A commercial construction project can involve hundreds of pages of architectural drawings, mechanical plans and technical specifications. Before an HVAC supplier can submit a competitive quote, someone must examine those documents, identify the required equipment, count components, check specifications and calculate the materials needed.
For decades, much of that work has depended on experienced estimators manually reviewing drawings, highlighting equipment and assembling spreadsheets. The process can take hours or even days, and mistakes can affect both pricing and project profitability.
Evan Brown knew this problem firsthand.
He grew up around his uncle’s HVAC distribution business, watching estimators spend entire weeks preparing quotes. Later, he worked as an estimator and sales engineer himself. Despite the development of construction software, many of the same manual processes remained.
Rather than accepting that as normal, Brown saw an opportunity to apply artificial intelligence to one of the construction industry’s most time-consuming workflows.
Together with Andrew Schwartz, he founded Rebar, an AI-powered platform designed to help HVAC suppliers, distributors and contractors move from construction drawings to estimates and bids more efficiently.
The company is now building what it describes as an AI operating system for the skilled trades. Its technology combines automated takeoffs, equipment identification, specification analysis, bid management and business intelligence.
In March 2026, Rebar announced a $14 million Series A funding round led by Prudence, with participation from several other investors.
But the funding is only part of the story. Rebar’s journey is about two founders recognizing that an industry responsible for building the physical world had been overlooked by much of the software revolution.
Here is how Evan Brown and Andrew Schwartz built Rebar, developed its specialized AI technology and began expanding their vision beyond HVAC estimating.
1. Who Are Rebar’s Founders?
Rebar was founded by Evan Brown and Andrew Schwartz, two entrepreneurs who brought different but complementary experiences to the construction technology market.
Brown serves as CEO and co-founder. His background is closely connected to the HVAC industry, particularly commercial equipment distribution, estimating and sales engineering.
Schwartz serves as co-founder and Chief Product Officer. His experience includes product development at Goldman Sachs, entrepreneurship and strategic roles across several organizations.
Their partnership combines practical knowledge of the construction trades with experience building technology products.
That combination is important because Rebar is not attempting to introduce software into an industry it barely understands. Its founders began by studying the actual workflows of the people who prepare estimates, manage projects and sell equipment.
According to Rebar’s official company profile, the founders also spoke with thousands of operators across the country to understand where technology could make the greatest difference.
Their objective was to build software around the needs of the people doing the work, rather than expecting those people to change their processes simply to accommodate another technology platform.
The company’s long-term ambition is to build an AI operating system for HVAC, plumbing and electrical professionals.
2. Evan Brown: From an HVAC Supplier’s Office to Startup Founder
Evan Brown’s connection to the HVAC industry began long before Rebar existed.
During his younger years, he spent time in his uncle’s HVAC supplier office in Seattle. There, he observed how estimators worked with construction drawings, reviewed equipment schedules and prepared quotes for commercial projects.
It was an environment where experience mattered enormously. Estimators needed to understand HVAC systems, identify the correct equipment and interpret technical documents accurately.
But the process was also highly manual.
Years later, Brown entered the industry professionally as an estimator and sales engineer at Johnson Barrow/DMG Corporation.
In that role, he designed, sold and supported HVAC systems, working with contractors, engineers and manufacturers. According to Rebar’s official company profile, his work involved supporting more than 100 supplier offices nationwide.
This experience gave him a detailed understanding of the commercial HVAC sales process.
He knew how much time went into preparing estimates and how difficult it could be for teams to manage growing workloads while maintaining accuracy.
Brown also developed an interest in artificial intelligence. Before Rebar, he worked on AI implementation at Ambient, researching visual search technology for HVAC takeoff software.
That experience helped connect his understanding of the industry with the technical possibilities of computer vision.
Eventually, Brown recognized that the technology had reached a point where some of the most repetitive estimating tasks could be automated.
Instead of building another general-purpose construction application, he wanted to develop something specifically designed around HVAC workflows.
That idea became the foundation of Rebar.
