From Carpenter to Entrepreneur: How Sarah Buchner's AI Construction Startup Raised $20 Million at 12 Years Old

Streamlining Construction Documentation: The Solution from Trunk Tools

Construction companies wrestle with an overwhelming amount of documentation, making effective processing and management challenging. A recent survey indicates that one in three construction professionals struggle to access necessary documents to complete projects, and one in four have experienced delays due to inaccurate paperwork.

Sarah Buchner, a former carpenter turned entrepreneur, understands these challenges deeply. She founded Trunk Tools, a startup dedicated to automating the organization of unstructured construction documentation.

“I grew up in a low-income environment in a small village in Austria and began my apprenticeship as a carpenter at just 12 years old,” Buchner explained. “After years in carpentry, I transitioned to the general contracting side and ascended from superintendent to project manager to group leader. My Ph.D. research illuminated how I could make a larger impact in my field by developing innovative construction technology, motivating me to relocate to Silicon Valley to pursue my MBA at Stanford.”

Trunk Tools offers a platform capable of handling various file types, including PDFs, spreadsheets, blueprints, and tables. Its unique chatbot-like interface allows users to ask questions about their documents, such as “What type of power outlets are in the art studio?” The platform also connects scheduled construction activities with relevant documentation, identifying potential project issues while offering valuable insights.

“Traditional construction software, such as Procore, focuses on documenting workflows and storing data in predetermined formats,” Buchner noted. “In contrast, we’re pioneering a new approach, leveraging Q&A features and AI to allow construction teams to engage with their information in natural language.”

For instance, one client’s $500 million high-rise condo project in NYC contained an astonishing 3.6 million pages of documentation. Given the arduous task of sifting through such a massive volume of paperwork, it’s no wonder construction professionals often dread administrative tasks.

A survey by Dodge Data and Viewpoint, a construction accounting software provider, revealed that only 28% of contractors were comfortable with paper processes, while just 47% were content with spreadsheets. In fact, 79% of respondents expressed readiness to embrace advanced construction management tools.

“If printed and stacked, those 3.6 million pages would reach three times the height of the building itself,” Buchner explained. “It would take an individual 50 years to read through, yet Trunk Tools can structure and analyze this data in mere seconds.”

Operating within a construction software market projected to reach $7.5 billion by 2032, Trunk Tools competes with companies like Briq, which automates construction financial processes using AI, Join, a decision-making platform, and PlanRadar, which digitizes construction and real estate documentation.

Despite the competition, Trunk Tools maintains a solid position, boasting a growing roster of construction industry clients and thousands of users. Buchner mentions that the company is targeting a fourfold revenue to burn rate ratio.

Recently, Trunk Tools secured a $20 million Series A funding round led by Redpoint, bringing its total funding to $30 million. This new capital will help expand its 30-person team based in New York and support the development of innovative services, including Trunk’s recently launched construction worker incentive program.

“Until now, construction technology has primarily focused on digitization—merely transferring what once was on paper to computers,” Buchner stated. “Delays and the need for rework can severely impact the already thin profit margins of construction projects, and Trunk Tools aims to remedy these issues.”