Gearflow wins Mid-Continent Startup Challenge

Gearflow.com, aimed at providing a transparent construction equipment parts marketplace, has won the Mid-Continent Startup Challenge at the BuildWorlds 2021 Construction Tech Conference.

The competition awards the top early-stage construction tech startup based in a U.S. metropolitan area other than the East and West coasts. Three finalists presented during the event. 

Luke Powers, Gearflow founder and CEO, presented Gearflow’s marketplace platform during the challenge, which is designed to reduce equipment downtime by allowing fleet owners to quickly buy the parts they need from known suppliers.

“There is a distinct opportunity for digital technology to expedite the work in the field — particularly when it comes to equipment and tools — in order to positively influence contractor profit margins, and the solutions that Gearflow is building to elevate the supply chain and its service relationships will do just that,” says Powers.

Judges for the startup challenge included Weston Tanner, director of construction technology and innovation at Graycor; Chris Wright, director of operations support at Nabholz; and Tomislav Zigo, CTO at Clayco. Finalist pitches were scored on value proposition, market opportunity and strategy, leadership, technology, and competition.

“Gearflow addresses an underserved market with untapped potential,” says Wright, on why he selected Gearflow as the winner. “All that is left is to execute their strategy.”

Last month, Gearflow gained $3 million in seed funding from Watchfire Ventures and CNH Industrial announced it will use Gearflow’s platform in its existing dealer ecosystem.

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Case Adds Leica’s OEM-Fit 2D, 3D Machine Control to D Series Excavators

Case Construction Equipment has added the option of Leica Geosystem’s OEM-Fit 2D and 3D machine control systems to its Case D Series excavators.

Case SiteControl Certified dealers will install the systems, ensuring that it is properly installed and tested. The systems can also be part of the acquisition process, with financing or lease approval grouped with the purchase of the machine into a single package.

“It takes the guesswork out of what solution works best with each machine, and ensures that it is installed and tested by certified professionals before it’s delivered to the contractor,” says Nathaniel Waldschmidt, product manager, Case. “The excavator and the machine control system are optimally matched and calibrated — helping the owners and operators of each machine get up and running immediately upon delivery of the machine.”  

In addition, Case says OEM-Fit  machine control solutions increase the residual/resale value of equipped excavators, and let used buyers know that the system is designed and proven to work with the machine.

“Machine control has the ability to transform the productivity, efficiency and long-term profitability of excavators,” Waldschmidt says. “We’re now making the addition of machine control with excavators completely turnkey.”

Case says the Leica system offers several features that increase the productivity, safety and accuracy of excavators while providing an easy-to-use hardware and software platform.

Case’s D series excavators range from the 30,140-pound DX130D to the 158,300-pound CKL750D.

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https://creativeconstructionma.com/?p=51