How Cascade is Helping Construction Firms Predict the Future and Win More Projects

Cascade, the AI pursuit platform for architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms led by Hannia Zia and Joana Ferreira, has raised $3.5 million from Andreessen Horowitz Speedrun, Ada Ventures, Blitzscaling Ventures, Indico Capital, shuckerVC, G2C Ventures, and Snowball VC.

In construction, some of the biggest opportunities are often identified long before a formal request for proposals (RFP) is issued. By the time projects become publicly available, key decisions may already have been made through early permitting, ownership changes, financing activities, and contractor selection.

Hannia Zia, Co-founder and CEO of Cascade, said:

“Construction firms often miss valuable opportunities simply because they never become aware of projects early enough in the development cycle. Cascade is designed to help companies identify high-potential projects sooner, understand where they have a competitive advantage and convert those opportunities into revenue.”

Cascade has gained traction rapidly, signing architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) customers involved in some of the industry's largest projects, including JFK Airport, LaGuardia Airport, data centers and nuclear energy facilities. The early adoption reflects growing demand for tools that help construction firms identify and pursue high-value projects earlier in the development cycle.

Cascade is designed to help construction firms identify project opportunities well before formal requests for proposals (RFPs) are issued. By analyzing signals such as bond filings, permits, capital plans, property transactions, earnings transcripts, budget announcements, and public meeting records, the platform identifies projects in their early stages and provides insight into where work is emerging, what type of project is being planned, and which firms are best positioned to compete.

The platform also helps firms prioritize opportunities by assessing project fit and uncovering existing relationship pathways through enterprise tools such as Outlook. As more customers use the platform, Cascade continuously improves its recommendations by learning which signals lead to successful bids and where teaming opportunities exist.

Tim Johannesson, Principal at Smallwood, said Cascade helped the firm discover opportunities that would otherwise have been missed, including a recent $6 million project secured through the platform.

Alan Ruth, President and CEO of S.A. Casey Construction, said Cascade has become an important part of the company's project evaluation process, helping organize project information and identify opportunities more efficiently while delivering meaningful returns on investment.

Cascade was founded by Hannia Zia and Joana Ferreira, former Google operators who previously worked together at UnlikelyAI, the AI startup founded by the inventor of Amazon Alexa. At UnlikelyAI, Zia served as Vice President of Product, while Ferreira led the AI platform, developing knowledge graph technology and large language model (LLM) agents.

Ferreira said Cascade applies techniques similar to those used in financial markets to identify patterns and predict future opportunities, but instead focuses on forecasting construction projects rather than stock movements.

Sarah Sapone Hayes, Director of Strategy & Innovation at FORGE Architecture, said the platform helps firms identify high-value opportunities, uncover relationship pathways and reduce the manual effort involved in pursuing new business.

The founders' interest in construction was shaped by personal experience as well as market opportunity. Ferreira grew up in a Portuguese community centered around construction and carpentry, while Zia was inspired by her father's experience trying to build a construction business. Early conversations with industry leaders helped secure Cascade's first customers and validated demand for the platform.

Syed Irfan Raza, CFO of Munoz Engineering, said Cascade helps the firm identify and plan for opportunities earlier in New York City's highly competitive architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) market, while delivering solutions that reflect the industry's relationship-driven nature.

The new funding will support broader adoption of the platform and expand Cascade's industry network. As more firms join, the platform helps connect contractors, consultants, and partners for bidding opportunities, regional expansion, and project collaboration, strengthening its network with each new participant.

Marcus Segal, Investor at Andreessen Horowitz Speedrun, said Cascade addresses one of construction's biggest challenges, how firms discover and win new business, creating an entry point into a much broader transformation of the industry's business development process.

Matt Penneycard of Ada Ventures highlighted the founding team's combination of AI expertise and deep understanding of the construction industry, while Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures pointed to the platform's ability to drive customer revenue growth and benefit from network effects.

Looking ahead, Cascade aims to support construction firms throughout the entire project lifecycle, from identifying opportunities in their earliest stages to helping teams pursue, win, and deliver projects through completion.