Cascade, a burgeoning startup focused on modernizing the business development process for architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms, has successfully closed a $3.5 million seed funding round. The investment was led by Andreessen Horowitz Speedrun, with additional participation from Ada Ventures and Snowball VC. The company plans to utilize the new capital to accelerate its go-to-market strategy, expand its engineering team, and host industry-focused events.

Founded in 2025 by Hannia Zia and Joana Ferreira, Cascade addresses the fragmented and labor-intensive nature of securing construction contracts. Historically, firms have been forced to manually monitor hundreds of disparate government and private portals to identify relevant opportunities. Zia and Ferreira developed the platform after observing the systemic challenges small and medium-sized construction businesses face in maintaining a consistent pipeline of work, often due to a lack of centralized access to project data.

The platform leverages artificial intelligence to aggregate data from federal, state, and local agencies, as well as private sector contracts. By analyzing historical tender data and project signals, Cascade provides its users with predictive insights, identifying which developers are most likely to win specific grants or contracts. This allows AEC firms to proactively target partnerships and sub-contracting opportunities rather than relying on reactive bidding.

Since participating in the a16z Speedrun program, Cascade has already secured contracts with major firms responsible for high-profile infrastructure projects, including data centers and international airport terminals. As the platform continues to ingest feedback from successful bids, its AI models are designed to become increasingly accurate, aiming to provide a comprehensive, real-time map of the construction industry landscape.

Key Takeaways

• Cascade raised $3.5 million in seed funding to help construction firms identify and secure project bids.
• The platform uses AI to aggregate data from thousands of government and private portals to predict project winners.
• The startup has already gained traction with major firms involved in airport and data center construction.

Editor’s Analysis & Impact

The construction industry has long been characterized by extreme fragmentation and manual, paper-heavy bidding processes. Cascade’s entry into this space represents a significant shift toward ‘AI-native’ business development. By moving beyond simple lead aggregation and into predictive analytics, the company is addressing a major pain point: the high cost of customer acquisition in the AEC sector. If successful, Cascade could fundamentally change how firms allocate their sales resources. However, the company faces stiff competition from established incumbents like ConstructConnect. Its long-term success will depend on its ability to maintain data accuracy across thousands of jurisdictions and prove that its predictive models offer a tangible return on investment compared to traditional bidding tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does Cascade help construction firms win more projects?
A: Cascade uses AI to monitor thousands of public and private project portals, identifying upcoming opportunities and predicting which developers are most likely to win, allowing firms to form strategic partnerships early.

Q: What will Cascade do with the $3.5 million in funding?
A: The company intends to use the capital to scale its engineering team, host industry events, and accelerate its go-to-market efforts.