In this episode of our dis/agreed vodcast Patric Hellermann and Shubhankar Bhattacharya are discussing the future of construction marketplaces. comparing the various dynamics we have seen in both mature and emerging markets. At Foundamental, we are humbled to have backed industry leaders in Construction Marketplaces from Asia Pacific all the way to Latin America. Each market requires different business models and go-to-market strategies and this episode we will discuss such variances on a global scale.
They will be discussing questions like:
- Tul raised a $181M round what is the company up to and what makes this company special?
- What are the differences between the Infra.Market and the Tul model?
- What gets us excited about the future of construction market places?
- How can marketplaces solve for the supply side issue in more established markets?
- Will we see global marketplaces or will they remain regional?
- What are exciting companies to watch?
Construction marketplaces are evolving based on regional dynamics, with each geography requiring distinct models and go-to-market approaches. Tul, after raising 181 million dollars, focuses on empowering small hardware stores in Latin America by digitizing orders and embedding credit services. It functions more like a B2B e-commerce platform with fintech capabilities. Infra.Market in India takes a different path by integrating manufacturing, quality control, and logistics to serve contractors more directly and ensure consistency and scale.
These models highlight how localized the needs of construction ecosystems are. In emerging markets, the key opportunity is formalizing fragmented supply chains, introducing transparency, and enabling access to credit. In more developed regions, the challenge is solving inefficiencies on the supply side, where entrenched distributor networks and analog processes dominate.
Global construction marketplaces are unlikely to emerge in a one-size-fits-all format. Construction remains hyperlocal, shaped by regional regulation, logistics constraints, and procurement culture. However, common backend infrastructure and modular solutions might scale across markets even if brands do not.
The most promising marketplaces will move beyond simple transactions. They will embed credit, logistics, and labor services and become the workflow layer for SMBs in construction. Tul and Infra.Market are early indicators of this shift and are companies worth watching closely.