Sri Lankan entrepreneur Eshan Jayamanne has successfully secured $9 million in funding for his construction technology startup, Krane, based in San Francisco. This innovative platform utilizes artificial intelligence to revolutionize supply chain management within the construction industry.
The funding round was jointly led by Glasswing Ventures and Link Ventures, and also saw contributions from Tunitas Ventures, Rosecliff Ventures, New Normal Ventures, along with several strategic angel investors.
Under the leadership of CEO Eshan Jayamanne, Krane aims to mitigate risks associated with the construction supply chain by consolidating submittals, procurement processes, lead times, and deliveries into a unified, real-time platform. This system operates as an integrated operations team, streamlining material planning, procurement, and coordination throughout the entire project lifecycle.
At the heart of Krane’s technology is a suite of specialized AI agents, each tasked with managing a vital aspect of the materials workflow:
- Milo converts specifications, drawings, and schedules into comprehensive submittal and procurement logs in a matter of minutes.
- Arlo integrates schedules, submittals, and procurement information into a cohesive system, facilitating an effective preconstruction strategy.
- Chase actively engages with trade partners to prioritize submittals and verify lead times and material statuses.
- Lana enhances the quality of submittals through standardized templates and automated quality control measures.
- Rio refines delivery scheduling, mitigates conflicts, and assesses equipment utilization.
- Theo oversees procurement from start to finish, handling everything from quote evaluations and RFP generation to final delivery.
Krane is now broadening its scope beyond just procurement and delivery coordination, aiming to provide more direct services to owners and subcontractors, thereby increasing control throughout the construction value chain.
Currently, Krane is managing over $15 billion in active projects across the United States and Canada, covering various sectors including healthcare, data centers, K-12 education, and biotechnology.
