officer, Bechtel

Shaun Carvalho

Chief Safety Officer, Shawmut

Les Hiscoe

CEO, Shawmut

Kelcey Henderson

President, Continuum Advisory Group

Clark Ellis

Principal, Continuum Advisory Group

John Harding

Business Development Program Manager, Offsite Construction, Saint-Gobain

Aviad Almagor

Division Vice President of Emerging Technologies, Trimble

Andy Gajbhiye

Director of Construction Technologies, Joeris

Susan Heinking

Senior Vice President, Pepper Construction

Philip Casto

VP, Senior Risk Services Consultant, HUB International

Cutler Knupp

Director - Strategy and Technology Investment, Haskell

Gregg Wallace

Director, Technology Office, Hilti

Sheetal Roy

Senior Associate, Syska Hennessy Group

Will Longsworth

Director of Finance, Barton Malow

Jon Pahl

Director of Innovation, Nabholz

Rachel Michelin

Associate Principal and Co-Office Director, Thornton Tomasetti

David Hansen

Chief Product Officer, Kiewit Corporation

Jay Snyder

Technology and Innovation, FMI Corp

Mani Golparvar

Co-Founder and CTO, Reconstruct

Cory Davis

Founder, Real Time Risk Solutions

Gary Clevenger

Vice President, Risk Control, CNA

Daniel Pifko

VP North America, WakeCap

Oded Ran

Co-founder & CEO, Clue

Michael Wisnefski

CEO & Co-Founder, MaterialsXchange

Alexandra McManus

CEO, Eyrus

Josh Levy

CEO & Co-Founder, Document Crunch

Steve Davis

COO, Transcend

Ryan Kelley-Cahill

Strategy and Operations Manager, Factory_OS

2021 Gold Sponsors

Summit 2021 Agenda

All sessions within the 2021 US Summit will take place at the Westin, River North. 

*(In accordance with the city of Chicago’s announced changes to the current Covid-19 regulations, it is now required that all attendees at the Builtworlds 2021 US Summit wear a face covering while on site at the event. The Builtworlds staff will have masks available to attendees on site at the registration desk if needed. Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to seeing you on site at the Summit!)

 

Day 1 Schedule

8:30 AM – 9:30 AM

Registration & Welcoming

9:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Demo Day Startup Competition

Startups will have short opportunities to "pitch" their solutions to a team of judges fielded from our Venture Forum member companies for a chance to be the winner of this year's US Summit Demo Day Competition. Venture Forum members include an elite group of industry innovators that have made an additional financial contribution to supporting the industry's startup ecosystem: Barton Malow, Clayco, EllisDon, Graycor, Grouse Ridge Capital, GS Futures, Hill Group, Nabholz, Owens Corning, Saint-Gobain, STO Building Group, Shibumi, Syska Hennessy, & Thornton Tomasetti

Participants:
Clue Insights
Document Crunch
MaterialsXchange
Transcend
Wakecap

Judges:
Ben Price, NOVA External Ventures-Saint Gobain
Will Longsworth, Director of Finance-Barton Malow
Jon Pahl, Director of Innovation-Nabholz
Sheetal Roy, Senior Associate-Syska Hennessy
Rachel Michelin, Vice President-Thornton Tomasetti

11:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Networking Break

11:15 AM – 12:15 PM

Corporate & Sector Focused Venture Capital: Perspectives & Approach

Corporate players and their investment arms are key parties in providing use cases, validating, and expanding market reach to technology startups. Traditional Venture Capital firms are able to act quickly and provide ample capital to early stage tech companies on the verge of breaking through to the next level. There are subtle, but key differences in the approach that investors play when they are affiliated with corporations vs. backed by LPs. In this session, we’ll hear from both CVCs as well as Traditional Venture Capitalists on how they are approaching investments in the built space, what kind of technology they're most excited about, and where they see the investment landscape evolving to.

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Networking Lunch

Analyst Presentation

1:35 PM – 2:35 PM

Workshop

Man Vs. Machine

We have seen that not all technologies are necessarily more efficient and effective than manual processes. Those that are better is where contractors experience incredible value. Join FMI as they host a Man vs. Machine event to illustrate who truly valuable technology stacks up against traditional means. In this example we will compare the efficiency and effectiveness of the manual quantity takeoff process to a standard software application and also compared to an advanced automated application. Throughout this experiment FMI’s Jay Snyder will facilitate a conversation with the audience.

