BuiltWorlds Network Leader Awards celebrate the individuals who have made a lasting impact on the BuiltWorlds community over the past year. These are AEC stakeholders who show up, engage with our research, share their expertise at events, and participate in working group sessions. They are the connective thread that transforms BuiltWorlds from a platform into a true community.
Their engagement matters because progress in the built world doesn't happen in isolation. By showing up and speaking candidly, they help surface the real problems worth solving and push the industry past hype toward solutions that work in the field. Through working group sessions, both in-person and virtual, they turn isolated ideas into shared knowledge that accelerates innovation across the ecosystem. This is what makes their contribution worth honoring: they gave their time and expertise to the collective advancement of the built world, extending their impact beyond their own organization—a generosity that lets innovation move faster and reach further than any single company could achieve alone.
The 2026 AEC Emerging Tech Conference is where contractors, investors, and founders come together to turn construction tech pilots into real, scaled adoption. Attendees can expect interactive roundtables with GCs, VCs, and CVCs, real-world playbooks on what worked and what didn’t, and a live Demo Day featuring early-stage startups pitching tools before they hit the mainstream. Dealmaker’s Alley adds structured, targeted meetings built to spark pilots, partnerships, and investment, with speakers from DPR Construction, Suffolk Technologies, Autodesk, Trimble, VINCI, and MIT. If you’re a contractor looking for an edge, a startup seeking pilot partners, or an investor sourcing differentiated deal flow, this is where construction tech gets real.
Meet the 2026 Network Leaders
Khalid Abounassif
Director, Innovation & Construction Technology
EllisDon
Khalid Abounassif is Director of Innovation and Construction Technology at EllisDon, based in the Greater Toronto Area, where he leads digital transformation, AI integration, and the adoption of new technology across the company's projects. He joined EllisDon in 2019 as a Tech Solutions Consultant, became Tech Solutions Manager in 2022, and moved into his current role in May 2024. Before EllisDon, he was an MBA consultant with Oracle in Madrid and spent five years as a mechanical engineer at INMA Utilities Contracting Company in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after starting out as a controls engineering co-op at Johnson Controls.
Khalid led a working group at ConTech this year and joined several working group sessions.
German Aparicio
Program Manager of Early Innovation & Partner Development
Trimble
German Aparicio is the Program Manager of Early Innovation and Partner Development at Trimble, where he leads global startup engagement, identifies acquisition targets, and co-leads the Trimble 0-60 Start-Up accelerator, a BuiltWorlds Accelerator Program of the Year 2025 finalist. With over 10 years in the AECO industry, he specializes in AI-driven design workflows and previously managed digital transformations and BIM/VDC projects for NASA, Disney Imagineering, Gehry Technologies, and Foster + Partners. He is also a lecturer at Cal Poly Pomona, and holds an MS from MIT.
German is an engaged member of the BuiltWorlds network through Trimble, participating in the Venture & Investment Research Track and attending several 2026 events, including the AI/ML Conference, Venture West, and the Chicago Global Summit. His Trimble 0-60 Start-Up program, a 2025 Accelerator Program of the Year finalist, and his 2024 Top 50 Adoption Leader recognition reflect his ongoing commitment to advancing early-stage innovation in the built environment.
Damien Bahon
Head of Scale One
Bouygues Construction
Damien Bahon leads Scale One, Bouygues Construction's shared platform for research, innovation, and training, based in Chilly-Mazarin outside Paris. He took on the role in April 2024 after nearly three years heading Construction Lab, Bouygues' R&D unit for exploring, testing, and validating new construction solutions. From 2017 to 2021, he took part in the intrapreneur program at Leonard, VINCI's innovation platform, where he developed REHALIB, an augmented reality service for home staging and renovation. He studied at École Centrale de Lyon.
Damien spoke at three BuiltWorlds events this year: the Tokyo Global Summit, the Chicago Global Summit, and the CEO Annual Meeting. He also joined three working group sessions.
