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In this episode <\/a>of the AEC Business podcast, I sit down with Eric Helitzer<\/a>, founder and CEO of SubBase<\/a>, a procurement platform that aims to bring order, transparency, and automation to this domain.<\/p>\n Procurement is one of the least digitized yet most consequential parts of construction. The workflow spans field teams, project managers, purchasing, finance, and a fragmented vendor ecosystem.<\/p>\n Errors, delays, and mismatches between orders and invoices quickly cascade into real cost. In many companies, the process is still held together by spreadsheets, emails, and extensive manual reconciliation.<\/p>\n SubBase has grown quickly and now handles thousands of monthly orders and reconciles tens of millions of dollars in invoices for contractors. Eric\u2019s team has built the platform around a simple idea: procurement should connect the field, office, and vendor ecosystem seamlessly, not force teams into workarounds.<\/p>\n Eric explains what he sees on the ground: rising complexity, volatile material prices, supply chain uncertainty, and growing pressure to keep projects on budget despite lean staffing. These forces are accelerating the adoption of purpose-built digital procurement tools, especially ones that automate reconciliation and reduce manual data entry.<\/p>\n Eric also shares how SubBase uses integrations, real-time data, and early predictive analytics to help contractors make faster, more informed material decisions.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not AI for the sake of AI; it\u2019s automation that removes administrative burden from field teams and gives office teams cleaner, more reliable data.<\/p>\n We explore what differentiates SubBase in a growing, competitive landscape, how the company supports change management in traditionally minded organizations, and what\u2019s coming next on their product roadmap.<\/p>\n Eric also offers personal advice for AEC tech entrepreneurs navigating the realities of scaling a startup in an industry that values trust over hype.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re interested in the evolution of construction procurement and how a new generation of platforms is finally making it manageable, this episode is worth a listen.<\/p>\n Follow SubBase on LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n Podcast: Play in new window<\/a> | Download<\/a><\/p>\n Subscribe: <\/p>\n<\/div>\nRoom for improvement<\/h2>\n
Streamlining procurement with AI<\/h2>\n
Recipes for success<\/h2>\n
Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts<\/h2>\n