S3E10: Deploying Technology with Ray Levitt

Ray Levitt, Kumagi Professor Emeritus at Stanford University and an Operating Partner in Blackhorn Ventures, joins our host Bill O’Brien to discuss technology adoption in the construction industry. Ray shares his deep experience as an academic, startup founder, and now venture capitalist to frame the challenges of deploying technology and the promise of convergent trends. Ray discusses the trials that the industry has had in adopting technologies that were not capable enough to address its needs, as well as the capability of technologies today to provide radical productivity increases. He concludes with guidance for firms seeking to stay ahead of the technology trends. Ray is a Distinguished Member of ASCE and the recipient of several significant awards for his research. He is a founder of three firms and, prior to joining Blackhorn Ventures, was an active angel investor. Ray has had many service roles; notably, he was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger as a Commissioner of the California Public Infrastructure Advisory Commission (PIAC) in 2008 and served as a Commissioner of PIAC from 2008- 2013.