Darren Bechtel
Founder & Managing Director
Brick and Mortar Ventures
Darren Bechtel is the founder and managing director of Brick & Mortar Ventures. A Stanford-trained engineer and entrepreneur, he has led early-stage investments in more than 75 AEC and O&M startups, some of which were later acquired. Brick & Mortar manages more than $300M in backing from industry leaders and exited construction tech founders. He is a Venture Capital Journal “40 Under 40” Rising Star and serves on advisory boards for Cornell’s Infrastructure Policy Program, CRETech, and The Exploratorium.
Darren is an engaged member of the BuiltWorlds network through Brick & Mortar Ventures, a 2026 partner of Venture West. He spoke at Venture West and attended the CEO Forum and the Paris Global Summit in 2026. He joined the Venture & Investment and ConTech x Infra working groups at Venture West, and the Venture and Business Strategy working groups in Paris.
Ross Bosn
Managing Director
UFP Ventures
Ross Bosn has been with UFP Ventures since 2023 and now leads as managing director. Before that, he spent six years at Owens Corning across its roofing and insulation businesses and its corporate venture group, and six years in the United States Marine Corps before that. He holds a BS in mechanical engineering from Kettering University and an MBA from the University of Michigan.
Ross has taken part in the venture side of the BuiltWorlds network, attending Venture West, the Chicago Global Summit, and ConTech in 2026. He joined the Venture & Investment working group at all three events.
Corentin Caniego
Catalyst Program Manager
Leonard, powered by VINCI
Corentin Caniego is an engineer and CATALYST Program Manager at Leonard, where he helps VINCI’s business units solve operational challenges by sourcing, evaluating, and deploying innovative solutions. His background in construction management and project execution helps him spot technologies that can truly scale and build make-or-buy strategies that fit real operational limits. He works across VINCI’s Construction, Energy, and Mobility verticals.
Corentin joined BuiltWorlds events in three cities in 2026, attending Venture West, the Chicago Global Summit, and the Paris Global Summit on behalf of Leonard (VINCI).
Spencer Cogan
Senior Associate
Gray Capital Investors
Spencer Cogan is a Senior Associate at Gray Capital Investors in Chicago, the innovation arm of Graycor, where he works at the intersection of Graycor's construction and industrial businesses and the emerging technology shaping the built environment. He holds a BS in business administration from The Ohio State University's Max M. Fisher College of Business, where he specialized in finance and real estate.
Spencer attended seven events (the Tokyo Global Summit, Venture East, Offsite, Venture West, the Chicago Global Summit, ConTech, and the Buildings Conference) and spoke at both the Tokyo Global Summit and the Chicago Global Summit. He also joined seven working group sessions along the way.
Michael "MC" Contreras
Director of Technology Deployment
STO Building Group
With more than 20 years in real estate and IT project management, MC now leads the deployment of emerging construction technology across STO Building Group’s global portfolio. His focus covers AI, automation, robotics, BIM/VDC, and reality capture, with each rollout tied to field results in safety, upskilling, and labor productivity.
He also manages STO’s relationships with technology partners and supports its data center programs. Before STO, MC was director of technology at Structure Tone Southwest and spent nearly a decade at Capital One, where he led international facilities construction projects in the Philippines, India, the UK, and Canada.
MC has contributed greatly to BuiltWorlds’ research efforts by completing benchmarking surveys and serving in our AI and Venture & Investment working groups at ConTech. He has been engaged with the network since Buildings 2025 and returned in 2026 for the AI/ML Conference and ConTech.
Rui Coutinho
Chief Innovation Officer, Board Member
Mota-Engil/Mota Engil Next (MEXT)
At Mota-Engil Next (MEXT), Rui Coutinho leads innovation strategy and manages projects from ideation through implementation. Initiatives he has launched and scaled have reached more than 8,000 participants across the organization, and his business development work has driven over €15 million in investment into new ventures and partnerships. He began in civil engineering, spending more than four years as a budget and project planning engineer on 100+ infrastructure projects.
Rui earned two speaking slots at BuiltWorlds’ global summits in 2026. He gave a spotlight session at the Chicago Global Summit and spoke on a panel at the Paris Global Summit, representing Mota-Engil and MEXT.