3. Andrew Schwartz: Bringing Product and Technology Experience
While Brown brought direct experience from the HVAC industry, Andrew Schwartz contributed a different perspective.
Before Rebar, Schwartz worked at Goldman Sachs, where he drove product development in a highly regulated financial environment.
Working in financial technology exposed him to complex systems, demanding operational requirements and the importance of building reliable products.
He had also been involved in entrepreneurship, including co-founding a social network for researchers.
His previous experience included strategy and investment roles at MycoWorks, Lasso Capital and PwC.
When Brown approached him about starting Rebar, Schwartz was not initially an HVAC industry specialist.
In a public post discussing the company’s journey, Schwartz explained that he had to learn the industry from the ground up.
He visited more than 100 HVAC supplier offices across the country and spoke with thousands of industry participants to understand how businesses operated and where technology could help.
That hands-on research became an important part of the company’s product development approach.
Rather than relying exclusively on assumptions about what contractors and suppliers needed, the founders spent time learning how estimating teams actually worked.
Schwartz now leads product strategy and innovation, helping translate those industry requirements into scalable technology.
The partnership gives Rebar two important foundations: Brown understands the operational problem, while Schwartz brings experience designing and developing technology products.
4. The Industry Problem That Inspired Rebar
The construction industry has invested heavily in software over the past several decades.
Project owners, architects and general contractors have access to digital tools for planning, collaboration, scheduling and project management.
However, many subcontractors, equipment suppliers and specialist contractors still depend on manual processes for important parts of their daily work.
Commercial HVAC estimating is one example.
When a new project goes out for bid, an HVAC supplier or manufacturer’s representative may receive a large set of construction documents.
Those documents can include:
- Architectural drawings.
- Mechanical floor plans.
- HVAC equipment schedules.
- Ductwork specifications.
- Technical requirements.
- Manufacturer and model information.
- Project addendums and revisions.
An estimator must review these documents and identify the equipment and materials required for the project.
That can involve locating individual units, counting equipment, measuring ductwork, matching components to rooms and checking technical specifications.
The estimator then needs to organize the information into a bill of materials and prepare a commercial quote.
The problem is not simply that this work takes time. It also creates operational limitations.
Limited Estimating Capacity
An estimating team can only process a certain number of projects within a given period.
When several opportunities arrive simultaneously, the team may struggle to complete every quote before the deadline.
Repetitive Manual Work
Estimators often spend substantial time finding, marking and counting equipment across large plan sets.
This reduces the time available for customer communication, technical review and business development.
Risk of Errors
Missing an equipment item, misunderstanding a specification or overlooking a drawing revision can affect the accuracy of a quote.
Missed Business Opportunities
If a company cannot prepare enough estimates, it may have to prioritize some opportunities and decline others.
For a business competing for commercial projects, that can mean leaving potential revenue on the table.
Rebar was created to address these problems by automating repetitive document analysis while keeping experienced estimators involved in reviewing and approving the final work.
5. How Rebar Started
Rebar was founded in October 2024 by Evan Brown and Andrew Schwartz.
The founding idea came from Brown’s direct experience with the estimating process and his observation that many HVAC businesses were still relying on workflows that had changed very little over time.
The founders believed artificial intelligence could do more than simply digitize existing paperwork.
They wanted to build technology capable of understanding construction documents, identifying relevant equipment and organizing information in ways that matched the work estimators already performed.
But building that type of product required more than developing an AI model.
The founders needed to understand the differences between equipment categories, technical specifications, manufacturer requirements and the way individual suppliers prepared quotes.
They therefore spent considerable time speaking with operators and visiting supplier offices.
This research helped them identify the workflows where automation could deliver practical value.
The decision to focus initially on HVAC was deliberate.
Instead of trying to build a single generic product for every construction trade, Rebar concentrated on understanding one complex industry deeply.
The company could then use that foundation to develop additional capabilities and eventually serve adjacent trades.
That strategy became central to its product identity.
6. How Rebar’s AI Estimating Platform Works
Rebar’s core technology analyzes construction drawings and technical specifications to help mechanical estimating teams prepare bids more efficiently.
