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§ Private Profile · Menlo Park, CA, USA
Construction technology startup offering project management, prefabricated components, and off-site manufacturing, focused on vertical integration.
Katerra was a technology-driven construction startup that aimed to vertically integrate the industry as a one-stop-shop for project management, prefabricated building components, and off-site manufacturing. It sought to disrupt the $12T construction sector using modern technology, off-site factories for components, and proprietary software to cut costs and time. Katerra raised over $2 billion across 12 funding rounds from 16 investors, notably including SoftBank Vision Fund. At its peak, the organization employed 7,500-8,000 individuals in 2020, with Paal Kibsgaard later serving as CEO. Despite significant investment, Katerra faced substantial financial challenges, eventually filing for bankruptcy in June 2021. It was founded in 2015 by Michael Marks, Fritz Wolff, and Jim Davidson. Its business model centers on raised venture capital to fund rapid scaling, vertical integration including factories and acquisitions, with plans for revenue from integrated construction services and prefabricated products, lacked clear profitability path.
Katerra has raised $1.2B across 3 funding rounds.
Key people at Katerra.
Katerra was founded in 2015 by Fritz H. Wolff (Co-Founder) and Michael Marks (Co-Founder & CEO) and Jim Davidson (Co-Founder).
Katerra has raised $1.2B in total across 3 funding rounds.
Key people at Katerra.
Katerra was founded in 2015 by Fritz H. Wolff (Co-Founder) and Michael Marks (Co-Founder & CEO) and Jim Davidson (Co-Founder).
Katerra has raised $1.2B in total across 3 funding rounds.
Katerra's investors include SoftBank, SoftBank Investment Advisers, DFJ Growth, DivcoWest, Foxconn, Greenoaks Capital, Khosla Ventures, Navitas Capital, Tavistock Group.
Katerra has raised $1.2B across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $200.0M Other Equity in December 2020.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 31, 2020 | $200M Venture Round | Softbank | — | Announced |
| Jan 24, 2018 | $865M Series D | SoftBank Investment Advisers | DFJ Growth, DivcoWest, Foxconn, Greenoaks Capital, Khosla Ventures, Navitas Capital, Tavistock Group | Announced |
| Apr 14, 2017 | $130M Series C | — | — | Announced |
Katerra originated as a U.S.-based construction technology company founded in 2015, focused on revolutionizing the multi-trillion-dollar industry through vertical integration, prefabricated components, off-site manufacturing, and technology to optimize building design, materials supply, and construction for faster, cheaper, and higher-quality projects, primarily targeting multi-family housing.[3][4][5][7] The original company faced rapid growth challenges, leading to its collapse amid overexpansion and high costs, but its brand has been revived regionally: Katerra KSA in Saudi Arabia (acquired in May 2023 by Alcazar Capital and ACC) now specializes in precast and modular construction for residential housing, aiming to lead the KSA housing sector by 2030 with sustainable, efficient solutions; meanwhile, American Katerra operates as a steel fabrication provider emphasizing advanced tech and sustainability.[1][2][6]
These entities serve housing developers, contractors, and clients in residential sectors, solving chronic issues like waste, delays, high costs, and carbon footprints through integrated processes, innovative materials (e.g., precast panels, volumetric pods, mass timber), and off-site assembly for enhanced productivity and affordability.[1][2][3]
The original Katerra was founded in 2015 in Silicon Valley, California, by Michael Marks, former CEO of Flextronics and interim Tesla CEO, who assembled an "A-list" leadership team from architecture, construction, engineering, manufacturing, and tech to pioneer a vertically integrated model inspired by tech-sector scalability.[3][5] The idea emerged from observing construction's inefficiencies—slow, wasteful, expensive—and applying manufacturing techniques like off-site prefab walls (including windows), mass timber products, and full bills of materials; early traction included a $835 million SoftBank investment in 2018 and 700+ projects underway, but aggressive scaling led to failure by prioritizing speed over viability.[3][5]
Post-collapse, Katerra KSA was acquired in May 2023 by a consortium of Alcazar Capital (asset manager) and ACC (contractor), transforming it into a Saudi-focused entity under CEO Marwan Hage Ali, a 20+ year ACC veteran with $3B+ project experience across sectors like housing and energy; it builds on the original vision with local innovation in precast/modular tech for KSA's housing boom.[1][2] American Katerra represents another U.S. revival as a steel-focused fabricator.[6]
Katerra rides the global trend of construction tech (ConTech), applying Silicon Valley's vertical integration and prefab models to a fragmented, low-margin industry plagued by labor shortages, regulatory hurdles, and environmental pressures—exemplified by mass timber for carbon reduction and modular builds for housing crises.[3][5][8] Timing aligns with post-pandemic supply chain disruptions and Saudi Vision 2030's housing push, where KSA's revival capitalizes on government-backed demand for efficient, sustainable builds amid rapid urbanization.[1][2]
Market forces like rising material costs and ESG mandates favor its waste-reducing, scalable approach, influencing the ecosystem by normalizing off-site manufacturing (echoing shipping container standardization) and challenging traditional stakeholders, though original pitfalls highlight risks of tech-speed imposition on conservative sectors.[5] Revivals like KSA extend this to emerging markets, potentially accelerating adoption in MENA.
Katerra's legacy pivots from U.S. cautionary tale of overambitious scaling to viable regional players: Katerra KSA eyes dominance in Saudi housing via production ramps and innovative materials, fueled by strong backing and Vision 2030 tailwinds, while American Katerra advances steel tech sustainability.[1][2][6] Trends like AI-optimized supply chains, green building regs, and prefab standardization will shape growth, evolving its influence toward hybrid models blending tech agility with industry realities—potentially redefining efficiency without the "too much too fast" hubris.[5][8] Watch for KSA milestones like 2025-2027 capacity goals as bellwethers for ConTech's measured resurgence.[2]
