How three IDF veterans are fixing construction’s biggest problem

Buildots was built the way entrepreneurs are always advised to build: start with the problem, not the solution. That principle is often cited as a cure for one of the startup world’s chronic illnesses—falling in love with a flashy idea that solves a problem no one actually feels. The founders of Buildots, ranked number three in Calcalist’s top 50 most promising Israeli startups of 2025, picked a problem that is all too real: delays in construction projects.

See the full Top 50 Most Promising Startups 2025 list here

Most of us know the pain from the buyer’s side in residential real estate. But in commercial construction, the consequences of delays can be even more expensive. Buildots co-founders Roy Danon, Yakir Sudry, and Aviv Leibovici first met through Israel’s elite Talpiot military program and remained close throughout their years in tech units. Each year, they’d go skiing and talk about the startup they would one day launch. After a decade in uniform, they sat down and finally did it.

Buildots founders.

Their shared goal? Not another cybersecurity company, but something with the potential to radically transform a traditional, underserved industry. Construction stood out—partly due to personal connections, but mostly due to the enormous, visible inefficiencies. Over the next year, they met with hundreds of professionals to understand the sector’s deepest pain points.

Eventually, a theme emerged: everyone talked about delays, but no one could identify exactly why they were happening. Every site had its own causes. The system they needed to build, it turned out, would have to be just as complex.

From that research, the Buildots team uncovered several key data points that are consistent across construction projects, big or small:

• 62% of tasks are completed later than planned
• 52% of delays are within the control of the project team
• A common bottleneck? Professionals not completing work on a floor, stalling the next set of workers.

From this insight, the team realized: within six weeks of a project entering its final stages, they could often predict whether it would be delayed.

The Buildots solution is deceptively simple.

It begins with a GoPro-like 360-degree camera attached to the helmet of a site manager. Each time the manager visits the site—several times a week—the footage is uploaded and analyzed by Buildots' AI platform. The system compares actual progress to plans, detects discrepancies, flags delays, and suggests how to course-correct. The alerts cover everything from missing drywall to late installations. The goal is to spot bottlenecks early, before they cascade into larger delays.

Buildots claims that its system can cut project delays by 50% and reduce timelines by an average of three months. That adds up to serious savings. In one case study, a European project saved over €1 million. The company has raised over $120 million from investors including Intel—who use the technology in chip factory construction—and Israeli construction firm Tidhar, which uses the platform on its local projects.

One surprising tailwind? The global data center boom.

As tech giants race to expand infrastructure for AI applications, they’re pouring money into massive new data centers. These projects demand speed, accuracy, and flawless coordination—making them ideal Buildots customers. These companies also tend to be more tech-savvy and more willing to adopt digital platforms, unlike traditional construction firms that often resist change.

Chip factory and power plant construction is also booming in the U.S. and Europe, thanks to new government incentive programs. That means more demand, more projects, and more growth for Buildots, which now works with over 50 construction firms worldwide.

Still, adoption remains a challenge.

Convincing traditional builders to trust and rely on new tools isn't easy. Many of Buildots’ competitors have already exited the market, unable to gain traction. That’s why Buildots hires salespeople from the construction world—not just tech backgrounds—who can “translate” the platform’s value in real-world terms.

Can Buildots eliminate construction delays entirely? Not yet. But the company is building a massive database from past projects that it hopes will help teams forecast project timelines with more accuracy than ever before. The result is less guesswork, fewer delays—and, maybe someday, a construction industry that runs on schedule.

Company ID
Sector: Construction process management
Established: 2018
Founders: Roy Danon, Aviv Leibovici and Yakir Sudry
Employees: 200, 150 of them in Israel
Funding: $121 million from TLV Partners, Lightspeed, Intel Capital, Maor, O.G. Venture Partners, Viola Ventures, Tidhar, Avigdor Wilenz, Ziv Aviram