Kaushal Diwan
Chief Innovation Officer, Board Member
DPR/WND Ventures
Kaushal Diwan has spent nearly two decades helping the AEC industry turn ideas into measurable results for projects and customers. He now leads strategic investments and partnerships for DPR Construction as portfolio manager of WND Ventures and executive sponsor of DPR’s Innovation and Research & Development groups. He holds a BS in management from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a venture capital certificate from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.
Kaushal has been a prominent presence in BuiltWorlds’ venture programming in 2026. He was a Venture West partner and a panel speaker at both Venture West and the Chicago Global Summit. At Venture West, he also joined the Venture & Investment and ConTech x Infra working groups, attending the CEO Forum.
Yuji Doi
Innovation Manager
Kajima
Yuji Doi has spent more than two decades at Kajima where he works as an innovation manager based in Tokyo. From 2018 to 2025, he worked in Palo Alto as technology development manager on Kajima International's Open Innovation and Transformation Team, after beginning his career in the company's civil infrastructure division. He studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Yuji spoke at three BuiltWorlds events this year (the Munich AI Conference, Venture West, and the Paris Global Summit) and also took part in Venture East. He joined four working group sessions across those events.
Bill Dunaway
Senior Director of Data Engineering & Operations
Clayco
Fifteen years in data engineering and analytics have shaped Bill Dunaway’s approach at Clayco, where he leads cross-functional teams building the data platforms and analytics tools behind enterprise decision-making. He is known for pairing big-picture vision with practical execution, and he pushes for scalable architecture, a data-informed culture, and operational excellence. Bill’s leadership rests on a deep technical foundation, a commitment to mentoring talent, and a focus on measurable business impact.
Bill took an active part in BuiltWorlds’ 2026 programming, leading a breakout session at ConTech and joining the AI working group at both the AI/ML Conference and ConTech. He also took part in the ConTech working group and participated in BuiltWorlds' research initiatives, adding hands-on research input to his event involvement.
Rachael Ferrera
Manager of Investments & Ideation
Zachry Construction Corporation
Rachael Ferrera has spent more than 17 years at Zachry Construction Corporation, building a career that moved through estimating, ERP implementation, project controls, and document control system administration before landing on the investment side. She now manages investments and ideation, driving innovative solutions and strategic investments for the company.
A civil engineer with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&M University, she is a founding member of Zachry Women Breaking Ground, serves on the board of the San Antonio Mobility Coalition, and represents Zachry at the Construction Progress Coalition.
Rachael joined three BuiltWorlds events in 2026: the AI/ML Conference, Venture West, and ConTech. She took part in the ConTech and Infrastructure working group at Venture West, then joined both the ConTech working group at ConTech.
Steve Frandsen
Chief Operating Officer
ICON Builders
Steve Frandsen is chief operating officer of ICON Builders in the Phoenix area, a role he took on in December 2025 after joining the company as director of operations and innovation. His work spans multifamily construction, development, property management, and affordable housing. Steve's experience includes complex, resident-in-place rehabs, ADA/CASp compliance, seismic retrofits, and coordinating across design, development, and operations. He has spent more than 20 years breathing new life into spaces, leading over $100M in multifamily rehabilitation and construction projects and overseeing the transformation of 1,700+ units.
Steve spoke at ConTech this year and also attended the AI/ML Conference and the Chicago Global Summit. He joined six working group sessions and completed a BuiltWorlds benchmarking survey.
Paul Jacob
Senior Business Applications Manager
Consigli Construction Co., Inc.
Paul Jacob leads the Consigli team that delivers and supports the applications and technology construction crews use to solve their daily business challenges. He joined in 2024 as a customer success manager and moved into his current role in 2025. Before Consigli, he spent more than 18 years at Lendlease, formerly Bovis Lend Lease. He started as a site engineer in Sydney, then worked through business analysis and application management to lead product services for the Americas, where a team of nine supported the software systems behind construction and real estate development.
Paul has been a steady presence in BuiltWorlds’ AI conversation in 2026. He joined the AI working group at both the AI/ML Conference and ConTech, plus the AI + Equipment & Robotics virtual session in August. He also took part in the ConTech and Offsite working groups at ConTech.
