CAHill TECH, a SaaS startup based in Buffalo, NY provides job-readiness and safety training for tradespeople in the heavy highway and construction industry. They are looking to solve the construction labor gap that the US is facing. The woman-owned and led team has developed a mobile elearning platform, aQuiRe™. They have been selected as finalists in the 2022 43North competition, where they will compete with 14 other startups around the world at the chance of winning $1MM.
The competition is held in Buffalo, New York, CAHill TECH’s hometown. The accelerator’s team describes this year’s competition as the toughest yet, making CAHill TECH’s selection as a finalist all the more impressive.
On October 20th at Sheas Performing Arts Center finalists will converge to present their ideas in the hopes of winning $1 million. The real motivation behind the CAHill team’s hard work is the chance to continue rapidly expanding their company in one of the nation’s fastest-growing tech hubs, Buffalo. According to a study conducted by York IE, Buffalo is ranked the fifth fastest growing startup city in the U.S. The city is reported to have brought in around $251.8 million in funding.
The majority of the 10 CAHill TECH team members originated and are already living in Western New York. They bore that famous Buffalo grit and persistence, as demonstrated through their previous three applications to the program.
In the last 3 years since incorporation, the company has shown massive growth in new partnerships, revenue, team size, and product innovation. They are fundraising in order to grow their in-house product team, grow their customer service team, complete library transcription and translation, and hire for senior leadership. The funding will also support the creation of new content and training around climate-resilient infrastructure. To prepare for rapid growth, the team is on-boarding new clients, streamlining operating procedures, and looking to add significant leadership roles as the company scales nationwide.
”This is our backyard and home. We love being a part of the movement to bring back jobs and growth, especially when my parents and grandparents have lived here since the fall of the steel industry! We are strategically and operationally positioned to be looped into the 43N organization and community. That, coupled with being a TECHSTARS portfolio company, will help us multiply the impact and meaningfully accelerate. We want to keep making a mark in the construction industry and growing our impact here in Buffalo.” says Carley Hill about the opportunity to seek investment from the 43North organization.
What is aQuiRe™ and how is it changing the construction industry?
aQuiRe™ is a mobile e-learning platform with hundreds of safety and training modules for the heavy highway, road, and bridge construction industry. The platform supports workers, contractors, and those seeking to become job ready. aQuiRe™ is designed to teach and transfer knowledge, providing companies across America a most needed resource- job ready employees. The product is proven to prevent delays on projects, reduce accidents, and support regulatory compliance.
The micro learning videos included in aQuiRe™ cover everything from learning how to properly read a tape measure, to pouring concrete. It is the first technology of its kind intended for front-line construction workers. The CAHill team partners with leading experts to add new modules, while also producing original content to address the unique requirements of top US construction firms. ”Our goal is to keep democratizing access to these trades-based skills so that anyone with the desire and ambition can work in the construction sector,” said Lori Farrel, the company’s Client Relations Manager.
CAHill TECH’s aQuiRe™ mobile e-learning application has received national awards from prestigious organizations such as Autodesk and the Associated General Contractors of America. They also boast a 100% retention rate, with their customers saying things about the platform being “A game changer”. Other construction workers who use aQiuRe™ say that it “Needs to be in everyone’s toolbox.”, and “My people LOVE it!”
According to John Papponetti, Commissioner at Orleans County DPW: “I wasn’t surprised by the feedback I’ve got from my team – they love this app. It’s a great tool to have in the toolbox because it touches base on relevant and relatable stuff that we do. Being able to watch the video and have the question/answer part at the end really puts workers at ease, too.”
Like many other companies, CAHill TECH had to get creative and pivot to support their clients during the global pandemic. That pivot created more growth and allowed the company to expand its product to offer standards logging. This feature creates actionable, digital documentation of site conditions, accident analysis, and other essential field information as projects progress through completion. What started as a simple feature for COVID screening evolved into a core software component that can be used for any required screenings, tests, or check-ins. Site audits, truck inspections, mental health check in’s, routine maintenance for machines- you name it aQuiRe™ can log it.
Why CaHill Tech is different from other safety training programs and e-learning platforms?
The aQuiRe™ app was built by leading experts in the heavy highway and civil construction space. They want to help more easily train the next generation of workers by preserving industry-specific tips, tricks, and tribal knowledge. Think of aQuiRe™ like your digital mentor, available at your fingertips, whenever and wherever. While other tools, software solutions, mobile applications, and platforms try to be the one-stop-shop for all construction business needs, aQuiRe™ focuses on the continuous training, specialized education, and accident prevention for heavy highway, civil, and bridge contractors and construction employees. While the purpose of aQuiRe™ is to onboard, train, and give construction workers production-quality education, the mobile application also protects employees from accidents and preventable injuries that happen all too often. This proactive prevention is a relief for insurance companies, and CAHill TECH supports its customers with service and support, minimizing incident rates and claims in the field.