Its platform uses proprietary AI and computer vision models to process information from project documents.
The objective is to turn a time-consuming manual workflow into a more automated process that estimators can review and control.
AI Equipment Marking
Rebar can identify HVAC equipment shown in construction drawings and mark relevant items for review.
This helps estimators locate equipment without manually searching through every page.
Automatic Room Search
Equipment needs to be understood in context.
Rebar’s automatic room search capability helps identify and match equipment to rooms across a drawing set.
That information can support a more organized takeoff process and reduce the risk of overlooking relevant items.
AI Ductwork Takeoff
Ductwork estimating involves more than counting equipment.
Estimators may need to identify duct lengths, dimensions, materials, weights, insulation requirements and accessories.
Rebar’s AI ductwork takeoff capability is designed to extract these details from mechanical plans.
Equipment Schedule Extraction
Mechanical drawings often contain equipment schedules with tags, manufacturers and model information.
Rebar can read these schedules and help identify the equipment required for a project.
Its platform also presents manufacturer pricing information to support estimating workflows.
Addendum Change Summaries
Construction projects frequently receive revised drawings and additional documents.
These revisions can introduce changes to equipment, specifications or project requirements.
Rebar’s AI addendum summary feature helps estimators understand what has changed between document revisions.
This is important because overlooking a revision can lead to inaccurate pricing or incomplete bids.
Specification Review
Rebar also supports questions about project specifications.
Users can ask about technical requirements and receive answers that reference the relevant document clauses.
This gives estimators a way to investigate technical requirements without manually searching through every specification page.
The company emphasizes that AI-generated results remain subject to human review. Estimators can check, correct or override extracted information before it becomes part of a bid.
Explore the official Rebar HVAC takeoff platform: https://www.withrebar.ai/hvac-takeoff
7. Beyond Takeoffs: Building an AI Operating System
Although automated takeoffs are central to Rebar’s initial product, the founders have a broader ambition.
They want to build an AI operating system for the trades.
That means expanding beyond the process of reading drawings and preparing estimates into other activities that commercial mechanical businesses perform every day.
Bid Management
Rebar provides tools for managing incoming bid opportunities.
Its platform can read, tag and prioritize inbound requests, helping bid coordinators organize projects and deadlines.
A centralized bid board gives teams visibility into project owners, status, deadlines and estimated value.
Project Analytics
Estimating teams generate valuable information through their daily work.
Rebar’s analytics capabilities help companies understand project activity, including the engineers and architects associated with projects, bid volume and market patterns.
This can help management identify where opportunities are coming from and how their teams are performing.
Business Intelligence
The company’s business intelligence tools are designed to turn estimating activity into useful business information.
For example, a company may want to understand which engineering firms frequently specify its products or which markets generate the most project opportunities.
Instead of relying on separate spreadsheets, teams can explore information generated through their existing Rebar workflows.
Enterprise Security
Construction projects can involve confidential plans, commercial pricing and sensitive business information.
Rebar states that its platform is SOC 2 Type I certified and supports data isolation between companies. It also offers protection for projects operating under nondisclosure agreements.
These capabilities are particularly relevant when suppliers and contractors work with confidential project documents.
The broader strategy is to connect estimating, bidding and business intelligence in one environment.
8. The Customers Using Rebar
A technology platform must solve real problems for businesses before it can establish a meaningful position in the market.
Rebar’s early customers include commercial HVAC suppliers, manufacturer’s representative firms and mechanical contractors.
Its website features customer testimonials from organizations including Johnson Barrow, McMillan James, HB McClure and CAVH.
These businesses use the platform to improve estimating workflows, manage projects and reduce repetitive administrative work.
Johnson Barrow
Johnson Barrow’s Principal, Rudy Caffall, described how Rebar helped the company bring takeoffs back in-house because of the efficiency improvements experienced by its estimating team.
This is an important example of the platform’s intended value.
Some companies outsource estimating work when internal teams cannot process enough projects. If automation makes internal estimating more efficient, a business may be able to regain control over that workflow.
