Computer-aided design (CAD) is considered the backbone of the construction industry, but the global market doesn’t seem to believe this. While CAD is indispensable in India, the US has restrictions that prevent vendors from relying on it, causing construction inefficiencies, especially in landscaping.
An Indian AI startup has come forward to address this problem on US soil.
Why USA, Not India?
Founded in 2017 in Delhi by three friends from IIT-D, Attentive.ai provides AI-powered solutions for the landscaping and outdoor services industry.
Attentive.ai has deliberately focused on North America, citing distinct market dynamics as the reason for bypassing the Indian market for now. In the US, takeoffs (measuring site areas) from PDFs are standard due to intellectual property concerns, making the process more labour-intensive.
In contrast, Indian firms often use CAD files, which allow for quicker and easier measurements.
“The Indian market operates differently. CAD files are more widely circulated here, which simplifies takeoffs. In the US, PDF files dominate, and extracting measurements from them is significantly harder,” explained Shiva Dhawan, co-founder and CEO of Attentive.ai, in an exclusive interaction with AIM.
This fundamental difference in workflows makes the US a more suitable market for Attentive.ai’s solutions.
Additionally, Dhawan pointed out the economic advantages of targeting North America. “We aren’t focusing on India in the short- or medium-term because the US market offers better opportunities and cost arbitrage,” he said.
Attentive.ai initially focused on AI services, building expertise in computer vision. However, a strategic pivot in 2021 led the company to develop SaaS solutions tailored for the commercial landscaping and construction industries in the US and Canada markets.
“We realised services were a means to an end, and recurring revenue is where valuable businesses are built,” Dhawan said.
The Promising Landscaping Industry
Attentive.ai’s flagship product, AutoMeasure, automates takeoff processes for landscaping companies, while Beam serves construction firms.
Traditionally, takeoffs required hours of manual effort with drawing tools. Professionals would click and trace polygons to calculate dimensions manually, which was tedious and time-consuming. Attentive.ai’s platform eliminates this hassle by using AI to automate 60% of the work. Human experts verify the remaining for quality assurance.
“The way it works is simple. Customers upload a site plan or input an address, and within hours or a day at most, they receive accurate measurements,” Dhawan explained. This process not only improves efficiency but also enhances accuracy, enabling firms to redirect resources to more critical tasks.
“Our tagline is ‘get time back,’ as we save companies significant time, allowing them to focus on other activities,” he added.
This efficiency has driven rapid adoption in North America; Attentive.ai now serves over 1,000 clients in the US and Canada. The company’s ability to cater to an underserved yet essential market has set it apart in a competitive landscape.
Addressing a Niche Market
Its success stems from its ability to address a niche yet massive market. AI companies have historically underserved the billion-dollar landscaping and construction industries. Attentive.ai identified this gap and leveraged its expertise in computer vision to create tailored solutions.
“These industries have huge potential but are largely ignored by technology firms. If you can build for them, it creates a moat,” Dhawan explained. This focus on niche AI applications, rather than saturated areas such as call centres, has differentiated Attentive.ai and helped them attract significant investments.
Since its pivot to SaaS, the company has raised $18 million from PeakXV Surge, Vertex Ventures, Tenacity Ventures and others. “These investors believe in our vision of AI-enabled services transforming trillion-dollar industries,” Dhawan said.
Challenges Remain
While the company has made impressive strides, it faces its share of challenges. Chief among them is talent acquisition. “Finding good talent and convincing them to work in an unconventional industry is tough,” Dhawan admitted.
The niche nature of the landscaping and construction sectors often makes it harder to attract top-tier talent. Despite this, Dhawan believes the company’s outsider perspective has been an advantage.
“I’m not from the construction industry or a civil engineering background, but that allows us to see problems more clearly. Our team includes both industry outsiders and experts, which helps us balance fresh perspectives with domain expertise,” he said.
Another challenge is maintaining customer trust in an industry historically reliant on manual processes. However, Dhawan highlighted that the shift is already underway. “Many firms that previously managed takeoffs in-house now outsource them to us because they trust our service and see the time savings,” he noted.
Attentive.ai’s future plans are focused on scaling current offerings rather than diversifying into new products. “For 2025, our priority is doubling the revenue and expanding our reach in North America. Global expansion may follow, but not immediately,” Dhawan stated.
“AI-enabled services are not a fad but a reality that will transform trillion-dollar industries,” he asserted. As more firms adopt AI solutions, Attentive.ai’s early mover advantage in the landscaping and construction sectors gives it a significant edge.
Dhawan mentioned that companies such as Bluebeam, StackCT, and PlanSwift might be considered competitors, which cumulatively add to $6 million in revenues. However, they are into manual drawing tools in the construction space. For now, none offered similar services using AI, but Dhawan is sure they’ll arrive soon.
