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High-disruption industries are often resistant to new technology. Construction has been slower than transportation and energy to absorb new technologies. Many large construction businesses have R&D divisions, but employees are cautious about utilising a new technology. Speedinvest partner Heinrich Gröller said, "This is a basic problem of the business because of poor margins and project-based work." Project managers willing to use cutting-edge technologies are rare.

According to the investors we spoke with, the issue goes beyond the workplace. This workforce shortage affects blue-collar and white-collar workers, said D20 Capital partner Sungjoon Cho. A multinational construction company's regional office lost 10% of its white-collar workers to the construction industry last year.

Venture investors back enterprises that use robotics, data management, automation, and virtual reality in construction. Construction accounts for 6.3% of GDP, but the market potential is enormous as spending rises. Deloitte reports that US construction expenditure hit $1.57 trillion in 2017.

Additionally, the US government hopes to aid in advancing this vital area of the economy. Even though just $100 million has been set out for digital construction technologies as part of the country's $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, new technology used in public infrastructure projects might be a game-changer for the construction sector.

We talked to five active investors to better understand the market drivers driving this industry and hear about the possibilities they're looking for:

●   Insight Partners' managing director, Nikitas Koutoupes

● Heinrich Gröller, Speedinvest's co-founder and managing partner.

●   Momei Qu, PSP Growth's managing director

●   A venture partner at Prime Movers Lab, Suzanne Fletcher.

●   D20 Capital General Partner Sungjoon Cho