In contrast to most sectors, the construction industry has been slow to embrace the many possibilities of technology. As a result, many opportunities are missed, particularly in terms of efficiency and financial gain. It is time to jump on board, as more and more innovative solutions are emerging with added value for both large and small contractors. One such solution is the innovative 'Spotable', which allows for the rapid measurement of surfaces, such as roofs, and generates the related quote in minutes.

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In a world dominated by technology and artificial intelligence, more solutions are emerging that offer simple but innovative answers to existing needs. Young entrepreneurs realize that data is the new gold and are looking for ways to use omnipresent data lucratively—often encouraged by their educational institutions.

The story of Spotable began similarly: founder Sebastien Vandendriessche, who studied Business Economics at Vlerick Business School, was motivated to develop an innovative concept for his thesis. "I decided to develop a business case based on data," he says. "Together with my brother, I wrote a program that used satellite imagery and AI to detect swimming pools in the Kortrijk region. We then sent flyers to these addresses for our service: swimming pool maintenance. The concept proved to be a huge success and gave me ideas for starting an actual company."

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Discovering a Gap in the Market

Due to logistical challenges, the swimming pool maintenance idea was eventually dropped, but Sebastien quickly found another way to commercialize the collected data. Together with two partners, he founded Spotable in early 2024. Initially, the company focused on renovation firms.

"Using satellite images and real estate sales data, we searched for properties that urgently needed renovation. We sold this information to contractors to help them with prospecting and sales. To refine our concept, we spoke with many actors in the construction industry and discovered better ways to provide value—especially for roofers, who lose an enormous amount of time preparing quotes."

"First, they have to measure the roofs, which takes an average of 2 hours. Then, they spend easily another 2 hours on the proposal. Knowing that only 25% of interested parties actually sign, the math is simple. Moreover, these players often work with limited manpower, forcing them to be selective in responding to quote requests, which affects their reputation. In short: we saw a real need that we could solve with Spotable."

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3 to 4 Hours of Time Saved

In 2024, the startup began developing a 'SaaS' (Software as a Service) based on AI and computer vision, specifically aimed at roofers. "We combine satellite imagery, Lidar technology, and historical data," Vandendriessche explains. "Simply put, we visualize house roofs accurately in 3D, after which our solution calculates the surface area with high precision. An algorithm then generates the actual quote."

"It's not perfect yet, so a visual check by the contractor is still required. But because we work with AI, our application 'learns' from all previous projects by that specific roofer, making quotes increasingly accurate. The system also estimates the probability of success for a quote. All of this happens in 1 to 2 minutes. Even with manual checks, the roofer saves an average of 3 to 4 hours per quote. In the future, we aim for a gain of 7 to 8 hours per project because the sales process will be fully automated."

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Easy Return on Investment

Since the beginning of this year, Spotable has focused exclusively on commercializing this solution. The concept is catching on because it works and the cost is quickly recouped.

"Roofers take out a subscription to our platform. The rate depends on the number of quotes and measurements they plan to make," explains Vandendriessche. "The average price is €4,200 per year, but we provide modules for both large and small companies. We are also working on links with major wholesalers so that the rates roofers have negotiated with suppliers are automatically included in Spotable. In the future, we want to bridge the gap to invoicing packages and automatic ordering."

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Ambitious Plans

Investors also believe in the concept. To expand the business, Spotable launched a call for growth capital earlier this year. The funding round was led by NewSchool VC and the Cloostermans-Huwaert family, supplemented by business angels.

"In the end, we managed to raise 1.2 million euros," says Sebastien. "This investment will be used to further develop the software and expand into new markets. We want to offer Spotable to contractors specializing in facades, terraces, driveways, and windows/doors. There are no regional boundaries for this SaaS, so we aim to establish a foothold in the Netherlands by early next year, followed by Germany, and then other European countries and perhaps the United States."

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Original article (in Dutch): https://bouwkroniek.be/technologie/nieuwe-startup-zorgt-voor-snellere-offerte-afhandeling-52436