McMillan James
JJ Joseph, Operations Manager at McMillan James, highlighted improvements in bid coordination, estimator efficiency and communication.
His testimonial describes how the platform became part of the company’s daily operations within a relatively short period.
HB McClure
HB McClure highlighted Rebar’s willingness to work directly with estimating and engineering teams.
Its feedback emphasizes the importance of developing software around real-world commercial plumbing and mechanical workflows.
CAVH
CAVH’s Director of Internal Estimating, Moises Garcia, explained that a project previously requiring up to two days could be completed in approximately six to eight hours with Rebar.
These examples are company-published customer testimonials, not independently audited performance studies. Nevertheless, they illustrate the types of operational improvements Rebar is trying to deliver.
The company also reported approximately 40 customers when its Series A was announced in March 2026, including seven customers who had invested in the startup.
9. Rebar’s Business Model and Growth
Rebar operates as a business-to-business software company.
Its target customers are commercial HVAC suppliers, distributors, manufacturer’s representative firms and contractors.
The company uses a usage-based subscription model, connecting software access and usage with the estimating activity customers process through the platform.
This approach fits the nature of the product.
Businesses use Rebar to process project documents, perform takeoffs and prepare quotes. The value comes from helping teams handle more work with less manual effort.
In March 2026, CEO Evan Brown told Crunchbase News that Rebar had approximately 40 customers.
He also reported that the company’s annual recurring revenue doubled during the first six weeks of 2026.
According to Brown, Rebar’s AI technology helped commercial HVAC suppliers generate quotes approximately 60% to 70% faster than traditional methods.
He also described early customer conversations suggesting that some businesses could be submitting two to three times as many proposals after adopting the platform.
Those figures are company-reported and should not be interpreted as a guaranteed outcome for every customer.
The company’s growth opportunity is tied to a straightforward business proposition: if estimators can prepare more accurate quotes in less time, businesses may be able to pursue more projects without expanding their estimating teams at the same rate.
10. Inside Rebar’s $14 Million Series A
One of the most significant milestones in Rebar’s development came in March 2026.
The company announced that it had closed a $14 million Series A funding round led by Prudence.
Other participating investors included:
- Zero Infinity Partners.
- Founder Collective.
- Villain Capital.
- Optimist Ventures.
The funding was intended to support the expansion of Rebar’s AI operating system and the development of additional solutions for the construction trades.
The company’s plans included building more AI-powered capabilities across the HVAC value chain and expanding into adjacent industries such as electrical and plumbing.
The investment also provides resources for expanding into additional geographic markets.
The funding announcement highlighted the opportunity to modernize industries that have historically relied on manual processes and limited purpose-built software.
For Rebar, the Series A represented more than financial support. It was an important signal that investors saw potential in applying specialized AI technology to traditional construction workflows.
No company valuation was disclosed in the funding announcement, so the $14 million investment should not be confused with a valuation figure.
11. Who Invested in Rebar?
The Series A was led by Prudence, an investment firm focused on vertical AI companies and technology transforming the built environment.
Prudence’s investment thesis fits Rebar’s approach: developing specialized AI technology for industries that have historically been underserved by modern software.
The other investors also bring experience in technology and startup development.
Zero Infinity Partners
Zero Infinity Partners participated in the Series A, supporting Rebar’s expansion and product development.
Founder Collective
Founder Collective is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in startups and entrepreneur-led businesses.
Villain Capital
Villain Capital also participated in the financing, joining the group of investors backing Rebar’s next stage.
Optimist Ventures
Optimist Ventures completed the investor group participating in the Series A.
The round brought together investors interested in vertical software, AI and the modernization of traditional industries.
It also demonstrated that a specialized construction technology company could attract venture capital by focusing on a specific operational problem rather than trying to build a broad platform from day one.
12. Competition in the Construction Technology Market
Rebar operates in the broader construction technology and estimating software market.
This is not an empty category. Contractors and estimating teams already use various applications to review drawings, measure quantities and manage project information.
Potential alternatives include established tools such as Bluebeam Revu, Autodesk Takeoff and STACK, along with newer AI-focused companies working on document analysis and construction workflows.