Presented by:
Jay Snyder, Technology and Innovation Practice Leader, FMI Corporation

2:50 PM – 3:50 PM

Workshop

Site Surveillance: Finding the right strategy to reduce on-site risk

With newly enforced site surveillance requirements given our high risk environment, contractors, subcontractors and owners now have additional safety responsibilities to figure out. When it comes to site security, how do you move forward with the right technology and safety plan? Join HUB and CNA to discuss:

- Technology recommendations while shifting to these new requirements
- How new technologies can help you reduce project site risk
- How to best fit surveillance into your site-specific safety plans

Presented by:
Philip Casto, VP, Senior Risk Services Consultant, HUB International
Cory Davis, CEO, Real Time Risk Solutions
Gary Clevenger, VP, Risk Control, CNA

4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Summit Opening Networking Reception

Join us in the Main Hall at the Westin on the River Watch as we officially open the 2021 Summit! Exhibitor tables will also be open for interactive sessions and we'll have our opening remarks and welcome the network to the official start of the 2021-2022 season!

Day 2 Schedule

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Networking Breakfast

9:00 AM – 9:10 AM

Welcome and Introduction

9:10 AM – 9:40 AM

Keynote: The State of Construction Technology

The last 18 months have been challenging for the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this period the industry has also seen an increased adoption of digital tools throughout the project lifecycle. The last few years have also seen unprecedented venture capital investment in construction technologies. We are at an interesting crossroad in our industry where both technology investment and technology adoption is increasing. There is an increased promise that technology will address the vexing problems that have plagued the industry in terms of improving safety, quality, and productivity. In this keynote address Atul will share DPR Construction’s experience adopting Construction Technologies in service of their technically challenging projects. Atul will discuss how integrated information and automation enabled by construction technologies are the key enablers for predictable outcomes and increasing safety, quality, and productivity in our industry. Atul will also discuss challenges and opportunities that exist in adopting point solutions versus platform solutions, integration, and automation and what it takes to scale up technology adoption from small pockets to excellence to a bigger scale. Atul will also share his experience as an early technology adopter, mentor and venture investor on what it takes to build successful partnerships between technology providers and the industry.

Presented by:
Atul Khanzode, Head of Technology and Innovation, DPR Construction

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM

Executive Panel: Defining the Technology Strategy: Build or Buy?

Builtworld innovation is occurring faster than ever, and we’re watching a digital transformation underway from all angles, startups to incumbents. This pace of innovation has brought to the forefront the age-old technology strategy debate, “Build or Buy?” To discuss a broad range of outlooks on this topic, we’ve collected a diverse panel composing the views of a general contractor, a software vendor, an original equipment manufacturer, and a venture capitalist. Each will share their views, frameworks by which they evaluate these decisions, and even alternative methods used to stay close to the pulse of technology innovation. While there is not one right answer, don’t miss this spirited debate on a topic that is more critical now than ever!

10:45 AM – 11:15 AM

Networking Break

11:15 AM – 11:45 AM

Breakout Sessions

Salon A:
Measuring the Maturity of Logistics Management

Construction logistics is changing. The organizational aspects have been evolving slowly for decades, while new technology is offering something more revolutionary. These changes can deliver great rewards: Optimised communication with subcontractors and suppliers. Just-in-time delivery of materials and equipment. Punctual, safe and efficient unloading, internal transport and storage. Advance scheduling and real-time site activity monitoring. Companies are adopting these changes at different speeds. Some are proceeding cautiously, making partial changes. Others are embracing the cultural and technological shift at a systemic level. Others still are making no changes, and accepting project extensions and lower margins. At ProperGate, we have been working with companies across the spectrum, right up to those looking to introduce intelligent automation on world-class skyscraper projects. And we’ve developed a model for assessing the maturity of logistics management on construction projects. So, how mature are the logistics on your own projects? How do you rank against other companies? And what do you need to change to achieve a higher level of excellence?

