Andpad is Software as a Service mobile and desktop solution from the Tokyo-based Oct that helps construction companies effectively handle the development process and boost the productivity of on-site teams. The project has started in 2016 as a way to help architects and construction companies to keep track of the progress and improve communication through cloud-based technologies.
One application, two functions
Broadly speaking, Andpad is a project management tool that allows for blueprint sharing, scheduling for different teams of workers, reporting for team managers, chatting with the team members and contractors reducing the use of paper and time spent on faxing documents, and so on. The application also stores big blocks of architecture and construction data. For example, what kind of materials do different developers use, how often, and what are their feedback on certain items.
Currently, 1600 companies are using Andpad.
Collecting this kind of information can be useful for market research purposes helping suppliers to better understand the demand and improve sales. Andpad considered integrating the platform with the Salesforce Sales Cloud to provide insight on sales updates. If Andpad will be able to provide detailed and well-organized plans, the platform will be a much more useful source of information than traditional content media in the industry.
Investment history
In January 2017, the company has raised “several tens of millions of yen from individual investors”, reports the Bridge. At that time, only 350 companies were using the service. The following year Andpad received nearly JPY 400 million (USD 3.8 million) in funding from Draper Nexus, Ventures, Salesforce, Ventures, Beenext and some individual investors. The number of companies using the platform grew to 800.
This year, Andpad closed series B by securing investments from four regional banks. Other investors included Iyogin Capital, Senshu Ikeda, Kyogin Lease & Capital, Chibagin Capital, Globis Capital Partners, and DNX Ventures. The total amount of funding up until date amounts to JPY 2.4 billion (USD 22.6 million). Moreover, currently, 1600 companies are using the platform.
According to Andpad’s website, about 1600 companies use the platform to manage their construction projects. Which means that collected information creates additional value to the next paying users. The company aims to acquire 10,000 companies as their service users.
Available service packages
Andpad offers flexible subscription listing depending on the size of the team, with no upper limit set. Different packages on the website are:
- Lite, JPY 36,000 per month with up to 60 users.
- Basic, JPY 60,000 per month with up to 100 users (being the most popular option).
- Business, JPY 120,000 per month with up to 200 users.
- Enterprise, charged on a case-by-case scenario for companies wishing to work with over 500 users.
The benefits of Andpad
Takeo Inada, the CEO of Oct, says that the platform reduces the amount of work for an hour per day for supervisors, improving the efficiency for construction companies. Moreover, thanks to the participation of the regional banks in the funding rounds, Andpad can expand to the rural areas helping to manage the labor shortage in the distant regions.
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