However, Rebar’s strategy is based on specialization.
Instead of trying to serve every construction trade equally from the beginning, it focuses deeply on HVAC estimating.
That creates several potential advantages.
Industry-Specific Understanding
HVAC drawings contain specialized equipment, terminology, schedules and technical requirements.
Software designed around those details may be more useful to HVAC estimators than a general-purpose document analysis tool.
Workflow Integration
Rebar aims to connect takeoffs with bid management and business intelligence.
This can help customers manage more of their estimating process in one environment.
Founder Experience
Brown’s background as an HVAC estimator and sales engineer gives the company firsthand knowledge of the problems it is trying to solve.
Expansion Opportunity
Once the company establishes its technology in HVAC, it can explore adjacent markets where similar document-heavy workflows exist.
However, specialization alone does not guarantee a lasting competitive advantage. Rebar must continue improving accuracy, usability, customer support and integration with the systems its customers already use.
For another example of founders applying AI to an overlooked industry workflow, read DenotePress’s story about Matt Engfer and Cubby: https://denotepress.com/matt-engfer-cubby/
13. Challenges and Risks Ahead
Rebar has identified a substantial opportunity, but the company faces several challenges as it scales.
AI Accuracy and Reliability
Construction estimates depend on technical details.
Missing a piece of equipment, misreading a specification or incorrectly interpreting a drawing can affect the final quote.
Rebar’s human review process is therefore important. The company must continue improving AI performance while making it easy for estimators to verify the results.
Customer Trust and Adoption
Construction businesses often rely on established processes and experienced employees.
Introducing AI into estimating workflows requires trust. Customers need confidence that the technology will support their teams rather than create additional checking work.
Competition From Established Platforms
Companies already serving construction professionals may develop more advanced AI capabilities.
Rebar will need to maintain a clear advantage through its HVAC specialization, product quality and understanding of customer workflows.
Expansion Into New Trades
Moving from HVAC into plumbing and electrical is an attractive opportunity, but each trade has its own technical language, equipment categories and estimating requirements.
The company will need to build and validate specialized capabilities rather than assume that an HVAC model can simply be reused everywhere.
Long Sales Cycles
Commercial construction projects can involve complex purchasing decisions and long timelines.
Rebar must demonstrate measurable value to suppliers and contractors while maintaining customer retention and efficient customer acquisition.
Data Security
Construction drawings, project specifications and pricing information can be commercially sensitive.
The company’s security commitments and data isolation practices will remain important as it serves larger organizations and handles more confidential projects.
14. Rebar’s Future Vision
Rebar’s long-term ambition is to become the AI operating system for HVAC, plumbing and electrical professionals.
The company is starting with estimating and takeoffs, but its roadmap extends into other areas of the commercial construction sales process.
Potential areas of expansion include:
- Specification review.
- Submittal management.
- Bid management.
- Additional AI-powered workflows.
- Business intelligence.
- More advanced document automation.
The move into plumbing and electrical is particularly important.
These industries share some similarities with HVAC. They also involve technical drawings, equipment schedules, material requirements and estimating processes.
However, successful expansion will require specialized models and workflows that understand each trade’s requirements.
Rebar’s approach suggests that it wants to build a collection of connected AI capabilities rather than a single-purpose takeoff application.
Its progress will depend on whether it can turn that vision into reliable products that customers use every day.
15. Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Rebar
Rebar’s journey offers several useful lessons for founders building technology companies in traditional industries.
1. Firsthand Experience Can Reveal Valuable Problems
Evan Brown’s experience in the HVAC industry helped him identify a problem that outsiders might overlook.
Founders who understand their customers’ daily challenges can often recognize opportunities that are difficult to see from the outside.
2. Focus on One Industry Before Expanding
Rebar did not begin by trying to automate every construction trade.
It started with HVAC estimating, allowing the company to concentrate on a specific group of customers and workflows.
A focused product can create a stronger foundation for future expansion.
3. Speak to Customers Before Building Everything
The founders spent time visiting supplier offices and speaking with industry professionals.