Branyan Johnson
Chief Operating Officer
Century Construction Group
Branyan Johnson is chief operating officer at Maloney Management, which serves Century Construction Group, Maloney Glass and Overhead Door, and Cooley Transportation. He brings 32 years of construction experience, from labor and supervision through estimating, sales, project management, and executive leadership in both general and specialty construction. He focuses on developing people through training and process improvement, and on aligning technology, data analytics, and AI tools with processes and people, most recently to improve financial projections, scheduling, field communications, and project controls.
Branyan spoke at ConTech this year and also attended the Chicago Global Summit. He joined five working group sessions and completed a BuiltWorlds benchmarking survey.
Subham Kedia
Investor
Hilti
Subham Kedia is an early-stage, strategic investor at Hilti, with a focus on construction technology and deep tech. Before Hilti, he evaluated and partnered with early-stage startups at Zacua Ventures, Starlight Ventures, and Wharton Impact Investing Partners, and earlier held strategy roles at McKinsey in Boston and at ConnectWise, a Thoma Bravo portfolio company. He holds an MBA from The Wharton School, a BS in chemical engineering from IIT Kharagpur, and an MS in operations research & Strategic Management from Columbia University.
Subham attended the AI/ML Conference and Venture West before speaking on a panel at the Paris Global Summit earlier this year.
Atul Khanzode
Chief Technology Officer
DPR Construction
Atul Khanzode is Chief Technology Officer at DPR Construction and a member of its Leadership Team, where he guides the company's strategies around virtual design and construction (VDC), data, prefabrication, and self-perform work. He joined DPR in 1997 as a project engineer, built the company's first virtual building group, and has led its work in BIM, VDC, and lean construction. He is a co-author of the book Integrating Project Delivery and holds a master's in engineering from Duke University and a PhD in Construction Engineering and Management from Stanford University. He is also a member of the AEC Angels team.
Atul and his DPR colleagues co-hosted BuiltWorlds at the San Francisco DPR offices during Venture West, where he also spoke. He was a speaker at the 2025 Tokyo Global Summit as well. Additionally, Atul joined several working group sessions over the year.
Cutler Knupp
VP, Strategy & Investments
Haskell
Cutler Knupp has steered Dysruptek, Haskell's corporate venture capital arm, since its launch in 2018. As Vice President of Strategy and Investments, he leads early-stage venture investments, technology scouting, and corporate strategy focused on engineering and construction, building a portfolio across deep tech, modular solutions, robotics, and AI. He also advises several startups and industry programs. Before Haskell, he led M&A for Softvision, a global software developer acquired by Cognizant in 2018. He studied finance and international affairs at NYU Stern School of Business and Kennesaw State University.
Cutler spoke at three BuiltWorlds events recently: the 2025 Tokyo Global Summit, the 2026 Chicago Global Summit, and the 2026 CEO Annual Meeting.
Tanja Kufner
Head of Ventures and Startups
Nemetschek Group
Tanja Kufner is head of ventures and startups at the Nemetschek Group, one of the world's leading software providers for the construction industry. An active early-stage investor since 1998, she worked for several funds, corporate venture arms, and a single family office before setting up Wayra in Munich and co-founding the Startupbootcamp Smart Transportation and Energy accelerator in Berlin. She has invested in more than 90 startups and has helped companies including Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Airbus, Siemens Mobile, and VINCI on their innovation journeys. Tanja is regularly recognized as one of the most influential women in venture capital.
Tanja and her Nemetschek colleagues hosted BuiltWorlds for the Munich AI Conference, and she spoke at all three events she attended: Munich, Venture East, and the Paris Global Summit. She also joined four working group sessions over the course of the year.
Eric Lamb
Operating Partner
Blackhorn Ventures
Eric Lamb has had a long career in both construction and engineering. He is an operating partner at Blackhorn Ventures and managing director of WND Ventures, DPR Construction's venture arm. Eric was instrumental in setting up preconstruction processes and operation systems at DPR Construction during the early years of the company. A founding member of DPR's Management Committee for 28 years, he now serves on the Board of Directors.
