British-U.S. Startup Secures €7.4 Million to Boost Growth of Innovative Real Estate Platform

Build Secures €7.4 Million in Seed Funding to Expand AI Infrastructure Teams

Build, a leading AI-native infrastructure company based in the UK and the US, has successfully raised €7.4 million ($8.5 million) in Seed funding. The funding will be used to enhance its engineering and infrastructure teams, accelerate research and development efforts, and strengthen its presence in North America and Europe.

The investment round was spearheaded by Index Ventures, with participation from Pebblebed, Puzzle Ventures, Tiny.vc, and several prominent angels, including Sarah Friar from OpenAI and John Stecher from Blackstone.

James Stirrat-Ellis, the co-founder and CEO of Build, expressed his vision for the company, stating that by removing operational burdens, they aim to help teams move faster, make better decisions, and deliver superior infrastructure.

Build’s Seed funding comes amidst a growing trend of investment in AI-enabled tools for real estate, construction, infrastructure inspection, and industrial engineering workflows in 2026.

The company’s innovative approach has garnered attention, with comparable funding rounds for other AI-driven companies like Scope, Orbital, Qflow, Davis, GoCanopy, ScyAI, conmeet, and SPREAD AI.

These investments collectively amount to approximately €104.5 million in funding for built-environment, real estate, construction, and industrial AI software, with Build’s funding contributing to a total of about €111.9 million.

UK-based companies, including Scope, Orbital, and Qflow, have prominently featured in this wave of funding rounds.

Martin Mignot, a partner at Index Ventures, commended Build for its focus on delivering tangible results in the AI landscape and noted the team’s exceptional capabilities in addressing critical infrastructure challenges.

The Vision and Mission of Build

Founded in 2024 by James Stirrat-Ellis and AI researcher Ben McClusky, Build was established to tackle the inefficiencies in infrastructure development processes. By automating complex workflows, the company aims to significantly reduce project timelines and enhance decision-making for its clients.

Build’s AI systems analyze data from over 1,600 sources and have already been deployed in more than 100 projects across 15 countries. The platform’s capabilities span site sourcing, technical due diligence, power assessment, and early design, offering a comprehensive solution for infrastructure development.

The company’s unique approach involves parallel analysis of planning, environmental, power, and political constraints, enabling clients to identify risks early and prioritize opportunities effectively.

Build leverages a combination of AI expertise and industry knowledge from leading firms, such as Blackstone, Tishman Speyer, and JP Morgan, to deliver innovative solutions for infrastructure challenges.

Ophelia Cai, a partner at Tiny.vc, highlighted Build’s ambitious vision and rapid execution in transforming real-world work processes. The company’s focus on automating critical project delivery sets it apart in the AI infrastructure space.

The Road Ahead for Build

Build’s long-term goal is to automate the entire development lifecycle, from site selection to asset management, creating a new paradigm known as “agentic real estate.” By revolutionizing how critical projects are delivered, the company aims to address the increasing demand for AI-driven infrastructure solutions globally.