CAHill TECH is a mainstream solution provider for construction companies. ”One of our proudest moments was when one of our first customers reached out and asked to take part in our latest round of funding. This proved that we not only passed the “band-aid” test of being needed by our customers, showing product-market fit. aQuiRe™ is the need-to-have tool for improved safety and training in the heavy highway and civil construction industry”, said Carley.
CAHill TECH differentiates itself from others with highly specialized custom content and attractive e-learning resources. ”We are the only company in the industry that was built by construction workers for construction owners and operators in the heavy civil and highway space,” declared the company’s Creative Director, Erik Ticen.
”Other companies are broad, have solutions for only project managers, and try to do everything at once. We are the only company offering the best safety, equipment, and educational training per state and federal guidelines. Lives saved and accidents reduced is our bottom line- and we know how important tracking and compliance is while encouraging team training,” he said.
CAHill TECH’s services are predicated on the business principles and core beliefs of professionalism, industry knowledge, flexibility, reliability, and excellent customer service.
The CAHill TECH team is not resting on their laurels. Plans are underway for more growth and expansion in Buffalo, NY. Additionally, the company has set its sights on fixing the construction labor gap by providing instant access to high-quality trade education, particularly for those in marginalized communities. Working with rural vocational training schools and urban job placement centers, this team is putting their investors’ money where it matters – creating needed careers and prosperity in Western New York.
Meet some of the contributors of CAHill TECH’s success
For its growth as a brand and inclusion as finalists in the 43North competition, CAHill TECH is thankful to the following firms and individuals:
• Launch NY
• Techstars Iowa Accelerator
• Western New York Impact Investment Fund
• Jeff DiStefano
• Chris DiStefano
• Gary Hill
• Mark Parisi
• Alfred Culliton
• University at Buffalo
• Maria Lehman
• Ryan Forrestel
• Chris Milton
• Colligan Law
• Sanjeev Bhandari
• Nicholas Barone & the HelmUX team
CAHill TECH’s clients have built the roads, highways, and bridges across Western New York. In a city known nationally in the media for its resilience during the worst snowstorms, the construction industry must stay alive to get locals to their workplaces daily. We’re the backbone of the community, and we need to invest time and education in the frontline builders of our nation. Being at this pivotal stage of company growth, I am appreciating how the grittiness, strength, and persistence of Buffalo bleeds into our team culture.
”We are excited by this momentum and our continued contribution to the future of The Queen City. We’re here to serve as a proponent for the empowerment, training, and education of the next generation of construction workers. Buffalo’s Blue Collar Roots are strong. You can see the remnants like a red thread tying the city’s history to its patrons’ current-day grit,” said Carley Hill, CEO and Founder of CAHill TECH.
”We are incredibly excited to raise the roof and break that metaphorical glass (or concrete) ceiling! As a Buffalo company, born and bred, we’ve seen the community grow tremendously over the past few years thanks to the initiative of 43North and Governor Kathy Hochul’. Let’s keep building on that!”
We own a beautiful part of the American origin story, and our manufacturing, steel, and construction-oriented history is an important part of the fabric of our community. Come raise the roof with us at Shea’s Performing Arts Center on October 20th! https://lnkd.in/e4NKhnwa”
About 43North
Since its launch in 2014, 43North has created a new epicenter of technology and innovation in Buffalo. “The success of 43North has sent a message to entrepreneurs around the world – Buffalo, New York is home to the jobs of the future. I am proud to announce the 15 finalists of this year’s 43North competition and look forward to welcoming them to the energized startup community that is Buffalo,” Governor Hochul said.
To narrow down the contenders to the top 15 companies, 43North implemented an extensive diligence process that began in July 2022. The process was led by Kevin Siskar, Vice President of Portfolio and Selection at 43North. He and more than 80 judges reviewed hundreds of applications, met with founders, and recommended selection.
Most of the finalists originate from across the United States, with one coming from as far as the United Kingdom. The startups cover a wide array of industries, including but not limited to health tech, financial services, and clean tech.
Media Contact
Company Name: CaHill Tech
Contact Person: Mariah Ramos
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Country: United States
Website: https://www.cahilltech.com/