Eric spoke at all three events he attended this year: Venture East, Venture West, and the Chicago Global Summit. He also joined two working group sessions.
Henri Lee
CEO & Founder
Xpanner
Henri Lee is co-founder and CEO of Xpanner, a construction tech startup pioneering jobsite automation through physical AI. Before founding Xpanner, he spent two decades driving unmanned construction projects and corporate venture initiatives at Doosan Bobcat and HD Construction Equipment. Today, he focuses on bridging the gap between robotics and reality, making advanced technology immediately usable in the field.
Henri spoke at the 2025 Tokyo Global Summit and this year's Chicago Global Summit and also attended the Paris Global Summit, joining four working group sessions across the three events.
Alice Leung
Principal
Brick & Mortar Ventures
Alice Leung began her career at DPR Construction in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2016 she moved to Singapore to help launch DPR's Southeast Asia headquarters as its BIM/VDC and construction technology expert, working on data center projects, lecturing in the Building and Construction Authority's BIM Management certification course, and teaching BIM courses for RICS. After returning to San Francisco, she joined Brick & Mortar Ventures.
Alice and her Brick & Mortar colleagues hosted some of this year's Venture West programming, where she spoke, and she spoke at the Chicago Global Summit as well. She also joined three working group sessions.
Aki Manda
Technology Development Manager
Kajima
Aki Manda is technology development manager at Kajima International, where he works with partners to make construction and infrastructure more sustainable, productive, and safe. His focus is bridging innovative technologies with business demands to build safer, more sustainable environments. He is a Georgia Tech MBA program alum concentrated in technology commercialization and strategic sustainability.
Aki is among the most active leaders in the BuiltWorlds network. He judged Demo Day at Venture West and served as a Tokyo Global Summit partner. He also attended the AI/ML Conference, Venture West, the Chicago Global Summit, and Buildings, joining working groups at each on topics including AI, Equipment & Robotics, Venture & Investment, ConTech x Infra, and Offsite.
Michael Martin
Director of Emerging Technologies
McGough
Michael Martin has spent more than 14 years at McGough, where he became director of emerging technologies in November 2025 after serving as strategic initiatives lead. A licensed professional engineer in Minnesota and a University of Minnesota graduate, he focuses on turning data, AI, and emerging technology into competitive advantage. His work spans digital & data strategy, AI & advanced analytics, product development & deployment, VDC, and preconstruction.
Michael joined seven working group sessions over the past year, one of the highest totals on the list, while attending Venture East, the AI/ML Conference, and ConTech.
Grant McCullagh
Managing Director
AEC Angels
Grant McCullagh is managing director of AEC Angels, a network of AEC industry leaders who invest in early-stage startups, and a director at Thornton Tomasetti, where he is also managing director of TTWiiN. Over a 35-year career, Grant has combined a technical operations background in architecture and engineering with corporate finance, serving as a senior executive at a Fortune 500 company and CEO of several global engineering and construction companies.
Grant spoke at three BuiltWorlds events this year (Venture East, Venture West, and the CEO Annual Meeting) and also attended the Chicago Global Summit and the Buildings Conference. He also joined three working group sessions.
Daniel Meissner
VP, Growth & Strategic Partnerships, Digital & Data Engineering
EllisDon
Daniel Meissner joined EllisDon in 2020 to lead VDC operations in the greater Toronto area. Today, he heads Building Digital, delivering tailored technology solutions to the AEC industry. He has more than 15 years of experience across design, construction, and operations, and a record of helping clients use emerging technology to tackle industry challenges. His work centers on digital transformation, using data to increase efficiency and optimize processes.
Daniel joined two BuiltWorlds events in 2026. He spoke on a panel at Venture West, where he also joined the Venture & Investment and ConTech x Infra working groups. He then returned for ConTech, participating in the Equipment & Robotics working group.
Jack Moran
Senior Construction Technology Director
Consigli Construction Co., Inc.
