Saudi contech TruBuild secures $1 million Seed round

• •Founded in 2023 by Bisrat Degefa and Sari Sabban, TruBuild uses artificial intelligence to reduce inefficiencies, improve collaboration, and prevent project variations.
• •The round will fuel product development, team growth, and expansion plans across the Kingdom and into global markets.

TruBuild, a Saudi-based construction technology startup co-founded by Bisrat Degefa (CEO) and Dr Sari Sabban (CTO), has raised $1 million in Seed funding to transform how construction projects are delivered, with a focus on eliminating cost overruns, delays, and misalignment in large-scale developments.

The round was led by Wa’ed Ventures, the $500 million VC arm of Saudi Aramco, and Dar Ventures, the venture capital arm of Dar. Additional participants included Plug & Play Ventures, OQAL, Taz Investment, and angel investors such as Simon Moon, former CEO of Atkins Middle East. TruBuild previously received early backing from Antler MENAP during the Riyadh 2023 cohort.

Tackling construction’s $1.6 trillion problem at a global scale

The construction industry loses more than $1.6 trillion each year due to unexpected project changes, vague scopes, and miscommunications, often with no clear traceability across teams.

TruBuild is tackling this head-on. Its AI-powered platform integrates directly with tools used by contractors, consultants, and project owners, quietly working in the background to surface early-stage risks, automate documentation, and align stakeholders — helping teams avoid rework and move faster, together. By embedding intelligence into everyday workflows, TruBuild reduces admin burden, clarifies decisions, and speeds up tender evaluations, contract awards and change approvals by up to 80%.

Bridging global expertise with Saudi Vision 2030

TruBuild’s model is a direct response to the Kingdom’s need for smarter, more efficient infrastructure. By blending British construction expertise with Saudi-led AI R&D, the company supports Vision 2030’s objectives to localise innovation and modernise public and private sector project delivery.

“TruBuild is combining the best of British construction expertise with cutting-edge Saudi AI R&D to support the realisation of the Saudi Vision 2030 and beyond.”

— Matt Jones — Saudi British Joint Business Council

Strategic support from key investors

“We fully believe in TruBuild’s mission to eliminate costly project changes and variations, in line with our mission to invest in impactful businesses in the construction sector.”

— Anas Algahtani — Wa’ed Ventures

Trusted by leading project developers

TruBuild is already embedded within projects led by major developers in Saudi Arabia, including Osool Real Estate Company.

“TruBuild’s approach is an integral part of our digital strategy, allowing Osool to procure and develop projects more efficiently.”

— David Watkins — Chief Project Development Officer, Osool Real Estate

A founding team of industry veterans

Bisrat Degefa, CEO. Former Global Director at Atkins and Gleeds with over 15 years of experience managing project portfolios worth more than $34 billion.

Dr Sari Sabban, CTO. AI developer, two-time Fulbright Scholar, and patent holder with nearly two decades of experience in machine learning and research.

“We’re not here to disrupt for the sake of it. We’re here to make everyday decisions easier through objective data — and to help teams avoid the painful surprises they’ve faced for decades.”

— Bisrat Degefa — Co-founder & CEO, TruBuild

What’s next for TruBuild

The Seed funding will fuel TruBuild’s product development, team growth, and market expansion. The company plans to scale across the Kingdom and into global markets, continuing its mission to de-risk construction with clarity and confidence.