Cascade, an AI platform that predicts construction projects before they become public, has raised $3.5 million in a seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz Speedrun. Founded by former Google operators Hannia Zia and Joana Ferreira, the company is changing how architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms discover and win new business. The funding will fuel the expansion of its predictive technology.
A Proactive Approach to Project Discovery
The platform addresses a major industry challenge where firms often miss opportunities that are decided long before a formal bid. Cascade's AI continuously analyzes public data sources like bond filings, permits, and property transactions to identify projects in their earliest stages. This gives clients a crucial head start, shifting them from a reactive to a proactive business development model.
"Every firm we work with can point to a project they should have won but never even had a chance to see," said Hannia Zia, co-founder and CEO of Cascade. "Cascade is built around the bottom line: find the right work early, understand where you have a real advantage, and turn that into revenue delivered." This focus directly addresses the financial pain points of AEC firms.
Demonstrated Impact and Client Success
Despite its early stage, Cascade has gained significant traction, signing customers whose work includes major infrastructure like JFK and LaGuardia airports. The platform has already identified over $10 billion in project opportunities, demonstrating its capability to operate at scale. This rapid adoption by industry leaders validates the urgent need for such a solution in the market.
Client testimonials underscore the platform's value. Tim Johannesson, Principal at architecture firm Smallwood, credited Cascade with helping win a $6 million project he would have otherwise missed. Alan Ruth, CEO of S.A. Casey Construction, added that the platform improves efficiency and that a single successful project can deliver a return that exceeds the cost for years.
Expert Leadership and Investor Confidence
The company is helmed by CEO Hannia Zia and CTO Joana Ferreira, who met while working at UnlikelyAI, the startup from Amazon Alexa's inventor. Both are former Google operators, with Ferreira drawing an analogy for their work: "Hedge funds look at a crazy amount of data to predict stock movements. We use the same logic to predict construction projects."
This combination of deep AI expertise and a clear market focus has attracted top investors. "Construction is one of the largest markets in the world, and the way firms find and win work has barely changed in decades," said Marcus Segal of Andreessen Horowitz Speedrun. Other investors, including Ada Ventures and Blitzscaling Ventures, also expressed strong confidence in the team and the platform's growth potential.
Future Growth and Industry Vision
With the new capital, Cascade plans to accelerate adoption and deepen its network across the industry. The company's model is designed to create powerful network effects, as each new customer enhances the platform's data and partnership capabilities. This strategy aims to make Cascade an indispensable tool for collaboration and project discovery throughout the United States.
Cascade's long-term vision extends beyond project discovery to encompass the entire construction lifecycle, from the first signal of a project to its final delivery. By building a predictive engine for the AEC industry, the company aims to fundamentally reshape how the built world is planned, pursued, and ultimately constructed. This ambition positions Cascade as a key innovator in a critical global sector.