Meet the Mavericks at the Americas Summit

BuiltWorlds' Mavericks List highlights 50 individuals who have acted as trendsetters, innovative thinkers, and catalysts of change in their respective fields. From architects and entrepreneurs to industry leaders, technologists to investors, and those developing both off-site fabrication and on-site robotics, we have identified boundary-pushers from leading companies around the world, and across the built environment's vast ecosystem.

At the conclusion of the 2023 Americas Summit, a special reception and dinner will be made available to celebrate and honor the 2023 Mavericks Winners.

            • The Mavericks Reception | 5pm-7pm

(Open to all Summit Attendees)

 

            • The Mavericks Dinner | 7pm -9pm

(RSVP Required)

Shelley Finnigan, a highly experienced professional with over 15 years of industry expertise in AEC, serves as a mentor for Northwestern University's MPM and EMDC students. Her knowledge in structural design, project management, marketing, and business development has resulted in significant advancements through collaborations with industry experts, trade groups, and academia.

Director of Innovation

Thai Nguyen is a highly influential figure in the built world, boasting over 20 years of experience within the industry. As the leader of the newly launched innovation arm of Hensel Phelps, Diverge, Nguyen is spearheading efforts to foster innovation by collaborating directly with startups in the industry.

Want to Learn About All 50 of the 2023 Mavericks Winners?

Joshua Engelbrecht is the CEO of ToolBelt and serves on its board of directors. He served as a 25 Uniform in the United States Army Reserve and graduated 10% of his military training. He then spent a decade in the construction industry as a general contractor. There he saw how the complexities of project management & sourcing quality labor can impact the industry. He is experienced in building marketplaces & bringing powerful software products to market.

Managing Partner

With over 15 years of experience in construction and financial services, Aaron Toppston has grown alongside the ever-evolving needs within the industry. As a Managing Partner of GS Futures, he is running GS Futures’ $70 million fund that is focused on early-stage real estate and contech. Previously, Aaron was a managing director at the Walsh Group, an ENR Top 15 contractor, where he led both P3 infrastructure development and analytics.

Are You An Innovative AEC Thought Leader?

headshot-Shaun-Carvalho

Shaun Carvalho

Chief Safety Officer

Carvalho’s an industry leader in leveraging technology to drive safety and is currently the Chief Safety Officer at Shawmut. Shawmut is a construction management firm that provides service for clients within the commercial, institutional, retail, and healthcare sectors. There is a rapid momentum for the company, with a projected $1.65 billion of awarded funds to grow their projects.

Headshot Adam Zobler

Adam Zobler

General Partner

Adam Zobler is the Founder/Partner of Foundamental Ventures, a firm investing in construction companies with innovative and promising futures. A current exciting project for Zobler is leading an early-stage EU AEC fund, which closed a $85M fund in Dec 2022. Foundamental is a global venture capital firm investing in construction, mining and renovation technology