Jack Moran is senior construction technology director at Consigli Construction Co., Inc., where he has worked for nearly 15 years. He joined Consigli in 2012 as manager of VDC Services in Milford, Mass., became director of VDC and integrated services in 2020, and moved into his current role in July 2024. Before Consigli, he spent more than five years as project architect and director of building information modeling at Cutler Associates and over 12 years as a job captain at Donham & Sweeney Architects. He studied at the Boston Architectural College.
Jack hosted the ConTech working group session at the 2025 Venture East Conference, where he also spoke, and attended the 2025 Offsite Conference and the 2026 Chicago Global Summit. He joined four working group sessions over the year.
Anthony Offak
Senior Technology Specialist
Walbridge
A licensed architect by training, Anthony Offak has spent the past six years at Walbridge working where construction technology meets project delivery. He acts as the bridge between IT and the field, turning operational pain points into practical solutions and making sure the tools that reach the jobsite are ones project teams will use. His work covers evaluating and piloting emerging technology, choosing the use cases with real operational value, building buy-in in the field and the office, and scaling successful pilots into standard processes.
Anthony is among the most prolific participants of the BuiltWorlds Benchmarking program. He also attended the AI/ML Conference, the Chicago Global Summit, and the ConTech Conference in 2026, joining the AI working group at the AI/ML Conference and ConTech, the Venture & Investment working group at ConTech, and the August virtual session on AI and Equipment & Robotics.
Dai Ohama
General Manager, Innovation & Incubation Office
Kajima
Dai Ohama has led innovation and transformation at Kajima for more than six years, building the company's open innovation network in Silicon Valley and around the world. As general manager of the innovation & incubation office, he works with startups to change how Kajima builds, supports pilots and collaborations on real projects, and incubates new businesses both inside and outside construction.
Dai attended six BuiltWorlds events in 2026: the AI/ML Conference, Venture West, the CEO Forum, the Chicago Global Summit, the ConTech Conference, and Buildings Conference in Nashville. He spoke on a panel at ConTech and was a major partner at the Tokyo Global Summit. He also joined working groups on AI, Equipment & Robotics, Venture & Investment, ConTech x Infra, Business Strategy, and Venture.
Valentin Piperno
Investment Director and Leonard North America Hub Leader
Leonard, powered by Vinci
Valentin Piperno is investment director and North America hub leader for Leonard, VINCI’s innovation and foresight platform, where he leads the investment department and oversees the firm’s startup portfolio. Since March 2022, he has served as a board member for nine portfolio companies, while supporting more than 40 startups across Leonard’s broader investment activity. His role spans the full investment lifecycle: sourcing opportunities, overseeing each stage of due diligence and deal execution, managing incubator and fund of fund investments, and representing Leonard publicly within the venture ecosystem.
Valentin spoke at all three events he attended this year: the Infrastructure Conference, the Paris Global Summit, and the Buildings Conference. He also participated in four working group sessions.
Carlos Quihuis
AI Engineer
ICON Builders
Carlos Quihuis is an AI engineer at ICON Builders in Tempe, Ariz., where he builds production-grade AI applications and cloud infrastructure. He brings experience across cloud systems, full-stack development, and LLM integration, and studied at Arizona State University.
Carlos joined six working group sessions over the past year while attending the AI/ML Conference, the Chicago Global Summit, and the ConTech Conference. He also completed a BuiltWorlds benchmarking survey.
Anton Ricafort
Innovation & Technology Director
Acciona
Nearly 20 years of international infrastructure experience across transport, water, and renewable energy inform Anton Ricafort’s work as innovation and technology director for ACCIONA in North America. He has helped shape the company’s innovation programs, strengthened its emerging-talent pipelines, and established ACCIONA’s Innovation Antenna in Silicon Valley. Earlier in his career he held engineering and business development roles across the Asia-Pacific region.
Anton is among the most active leaders on this list. He took part in eight working group sessions across the AI/ML Conference, Venture West, ConTech, and the August virtual session on AI and Equipment & Robotics, including leading one at Venture West. He also attended the Chicago Global Summit.
