HoloBuilder

HoloBuilder, Inc. provides a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform for construction progress management, enabling stakeholders to document and communicate job site progress using 360° photo capture. The company was established in 2016 by Mostafa Akbari-Hochberg, Simon Heinen, and Kristina Tenhaft as a German-American startup with operations in both San Francisco, California, and Aachen, Germany. The founding team emerged from bitstars GmbH, a spin-off from RWTH Aachen University, and transitioned to the U.S. market through the "German Accelerator" program. Akbari-Hochberg, with a background in computer science, psychology, and a focus on AR/VR, served as the founding CEO. Heinen, the CTO, and Tenhaft, the COO, both have backgrounds in computer science from RWTH Aachen.

The company's core business revolves around providing a photogrammetry-based 3D platform that allows general contractors, engineering firms, and property owners to virtually capture, document, and manage construction progress. This is achieved through its flagship product, also named HoloBuilder, and the accompanying JobWalk mobile app. Field teams use off-the-shelf 360° cameras connected to the app to capture images of a job site as they walk through it. These images are then automatically organized and mapped onto project floor plans, creating an interactive virtual tour accessible via a web browser. This digital record allows for remote site access, reducing the need for travel and facilitating collaboration among distributed teams. The business model is subscription-based, generating recurring revenue from its enterprise clients.

The platform offers several key features, including "Time Travel," which allows users to view the progress of a specific location over time, and "SplitScreen," for comparing current site conditions with past photos or 3D BIM models. It supports integrations with design software like AutoCAD and enables real-time collaboration with an unlimited number of users. HoloBuilder's solution aims to reduce rework, improve quality control, and mitigate legal risks by providing a comprehensive, time-stamped visual record of construction activities. In June 2021, HoloBuilder was acquired by FARO Technologies for $34 million, a move intended to create an end-to-end digital twin solution by combining HoloBuilder's photo documentation capabilities with FARO's 3D laser scanning technology. At the time of the acquisition, HoloBuilder reported $4.0 million in annual recurring revenue.

Keywords: construction technology, progress management, 360-degree photo documentation, digital twin, reality capture, SaaS, AEC, virtual site access, JobWalk app, construction documentation, remote project management, photogrammetry, building information modeling (BIM), site monitoring, as-built documentation, facility management, QA/QC, dispute resolution, project collaboration, FARO Technologies