Cascade, a startup focused on helping architecture, engineering and construction firms identify and win new work, has closed a $3.5 million seed round backed by Andreessen Horowitz Speedrun, Ada Ventures and Snowball VC.
Founded in 2025 by Hannia Zia and Joana Ferreira, the company was shaped by a simple industry insight: many construction businesses are highly skilled, yet still spend significant time searching across fragmented public and private portals for the right opportunities.
Cascade's platform uses AI to scan active and upcoming projects, then analyzes historical tender data to estimate which firms are most likely to succeed. It also tracks signals from state, local and federal channels to surface promising leads earlier in the process.
The system is designed to help customers focus their outreach more strategically. For example, when a new grant or major project is announced, Cascade can highlight the developers most likely to secure it, giving firms a clearer path to potential partnerships.
The startup says feedback from successful bids helps the platform improve over time, building a more refined map of the construction opportunity landscape. The new funding will support market expansion, industry events and additional engineering hires.
As construction becomes more data-driven, tools like Cascade could help reshape how firms discover opportunities and compete for future projects.