That research helped them understand how customers worked and where automation could deliver meaningful value.
4. AI Should Solve a Practical Business Problem
Artificial intelligence is not valuable simply because it is new.
Rebar’s product focuses on reducing the time required to review drawings, identify equipment and prepare quotes.
The business value comes from making estimating teams more productive.
5. Combine Technical Capability With Industry Knowledge
A strong AI product requires more than advanced models.
It also needs an understanding of the industry, its terminology and the decisions customers make every day.
Rebar’s founding team brings together those different capabilities.
6. Build Technology Around Human Expertise
The purpose of automation should not be to remove important professional judgment.
Rebar allows estimators to review and correct AI-generated results before using them in bids.
That balance between automation and human oversight is important in technical industries.
16. Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Rebar?
Rebar was founded by Evan Brown and Andrew Schwartz in October 2024. Brown serves as CEO and Schwartz leads product strategy as Chief Product Officer.
What does Rebar do?
Rebar develops AI-powered estimating and takeoff software for commercial HVAC suppliers, distributors and contractors. Its platform analyzes construction drawings and specifications to help teams prepare estimates and bids faster.
Where is Rebar based?
Rebar is based in New York City, United States, according to its company information and public profiles.
How much funding has Rebar raised?
Rebar announced a $14 million Series A funding round in March 2026, led by Prudence.
Who invested in Rebar?
The Series A was led by Prudence, with participation from Zero Infinity Partners, Founder Collective, Villain Capital and Optimist Ventures.
How does Rebar use artificial intelligence?
Rebar uses AI and computer vision to analyze construction blueprints, identify HVAC equipment, perform takeoffs, extract specification information and help generate bills of materials and quotes.
How much faster can Rebar prepare estimates?
The company has reported that its platform can help commercial HVAC suppliers generate quotes approximately 60% to 70% faster than traditional methods. Actual results may vary depending on the project and workflow.
Who uses Rebar?
Its customers include commercial HVAC suppliers, manufacturer’s representative firms, distributors and mechanical contractors. The company has published testimonials from Johnson Barrow, McMillan James, HB McClure and CAVH.
Does Rebar support plumbing and electrical contractors?
Rebar’s long-term vision includes HVAC, plumbing and electrical trades. Its initial product focus is commercial HVAC estimating, while expansion into adjacent trades is part of its stated roadmap.
What makes Rebar different from traditional estimating software?
Rebar focuses on AI-powered document analysis and HVAC-specific workflows. It combines equipment identification, ductwork takeoffs, specification review, bid management and business intelligence.
What is Rebar’s business model?
Rebar operates as a B2B software company and uses a usage-based subscription model for its platform.
Is Rebar’s AI completely autonomous?
No. Rebar’s platform supports human review and correction. Estimators can verify and adjust extracted information before it is used in a bid.
17. Conclusion
The story of Rebar begins with a problem that many people outside the construction industry might never notice.
For years, HVAC estimators have spent countless hours reviewing construction drawings, counting equipment and preparing quotes. Even as software transformed other parts of the construction industry, many of these workflows remained heavily manual.
Evan Brown experienced that problem from both sides: first in his uncle’s HVAC supplier office and later through his professional work as an estimator and sales engineer.
Together with Andrew Schwartz, he turned that experience into a technology company focused on modernizing the way commercial HVAC businesses operate.
Rebar’s AI-powered platform is designed to make estimating faster, improve bid management and give companies better visibility into their project opportunities.
Its $14 million Series A led by Prudence provides capital to develop the platform further and pursue expansion into adjacent trades.
But the company’s long-term success will depend on more than funding or AI capabilities. It must prove that its technology consistently delivers accurate results, earns the trust of experienced professionals and creates measurable business value.
Rebar’s journey offers an important lesson for entrepreneurs: some of the most valuable technology opportunities are hidden inside industries where people have accepted inefficient processes for years.
By listening to the people doing the work and building technology around their actual needs, founders can create solutions with the potential to transform entire industries.
For Evan Brown and Andrew Schwartz, that opportunity begins with HVAC estimating—and their ambition reaches much further.