Jesse Sanders
IT Director, Operational Excellence
Clayco
Jesse Sanders has spent nine years at Clayco, moving from IT engineering to application development and support, then to chief of staff to the CIO, and now to IT director of operational excellence. In this role, he defines measurable outcomes for IT and strengthens governance and best practices in support of the CIO. He also guides enterprise AI fluency, helping teams adopt emerging tools responsibly. Before Clayco, he spent 15 years at Monsanto, rising from unix engineering to director-level roles in global IT service management and operations.
Jesse led a breakout session at ConTech in 2026, where he also joined the ConTech and AI working groups. He had earlier joined the AI working group at the AI/ML Conference, and he took part in the August virtual session on AI and Equipment & Robotics.
Justin Schwaiger
Prefabrication Technology Leader
DPR Construction
Justin Schwaiger leads national technology strategy for industrialized construction and prefabrication at DPR Construction, a role he took on in 2025 after serving as general manager of the US at KOPE. Based in Denver, he has also been an industry mentor for Stanford University's graduate Global Teamwork program since 2012.
Justin and his DPR colleagues hosted the Offsite forum at DPR's fabrication shop, and he spoke at both the Chicago Global Summit and the Paris Global Summit. He also joined four working group sessions.
Rory Smith
Director, Business Development
EllisDon
Rory Smith is director of business development for EllisDon's technology division, bringing more than a decade of industry experience across projects, proposals, communications, and construction technology. He focuses on new initiatives such as EllisDon's ConTech Accelerator and Building Digital, its sector-specific technology consulting group, helping others in the industry accelerate their digital strategies.
Rory spoke at the Chicago Global Summit and also attended ConTech and the Buildings Conference, joining six working group sessions.
Antonia Soler-Blasco
VP of Marketing & Head of Hilti Venture
Hilti
Antonia Soler-Blasco is head of Hilti Venture where she leads Hilti's global investment strategy in construction technology, from sourcing and due diligence to supporting portfolio growth. She has spent more than a decade at Hilti in sales leadership, product management, and supply chain roles across Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Antonia holds three engineering degrees and completed Stanford's VC Unlocked program.
Antonia attended two BuiltWorlds events this year, Venture West and the Paris Global Summit, with Hilti and Fieldwire by Hilti, and she spoke at the Chicago Global Summit.
Aaron Toppston
Managing Partner
GS Futures
Aaron Toppston is managing partner of GS Futures' early-stage venture fund, which invests in technology for the built environment. The fund is backed by GS E&C, one of the largest contractors in the world and a member of South Korea's GS Group. He brings more than 15 years of experience across finance, construction, and insurance, with investment experience spanning technology venture, project finance, and M&A. Before GS Futures, Aaron worked at Navitas, a proptech venture fund, and at The Walsh Group, an ENR Top 20 contractor.
Aaron was one of the most frequent speakers in the BuiltWorlds network this year. He spoke at four events (the Tokyo Global Summit, Venture West, the Chicago Global Summit, and ConTech), attended Venture East as well, and joined three working group sessions.
Dylan VanAvery
Director of Innovation
Mortenson
Dylan VanAvery has spent more than 16 years at Mortenson. He joined in 2010 as a quality engineer, then moved up through senior quality manager and operating group director of lean. In 2021, he shifted into innovation as senior manager of innovation, and, in 2024, he became director of innovation, carrying a quality and lean background into his work.
Dylan led the Business Strategy working group at the Tokyo Global Summit in 2026. He also attended Venture West, where he joined the Venture & Investment and ConTech x Infra working groups.
Tyler Westfall
Senior Innovation Specialist
Rosendin
Tyler Westfall has spent nearly 10 years at Rosendin. Since 2024, he has worked as senior innovation specialist, providing technical and innovation leadership in support of the company’s strategic plan and serving as the link between Rosendin and the development teams it works with. His path to construction technology runs through six years in the US Army repairing chemical and quartermaster equipment, BIM modeling for mechanical and plumbing systems in the microprocessor industry.
Tyler is a contributor to BuiltWorlds' Benchmarking program. Along with his involvement with research, he attended the Offsite Conference in 2025 and returned for ConTech in 2026, where he joined the ConTech, AI, and Equipment & Robotics working groups. He also took part in the August virtual session on AI and Equipment & Robotics.
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