Presented by:
Anna Walkowska, CTO & Co-Founder, ProperGate

Salon B:
Digital Twins + AI for Remote Construction Progress Monitoring, Quality Control, and Schedule Risk Analysis

Today, a large number of construction companies are striving to align their production efficiency with scheduled activities through the use of reality capture and BIM-enabled workflows. The exponential growth in data acquisition and application of BIM, paired with ever more aggressive delivery schedules, calls for introduction of new solutions that transcend the current capabilities and venture into Artificial Intelligence (AI) territory with the goal of achieving better control and higher level of predictability through the real-time analysis of production, resources and jobsite conditions.

Presented by:
Mani Golparvar, CTO, Reconstruct

Salon C:
From Investment to Installation: Saint-Gobain and Factory_OS

Learn what investments within offsite construction excite Saint-Gobain and how one of its investments, Factory_OS, is disrupting the construction industry. Collaboration, industry themes and benefits of investor relationships will be explored.

Presented by:
Ben Price, NOVA External Ventures Manager, Saint Gobain
John Harding, Business Development Program Manager, Offsite construction, Saint Gobain
Ryan Kelly-Cahill, Strategy & Operations Manager, Factory_OS

11:50 AM – 12:20 PM

Breakout Sessions

Salon A:
Design Thinking in the Built Environment

Design thinking is a powerful tool that can drive innovation adoption in a risk-adverse industry, utilizing techniques such as customer empathy interviews, rapid prototyping, and user testing and iteration. This session will discuss what design thinking is, and how Bechtel is using these proven tools to enhance customer experience, reduce cost and risk, and invest in viable new opportunities.

Presented by:
Bethany Gardner, Design Thinking Lead, Bechtel

Salon B:
Building a Culture of Safety Powered by Technology

When it comes to safety, leading-edge technology implementation is critical to achieve a proactive, preventative, and ultimately predictive program. But it’s only truly successful when layered on top of dedicated resources and a workforce that is actively engaged in a safety culture. In this session, speakers will share how to establish a culture of safety that is powered by technology—from developing policies and procedures to launching initiatives that engage an entire company. When safety is engrained at a foundational level—with a top-down, bottom-up approach and driven by a grassroots buy-it-and-try-it mentality—the result is continuous innovation and improvement, allowing for quick action during times of high risk and crisis. New technology rollouts enterprise-wide can require a major investment. Speakers will share innovative ways to adopt new technologies that can have greater benefits while managing cost expectations.

Presented by:
Les Hiscoe, CEO, Shawmut Design and Construction
Shaun Carvalho, Chief Safety Officer, Shawmut Design and Construction

Salon C:
Developing an Energy Efficiency Strategy for Smarter Building Management. With his experience helping customers manage energy through innovative solutions, Abhinav Krishna,
Executive Director of Strategic Partnership Development & Commercialization at Constellation, will discuss
strategies for transforming existing buildings

Presented By:
Abhinav Krishna, Executive Director, Strategic Partnership Development & Commercialization, Constellation
Energy Resources LLC

12:20 PM – 1:25 PM

Networking Lunch

Analyst Presentation

1:25 PM – 1:55 PM

Breakout Sessions

Salon A:
The Evolution of Modern Robotics

Robotics today is not the same as the robotics of the last fifty years, and you can already see disruption starting in the logistics industry, with self-driving cargo. Meanwhile, self-driving cars are still a long way off. I summarize the technological and social tipping points leading to today's robotics, and present a matrix of value vs cost that can help the construction industry identify low hanging fruitful applications of robotics.

Presented by:
Andra Keay, Managing Director, Silicon Valley Robotics

Salon B:
Moving Beyond Sustainability: A Playbook for Contractors

The construction industry has always impacted the built environment. However today we have data and science to reveal just what that impact has been on our built and natural environments as well as the climate. We know that buildings represent 40% of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere and that a building’s operational performance influences those who occupy it. This was realized more than ever as we all experienced lockdown during the pandemic, especially around the topic of indoor air quality. As contractors we are being asked about what we do to create a healthier jobsite for our tradespeople and a healthier indoor environment for the future occupants of the buildings we build. This presentation will show you a practical framework to achieve significantly more impactful results through the adoption of High Performance Construction strategies. This session offers guidance, resources and examples of advanced building techniques based on Pepper Construction’s development and adoption of next-generation sustainable perspectives.

