Business for a Better World: Contruent

Contruent

55 Shuman Blvd., Naperville

(630) 318-0444

Website: Contruent.com

Industry: Capital Project Management Software

An interview with Ryan Kubacki, CEO of Contruent

Q: Describe your company.

A: Contruent is a capital project management software company that enables large construction projects with a budget of $1 billion or more to be completed on time and on budget.

Our software increases visibility around project data - from cost and time management to managing workflows and contracts with third parties. We've had the privilege of working with a wide range of clients across various industries, including high-speed rail in England, the Ellinikon project in Athens, and supporting a portfolio of clients who are building and expanding clean energy facilities around the globe.

Contruent is passionate about helping build our world's infrastructure with far more precision and speed, by introducing innovative software productivity to a notoriously inefficient capital construction sector. We are at such an exciting time in the construction industry, with many of these megaprojects expanding in size and complexity - and we have the right team and technology on board to tackle these challenges.

Q: Do you plan to hire any additional staff or make any significant capital investments in your company in the next year?

A: Yes. While the company has a 25-year track record, I recently partnered with growth equity firm M33 Growth to acquire the business, move it from San Francisco to Naperville ("from Silicon Valley to Silicon Prairie") and make significant investment into it to grow rapidly and seize the market opportunity in construction.

Since acquiring the company 18 months ago, we have hired 45 new team members (including 20 in our new Naperville headquarters), rebranded our company to "Contruent," launched a new innovative software-as-service (SAAS) offering called Contruent Enterprise, and grown sales over 55%.

We have also brought on a new leadership team, including Naperville natives Meghan Russell as chief marketing officer from Google and Kurt Kauper as chief revenue officer from Oracle. We are charging ahead with this momentum and have plans to expand our team further, particularly in sales and engineering. For our work to be the most impactful, we need the right team, and we are committed to identifying and securing top talent to accelerate these efforts.

Q: What will your company's main challenges be in the next year?

A: We have seen organizations and project owners struggle for decades with technology adoption and implementation. While it's a challenge, it also gives us an opportunity to emphasize our value and the importance of boosting productivity throughout the project life cycle. This has become even more critical as the urgency around some of these massive transportation, infrastructure, and clean energy projects continues to rise.

Q: Does climate change affect how your company does business?

A: Many of our clients are thinking more holistically about their businesses and the environmental impact. We've seen clear momentum toward a clean energy future, and we are supporting clients globally as they build the infrastructure and facilities needed to accelerate this transition.

Q: What does your company do to reduce the effects of climate change?

A: Our software has the unique ability to estimate and measure carbon emissions, which has become super valuable as organizations work toward reducing the environmental impacts of capital projects. Our clients can take this information to make informed decisions, adjust as they go, and ultimately shrink their carbon footprint, which is awesome.

Q: What does your company do regarding DE&I (diversity, equity & inclusion)?

A: We hire a diverse team because to win in the market you need the best team, and the best team is a diverse team. Our diversity of experience, geography, gender, race, and all areas provide a competitive advantage and are core to our ability to innovate. We don't hire diversity to be "good." We do it to win in the market.

Q: Does your company donate time or money to any philanthropic causes? If so, what causes?

A: We established the Contruent Project Management Scholarship, which awards annual funds to students studying project and construction management. The industry can be somewhat niche, so we want to use our power to support rising stars and to build a strong pipeline of future leaders in the field.

We also proudly sponsor and support key Naperville initiatives, including the Edward Hospital Foundation, Naperville Responds for Veterans, Naperville Development Partners and local schools.

Q: What do you do to make your business a good place to work for your employees?

A: At the core of our "Contruent Character" philosophy is the idea of being an energy giver. When we're looking for new team members, we're really searching for that kind of spirit. We've made a concerted effort to give that energy back to our team as well.

Weekly team lunches are held in our office for team members to learn more about each other, happenings across teams and departments, and of course, try some of the best food from around the suburbs. Last month, we held the inaugural Contruent Open, which was an employee-only golf tournament that allowed the team to bond over a beautiful day on the Naperville Country Club golf course.

Q: Do you have a business mantra?

A: My business philosophy is "the best team wins." I truly believe that bringing the right team together is crucial to a business' success, and I am confident we have the right team at Contruent.

Q: What is one interesting fact about your company that most people may not know?

A: Contruent was built by cost engineers for cost engineers who were supporting an organization working on a project for NASA. They could not find a software that met their needs and took it upon themselves to develop an innovative solution that would. The ability to quickly adapt and innovate is an important part of our story as a company and has continued to set the standard for how we drive our work forward with clients.

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Contruent

55 Shuman Blvd., Naperville

(630) 318-0444

Website: Contruent.com

Industry: Capital Project Management Software