ACCEL-KS Profile: Covalent Construction Solutions
This profile is part of our series highlighting the recipients of the ACCEL-KS Proof-of-Concept grant, a partnership between the Kansas Department of Commerce and Groover Labs. ACCEL-KS provides up to $25,000 in grant funding to help Kansas innovators move their ideas from concept to commercialization. Over the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to each team and the problems they’re solving.
Up next? Eric Ross and Covalent Construction Solutions
Founder of Covalent Construction Solutions and ACCEL-KS grant recipient Eric Ross
Company name? Covalent Construction Solutions LLC
What gave you the idea for your product or startup?
This initial idea was kick-started by one of my existing clients asking if I'd ever consider creating a software so they could do their estimates like mine. However, this idea is the culmination of years in the industry seeking solutions and workflows to optimize the preconstruction process. In spite of all the tech available, estimating is still a highly manual process with the information being scattered and unstructured.
What makes your product stand out?
Our product is taking a bottom-up approach in the industry. We partner with trade contractors to understand their workflows and pain points to create solutions that are practical and impactful to their businesses. As we partner with more and more trades, we will work to create bridges between these partners and their suppliers and general contractors they work with.
What have you learned so far on your journey?
A good business is about people, not product. Not only is it people who work to create the product, but it is the people who use the product that must be getting value. Focusing product work on creating value for real people is critical.
How are the ACCEL-KS grant funds helping you reach the next stage of development?
The ACCEL-KS grant funds have helped us start work on a centralized cloud platform to provide a foundation for delivering our current services and allowing clients to utilize it for their own estimating workflows.
What kind of support do you need from the startup community?
Networking as well as mentoring on the technology/software side. My experience is in construction, so the technology piece is where I need outside support.
What is something interesting we should know about you or your project?
I don't like chocolate.
