About Suffolk Technologies + BOOST

Suffolk Technologies is a venture capital platform funding the next generation of companies solving built environment challenges. Affiliated with US-based Suffolk, an ENR Top 25 General Contractor, Suffolk Technologies incubates, accelerates, deploys, and invests in high-impact technologies solving key challenges across the built environment. 

BOOST is Suffolk Technologies’ flagship accelerator program designed to ignite growth and equip pioneering built world startups with the right tools to transform the industry. BOOST surrounds founders with design, engineering, infrastructure, and construction experts, successful built world entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and leading academics. Startups will be launched into the built environment with direct access to jobsites, unparalleled operational knowledge, and an influential network of industry leaders. 

Who should apply to BOOST? 

Founders who want intentional capital and unparalleled industry expertise to develop transformative built world solutions. BOOST offers team-based structured support and a platform of offerings to help you every step of the way, including 27+ Operating Partners, an active community of 200+ domain specific advisors, successful AECO founders, and an extensive talent network to help you build your team. Startups join BOOST at all different stages – some have a product that is ready to scale on Day 1, while others leverage the program to pressure test prototypes, develop, and launch new products in real time with guidance from those who will influence, use, and champion them in the future. 

What happens during the program? 

Founders will be completely immersed in the built environment for 8 weeks. While the program officially ends on Demo Day in November, the relationship with Suffolk Technologies, Suffolk and our Operating Partners often continues on for months if not years to come. BOOST isn’t just a program – it’s a community comprised of the best in built world innovation who are all invested in your success and potential to positively impact the industry. 

• Pre-Launch Program
  The BOOST Pre-Launch Program is a fun, immersive, 1.5 day experience at Suffolk’s national headquarters in Boston. Simply put, the Pre-Launch Program is an opportunity for everyone involved in BOOST to get to know each other before the program officially begins. During this program, founders will have the opportunity to connect with each other, walk an active construction jobsite, spend time with senior leaders at Suffolk and our Operating Partners, meet the BOOST captains, and take part in tailored sessions featuring accomplished founders, go-to-market strategists, and technology leaders in the AECO sector.  
• Teams
  Each startup accepted into the BOOST program will be paired with a dedicated team comprised of Suffolk team members and Operating Partners who are relevant to your company’s core product. Each team will be captained by a Suffolk operational leader, such as a Project Manager, Superintendent, Technology Deployment Expert, Digital Engineer, or Designer. Captains have deep knowledge of the BOOST program and Suffolk’s internal operations, enabling them to help you pilot and gather knowledge from across the organization. The Captain will be responsible for organizing weekly meetings with your larger team, developing a custom roadmap for your BOOST experience, including relevant guests to invite into weekly meetings, and identifying projects that make sense for piloting your technology. 
• Weekly Programming
  BOOST hosts one group programming session every Tuesday (we target late morning EST to accommodate those in different time zones). These programming sessions cover a variety of topics that help you both build your core business (such as perfecting your pitch and preparing to fundraise) and gain deep built world expertise from industry leaders and founders who have successfully scaled and exited startups in this space.  
• Pilots
  The 25 startups that have gone through BOOST have participated in 51+ pilots (and counting) with either Suffolk or one of our Operating Partners. We believe that pressure-testing your technology in the field and gathering honest feedback from end users is the best way to set your product up for success to scale across the industry. Suffolk pilots technologies addressing building design, 3D modeling, preconstruction and construction. If your technology does not fit into Suffolk’s own operations, our network of Operating Partners including materials manufacturers, subcontractors, real estate owners and operators may work with you and test your products with their own internal teams. 
• Go-to-Market
  Each startup will emerge from BOOST with a personalized Go-to-Market plan based on Suffolk Technologies’ proprietary insights from testing and deploying new technology for almost a decade. Throughout the eight weeks of BOOST, your Captain will guide you through a playbook that evaluates your team and technology’s preparedness to sell to your ideal customers. 
• Demo Day
  Demo Day is the pinnacle of the BOOST program when participating founders have the opportunity to pitch their product and accomplishments throughout the program. Demo Day draws a crowd of over 400 industry leaders, investors, academics, and journalists eager to connect with startups that went through the program. Each startup will take the stage to share a five-minute pitch with the audience and then will have the opportunity to network and connect with attendees at our post-Demo Day reception. This year, Built Worlds will host its Venture East conference in Boston the day after Demo Day, providing additional opportunities to pitch and showcase your technology to an audience of innovation leaders and investors. 

Does BOOST help with fundraising? 

The BOOST program draws attention from both industry-specific and generalist venture capital investors and other financers who both engage in the weekly programming and attend Demo Day. 85% of BOOST alumni successfully fundraised within 18 months of the program ending, and many of them met a future investor at Demo Day. In addition to helping you connect with venture capital firms, BOOST will also make sure that you are well informed on all of your options for financing your company’s growth, including venture debt, project financing, equipment financing, and non-dilutive sources of fundraising such as government grants.  

• “The BOOST Deal”
  In addition to setting you up for success with your next financing round, Suffolk Technologies will invest $100,000 on a post-money SAFE in exchange for 3% of your company. Most accelerators target startups with 1-2 founders and a pitch deck and will claim 5-10% of your company in exchange for their investment and programming. At BOOST, we do things a bit differently. Because BOOST is designed for startups with at least a working prototype, we recognize that you’ll likely be a bit further along and may have even raised external capital when you join our program. Our goal is to honor the progress and stakeholder interests of your company, while still fostering a partnership aligned for long-term collaboration and success. In addition, Suffolk Technologies often provides follow-on funding to startups that go through the BOOST program. As part of the “BOOST Deal”, Suffolk Technologies is granted the right to invest up to 20% of your next qualified financing round. 

Are there any other benefits that I should know about? 

Founders who go through the BOOST program gain access to Suffolk Technologies’ entire suite of platform resources. This includes exclusive discounts and offerings from technology partners and service providers, a curated talent network, in-person events throughout the year and, of course, the opportunity to continue working with Suffolk Technologies and our partners after the program ends.

• Partner Offerings
  Suffolk Technologies has exclusive offerings from technology and service providers including Agave, Autodesk, AWS, Brex, Brunt Workwear, Carta, Dassault Systems, Gunderson Dettmer, HubSpot, Insperity, LMRE, Microsoft, Miro, Notion, Nvidia, Rippling, TriNet, and Zendesk. We also have unique conference engagement opportunities with free or significantly discounted opportunities for our portfolio companies to present at Blueprint, Autodesk University, Procore Groundbreak, and the Built Worlds conferences.  
• Talent Network
  Most startups enter a hyper growth-mode after BOOST and need to fill high-value roles on their teams quickly. Suffolk Technologies can help you fill these positions with our curated talent network. We will refer candidates for any open roles and promote high-priority roles on our public-facing job board and in our newsletter to provide additional visibility. Suffolk Technologies can also help you find advisors, consultants, and contractors as needed. 
• Beyond BOOST
  Once you go through BOOST, you are a part of the Suffolk Technologies portfolio and continue to receive access to the benefits mentioned above, as well as support from our team as you continue to iterate on your technology and connect with potential customers. Our team is never more than a phone call or text message away and we are eager for the opportunity to add value as often as we can. 

  We will also host a virtual BOOST reunion every year, when founders and Operating Partners from every cohort will come together to share their successes, goals, and asks of the community. These reunions often uncover opportunities for collaboration and connections to help you achieve upcoming goals. 

Still have questions about BOOST? Email [email protected] or attend one of our upcoming info sessions by clicking here.