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§ Venture Capital · San Francisco, CA, USA
Early-stage venture capital fund investing in software & hardware for architecture, engineering, construction, facilities management.
Brick & Mortar Ventures is a San Francisco-based early-stage venture capital firm that invests in software and hardware solutions for the architecture, engineering, construction, and facilities management sectors. Operating with a dedicated team of five professionals, the firm provides institutional capital to emerging technology startups focused on modernizing the traditional built environment. In 2020, the organization successfully closed its first institutional vehicle, Fund I, securing $97 million in capital commitments from a diverse combination of limited partners and corporate strategic investors. The firm's investment portfolio features prominent industry entities such as BuildingConnected, FieldWire, Levelset, and PlanGrid, the latter of which was notably acquired by Autodesk for $875 million in November 2018. Brick & Mortar Ventures was originally founded in 2012 by managing director Darren Bechtel to invest his personal capital into early construction technology.
Key people at Brick & Mortar Ventures.
Key people at Brick & Mortar Ventures.
Brick & Mortar Ventures is a venture capital firm dedicated to investing in early-stage companies that develop innovative software and hardware solutions for the architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), and facilities management industries. Their mission is to help transform the built environment by backing startups that improve project delivery, efficiency, and safety through technology. With a hyper-focused investment philosophy, they prioritize scalable solutions that address critical inefficiencies and safety challenges in these sectors, actively partnering with portfolio companies to foster growth and innovation[1][2][3].
Founded in 2014 (or 2015, with slight variation in sources) and headquartered in California, Brick & Mortar Ventures was established by Darren Bechtel, who brings over a decade of venture investing experience combined with engineering and operational leadership in AEC and medical device industries. The firm’s founding was driven by recognizing vast opportunities for innovation in the traditionally slow-to-evolve built world sectors. Key partners include Darren Bechtel, Austin Allred, and Aditya Kumar, who contribute expertise spanning investment banking, product management, and construction technology globally[1][2][3].
Brick & Mortar Ventures rides the growing trend of digital transformation in the built environment, a sector historically underserved by venture capital. The timing is critical as construction and facilities management industries face increasing pressure to improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability through technology adoption. Market forces such as labor shortages, rising material costs, and regulatory demands create strong incentives for innovation. By focusing on this niche, Brick & Mortar Ventures influences the broader ecosystem by accelerating the adoption of cloud collaboration, workforce telematics, autonomous equipment, and reality capture technologies, thereby helping to modernize one of the largest global economic sectors[1][2].
Looking ahead, Brick & Mortar Ventures is well-positioned to capitalize on the continued digitization and automation of the built environment. Trends such as AI-driven project management, robotics, and sustainable construction practices will likely shape their investment focus. Their influence is expected to grow as they deepen their industry expertise and expand their portfolio globally, particularly in emerging markets. The firm’s commitment to hands-on support and strategic partnerships will remain key to driving meaningful disruption in architecture, engineering, construction, and facilities management, helping the world build better and smarter[1][2][3].
Brick & Mortar Ventures has more than 26 tracked investments across 21 companies. The latest tracked deal is $8.0M Series A in Downstream in November 2025.
