No surprise here: the tech sector is undergoing an unprecedented transformation, with venture capital playing a major role in driving it. In construction tech, the shear majority of VC dollars go toward tools built for general contractors (GCs). In 2018 alone, U.S. construction tech startups raised around $3.1 billion, most of it focused on project management and operational efficiency for builders (Built | The Bluebeam Blog). This trend reveals a clear gap: tools for architects and the design phase are being left behind. Even in my own conversations with VCs, the question often comes up: “Why not sell it to contractors?” And look, I get it—willingness to pay is always a concern. But here’s why we haven’t budged on our vision.

The rise of AI in architecture brings both promise and real concern. Tools like generative design software allow us to explore more options, faster than ever. But many professionals I speak with worry that these tools risk replacing the creative process, not enhancing it. When AI starts making design decisions for us, we lose the human touch that makes architecture meaningful. What we need are tools that give us more time to design, not ones that try to design in our place. And I firmly believe firms are willing to pay for that if the value to their workflows and operations is crystal clear.

Architects bring a wide range of transferable skills: problem-solving, spatial thinking, systems coordination, and managing just general complexity. In the startup world, these skills are also crucial. The more architects we have building technology, the better our chances of creating tools that scale effectively, solve real-world problems, and put people first. But we need more than just architects building startups AND we need them sitting on the other side of the table too. Architects in venture capital can play a critical role in recognizing design-led innovation, evaluating built environment tech, and backing founders who understand the nuances of how our world is shaped.

Architecture is more than just getting buildings built. It’s art. It’s storytelling. It’s how we express culture, identity, and care through space. To quote one of my favorite films, Dead Poets Society:

“Sucking the marrow out of life doesn’t mean choking on the bone. Medicine, law, business, engineering—these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love—these are what we stay alive for.”

I believe architecture belongs in that second group. If we want a future where the built environment inspires us, not just functions, we need more architects building the tools of tomorrow, funding the ideas that matter, and leading the way in tech. Architects should be shaping the future of technology, not sidelined by it.