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Hi there,
Three things this week that all point the same direction: the money, the craft, and the cost of the tools are all moving away from the old single-vendor centre of gravity and towards tech stacks.
Here are the three posts that got the most reaction, then five new tools and the role worth noticing.
Let's get into it. 👇
What Sparked the Most Discussion This Week
Every image at Drawing of the Year last night had one thing in common: None of them came from a single tool. Why?
Ten ConTech startups just raised $175m+ this week.
I think that architects don't need SketchUp. Here's my 10-tool AI stack for early stage feasibility stage.
Free Resource
Is your practice technology ready?
Not sure where to start? Start here. The free "Is your practice technology ready?" guide gives you an honest read on where your practice stands - the gaps, the quick wins, and the questions worth asking before you spend a penny on new tools. It's the same thinking behind the Blueprint above, in a form you can run yourself.
What's inside:
- The four phases of a connected technology strategy
- The six things most practices haven't addressed but should
- A self-assessment with a scoring guide and recommended next steps
- Five questions to ask before any technology decision
Built for Practice Directors, Managing Directors, Digital Design Leads and Studio Principals.
Download here: 260615-Is your practice technology Ready?
New this week in the ConTech database
Each week I will continue to share new software added to the ADDD Database and specific categories of software to help you find the right solutions and stay up to date on what is emerging out there. See example from last month:
5 New BIM Tools that save time
Nexar Docs
Documentation, automated. Eliminate hours of repetitive Revit tasks. From intelligent dimensioning and tagging to complete sheet automation and model health reporting. Nexar Docs | Revit Automation Plugin for BIM Documentation
Wayki
Your projects don't need more information, they need connected information. Wayki connects BIM models, RFIs, schedules, documents, and reports in an intelligent ecosystem for AEC projects. Wayki — Common Data Environment for AEC
FunctionizeBIM
When Code Automates, Excellence Scales It. Stop solving modern challenges with legacy manual processes. functionizeBIM brings a digital-first mindset to AEC production. We integrate specialized AI agents and custom automations into your workflow, allowing you to bypass repetitive tasks and focus on high-impact delivery.. functionizeBIM | Practical Automation
DesignBuildAI
Most powerful BIM design platform for AEC. Generate construction ready LOD 300 models in minutes with AI-powered BIM, auto clash detection, and real-time collaboration. DesignBuildAI - AI Powered Cloud Based BIM Platform for AEC
Conduit
Automate the BIM workflows your team does manually. Build and deploy custom Revit add-ins and ACC apps — without writing code. Conduit — Build Revit Add-ins & ACC Apps Without Code
Videos Update
From the AEC Tech Futures Channel
One Role Worth Noticing This Week
“In this role, your day-to-day will involve close collaboration with our team of geometry experts. You'll be diving deep into fascinating technical challenges, working together to translate those challenges into elegant software solutions. This means you'll be designing and developing robust C# libraries that tackle complex problems, often involving algorithms, data structures, and creative problem-solving. You'll be a key bridge between the worlds of geometry and computer science, ensuring our software effectively addresses the needs of our computational design applications. Some days might involve brainstorming new approaches to a problem, while others might focus on writing and optimizing code, reviewing code with colleagues, or researching new technologies.”
→ View role: Here
See all roles here: www.aectechjobs.com/search
What this issue means for you
This week I shared three posts with one pattern: the centre of gravity in design technology is shifting from single tools to connected stacks. Drawing of the Year showed it in the craft - the standout images came from pipelines, not one application. The $175m+ raised in a single week shows it in the money - capital is backing the tools that will sit in your workflow in eighteen months. And the 10-tool AI stack for feasibility shows it in the cost and the capability - you can now replace a fixture like SketchUp with something that does more, for less. The five tools added this week point the same way: automation and AI-native design, not another monolith.
The takeaway isn't "buy ten tools tomorrow." It's to look honestly at where your practice still leans on a single tool - for output, for cost, or for the skill of your people - and ask whether a connected stack would serve you better. If you want a structured way to answer that, start with the free "Is your practice technology ready?" guide above. It tells you which of this week's shifts is worth your attention first.
Get in touch - reply to this email or book a call: 30 min with Allister Lewis
Thanks for reading!
Allister
Take is easy this week..
