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Procore has become a global construction technology company whose services range from BIM and bid management, to project execution tools, workforce management, financial management, and analytics (Photo: AdobeStock)

A carpenter鈥檚 vision

Tooey Courtemanche鈥檚 roots in construction run deep. Unlike many tech leaders who approach the industry from the outside, his career began with hands-on work.

鈥淢y first job was sweeping sawdust in a cabinetry shop in the 8th grade [13/14 years old], and I went on to become a journeyman carpenter before moving into real estate development and eventually technology,鈥� he recalls.

Courtemanche says that the experience gave him a deep admiration for builders and an understanding of their needs. He saw a major disconnect between construction professionals and the technology available to them.

鈥淭oo many companies have tried to sell to construction without truly understanding it,鈥� he says. 鈥淩epurposing tech from other industries and assuming builders were laggards. But that couldn鈥檛 be farther from the truth.鈥�

He says that he witnessed firsthand how project managers used Excel in ways that rivalled top financial analysts. The problem, he realised, wasn鈥檛 that construction was behind but rather that the technology available to them wasn鈥檛 good enough.

Courtemanche says that this realisation became the foundation of Procore. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I set out to build technology that鈥檚 truly worthy of the construction industry. From day one, Procore has been built around partnership 鈥� putting our customers at the centre of everything we do and being more than just a software vendor.鈥�

Procore has become a global construction technology company whose services range from BIM and bid management, to project execution tools, workforce management, financial management, and analytics. His vision, shaped by firsthand industry experience, has driven its success by focusing exclusively on solving construction鈥檚 unique challenges. Now Procore approaches a pivotal moment, as Courtemanche has announced plans to recruit his successor as CEO, in advance of taking on the role of executive chairman.

A relentless focus on construction

Courtemanche attributes Procore鈥檚 growth and success under his leadership to an exclusive focus on the construction sector. 鈥淧rocore doesn鈥檛 build drones or accounting software, but we鈥檒l make sure our customers can seamlessly connect with the best tools out there,鈥� he explains.

By listening to customers and solving real problems, it has built an open platform that brings together the solutions for construction, he contends.

鈥淭his industry runs on trust, and we鈥檝e earned ours by staying relentlessly focused on what matters most: our customers, their challenges, and delivering real value every step of the way.鈥�

This commitment extends to Procore鈥檚 global expansion strategy. Rather than rushing into new markets, the company says that it takes the time to deeply understand the local industry.

Procore Agent Studio (Photo: Procore)

Procore Copilot (Photo: Procore)

鈥淲hen we expand into new regions, we take the time to truly understand the market, build strong local teams, and embed ourselves in the industry. We listen, learn, and ensure we鈥檙e delivering real value before scaling further.鈥�

What the future holds

Looking ahead, Courtemanche believes that artificial intelligence (AI) will be one of the most transformative forces in construction.

鈥淎I has the potential to transform every industry, but construction is uniquely poised to benefit in a way we鈥檝e never seen before.鈥�

Construction generates vast amounts of data, yet much of it has historically gone underutilised. By leveraging AI, Procore hopes to unlock efficiencies, reduce risk, and help teams make smarter decisions.

In November last year at its Groundbreak event, Procore announced that it was making Procore Copilot available globally. The tool allows users to quickly access, key documents, summarise complex information, and provide data-driven insights.

It also introduced Procore Agents, which uses AI to streamline complex tasks like managing requests for information (RFIs), scheduling, and submittals. Later this year will see the arrival of Agent Studio, which will let users customise these tools to meet their unique project needs without any coding.

鈥淲ith AI, the industry is shifting to the offense, using technology to be more proactive, data-driven, and solve problems before they arise.鈥�

The proactive approach to AI is already taking shape in Procore鈥檚 platform. 鈥淧rocore Copilot is already helping construction teams surface critical project information in seconds,鈥� says Courtemanche. 鈥淪oon, Agents and Agent Studio will proactively suggest next steps and automated workflows, exactly when they鈥檙e needed.鈥�

Tooey Courtemanche, CEO of Procore (Photo: Procore)

Courtemanche envisions AI evolving to become a seamless part of the construction process and believes that a future where AI doesn鈥檛 just assist in construction but also enhances and amplifies the way work gets done is coming. That would make projects safer, more predictable, and more profitable, he says.

Advice to tech entrepreneurs in construction

Reflecting on his journey, Courtemanche shares advice for aspiring tech entrepreneurs looking to make an impact in the construction industry.

鈥淚 talk to aspiring entrepreneurs all the time, and too often, I see people driven by the idea of being an entrepreneur rather than by a problem they鈥檙e deeply invested in solving.鈥�

For him, success has come from an obsession with solving real problems. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 kept me going for over 20 years is a genuine love for construction and a relentless drive to solve the challenges it faces. My friends joke that I鈥檓 like a dog on a bone 鈥� completely obsessed.鈥�

Courtemanche emphasises the importance of engaging with customers early and often and says that too many people take unvalidated ideas too far before ever putting them in front of the people they鈥檙e meant to help. He adds, 鈥淭he best solutions come from constant learning, iterating, and refining based on real customer feedback. You can鈥檛 be too customer-centric in this process.鈥�

Finally, he stresses the value of taking risks and embracing failure because innovation doesn鈥檛 happen without taking risks, and failure is just another word for learning.