Bobyard Raises $35 Million Series A to Power How the World Gets Built

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bobyard, the AI platform transforming how contractors perform construction takeoffs and estimates, today announced a $35 million Series A led by 8VC, with participation from Pear VC, Primary Venture Partners, Tishman Speyer, RXR, Caffeinated Capital, and Merrick Ventures.

Bobyard’s proprietary computer-vision technology automates up to 70 percent of the quantity and material takeoff process, the most time-consuming step in preconstruction. The platform enables contractors to prepare accurate bids in minutes instead of hours. Takeoffs form the foundation of preconstruction, and Bobyard’s trade-specific models interpret blueprints the way seasoned estimators do — turning static drawings into structured data that improves speed, accuracy, and competitiveness.

Starting with landscaping, one of the most complex and overlooked trades, Bobyard has quickly become the platform of choice for leading commercial contractors across the United States. Contractors report an average 65% reduction in takeoff times, 3–5x more bids submitted per estimator, and more consistent, accurate takeoffs that directly improve win rates and margins.

Chopper Landscaping is one of many firms experiencing this transformation firsthand. The company used Bobyard to win its first commercial projects, unlocking roughly $350,000 in new work they “couldn’t have got without Bobyard’s help.” Project manager and estimator John Barrett shared that Bobyard has cut his takeoff time “at least in half, if not more,” while enabling his team to bid faster and more confidently. As Barrett puts it: “This is the way to go. This is literally the future of estimating in landscaping and it’s time to get on board.”

With this funding, Bobyard will continue advancing its AI models and product capabilities in landscaping while expanding into additional trades including drywall, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and framing.

Founded by Michael Ding, a Stanford-trained engineer and award-winning mathematician, Bobyard is redefining how construction data is created and used. The company’s team brings together computer vision engineers and operators from institutions such as Stanford, Princeton, Berkeley, and Virginia Tech. Together, they are building the next generation of applied AI for one of the world’s largest and most essential industries.

“We’re solving some of the hardest problems in computer vision by teaching machines to understand blueprints,” said Michael Ding, founder and CEO of Bobyard. “It’s an opportunity to push the boundaries of AI in a field that directly shapes the built environment.”

Headquartered in San Francisco, Bobyard is expanding its engineering and go-to-market teams to accelerate product development and support growth across new trades.

About Bobyard

Bobyard is the AI platform powering how the world gets built. Founded in 2023, Bobyard automates the most time-consuming parts of construction estimating with trade-specific computer-vision models, helping contractors bid faster, win more work, and grow profitably.