Presented By:
Susan Heinking, Vice President, High Performance and Sustainable Construction, Pepper Construction

Salon C:
XR and Digital Transformation

Extended Reality (XR) merges the digital and the physical worlds, transforming the way we consume, interact, and communicate information. The technology has evolved and matured in the last few years to support a wide range of activities and business workflows, including design visualization, coordination, training, quality control, and production control. In this session, we will explore the psychological impact of XR, the interplay between XR, other emerging technologies, and digital transformation, as well as the potential use of XR on the production floor by utilizing a unique “What You See is What You Build” (WYSIWYB) workflow.

Presented by:
Aviad Almagor, Division Vice President, Emerging Technologies, Trimble

2:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Networking Break

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Executive Panel: Establishing a Tech-Driven Culture

Technology adoption in the construction industry has never been a significant need. Historically, innovation has been slow and incremental, not fast and groundbreaking. My how times have changed! Our companies can now choose from multiple providers of technology in categories that didn't even exist just a few short years ago: scanning technology, drones, wearable safety and productivity tracking, robotics for layout, VR/MR/AR,...! The sheer volume of new technology can be overwhelming for construction companies. The best use a powerful tool to successfully deploy new technology: culture. How do we build technology-driven cultures that deliver results as they transform how our companies operate? These industry leaders will share their experiences: the challenges they face, what has worked, the most important lessons they have learned along the way, and what they are doing differently today because of what they have learned.

3:35 PM – 4:05 PM

The Next Wave of Construction Technology

Construction technology is moving at an increasingly fast pace. As our industry continues to evolve, new companies are being created to efficiently collect, manage, analyze, and action data that is available on our project sites. This is attributed to the innovative thinking and hard work that we have done to date. While we have all witnessed progress being made in the software and application space, are we seeing a true step change in terms of cost savings and productivity? Are development efforts focused in the right areas to enable real industry change? It’s time we talk with and examine the experience of our colleagues with their boots on the ground. Can we reduce field costs by providing them with new tools and technology to enhance how they perform their day-to-day work To recognize a visible return on our collective investments and realize results and improvements within our industry, we need to look at new tools and technology that help improve day to day performance.

4:10 PM – 4:15 PM

Closing Remarks

4:15 PM – 6:15 PM

Networking Reception

Join us for more networking amidst our exhibitors in the Main Hall prior to the opening of the Maverick Award Dinner.

6:15 PM – 9:00 PM

Maverick Awards Dinner

"The Maverick Awards" has become a major industry acknowledgement of leaders from across the Built Worlds' innovation ecosystem, and this year, we will officially recognize the 100 visionary leaders who received the designation in 2020 and 2021. It will be an exciting, inspiring, and insightful evening.

Buying Summit Tickets

The best way to get tickets to the BuiltWorlds Summit is to become a members.

Become A Standard Member and Redeem Your Tickets!

Standard Members can redeem up to two tickets to the Summit for only $1500 a piece, and Standard Members get all the other benefits of access to other BuiltWorlds events and content throughout the year. If you want even more benefits and have a bigger team, consider Enterprise Membership, and, this year, get two free tickets to the Summit included! For those who aren’t quite ready to join the network and still want to attend this premier industry event, tickets can be purchased  at $3000 each.

Buy Your Stand Alone Ticket Here.

For any questions about membership and the Summit, feel free to reach out to us at support@builtworlds.com. If You are Already a Standard or Enterprise BUILTWORLDS member? Awesome! Just email us at Support@BuiltWorlds.Com to claim your tickets.

Want a season pass to the events driving innovation in the built environment?

Learn more about the benefits of joining our Member Network, which include event tickets, access to attendee lists and recorded footage of our best talks.

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Additional Event Sponsors

BuiltWorlds Events Are Uniquely Crafted to Promote Deeper Connection and Insight. The US Summit is No Exception

US Summit Workshop 2018Maverick Winners 2018Spin US Summit 2018Full Session US Summit 2018Westin River Walk US Summit 2018