Tom Deane’s story is one of entrepreneurial spirit, international ambition, and a deep understanding of the construction industry. As the co-founder of ProjectMark, a cutting-edge CRM software tailored for the construction sector, Deane’s journey from Ireland to Silicon Valley exemplifies the global nature of today’s startup ecosystem.
Early Career and the Move to America
Deane’s career in construction began in Dublin, Ireland, where he worked for Davis Langdon (later acquired by AECOM) as a quantity surveyor. This initial experience laid the foundation for his understanding of the industry’s intricacies. However, Deane’s ambitions stretched beyond the shores of Ireland.
In 2010, just two days after completing his final college exams, Deane took a leap of faith that would shape his future. He boarded a plane to Los Angeles with a mere $1,500 in his account and a dream of working on large-scale construction projects. Reflecting on this bold move, Deane shared:
“We had about 15. Well, I had about 1500 bucks in my account. And I was just really inspired by, you know, what the United States had to offer in terms of construction. You know, I always wanted to work on, you know, big projects and high rises and things like that.”
This decision marked the beginning of a 14-year journey in the United States, where Deane would gain invaluable experience and ultimately identify the gap in the market that led to ProjectMark’s creation.
Building a Career in American Construction
Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Deane faced the challenges of establishing himself in a new country. He recalls, “We kind of left on a whim and just kind of kept the head down the first few weeks, knocking on doors, trying to get jobs, things like that.” His persistence paid off, and he soon found himself working on significant projects, including high-rise developments.
Over the next decade, Deane’s career in construction flourished. He worked on both sides of the industry, gaining experience as a general contractor and later as an owner’s representative. This diverse experience provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the industry’s needs and pain points.
One aspect of the construction business that particularly captivated Deane was business development. He explains, “Something that I was massively passionate about was business development. It was the entire kind of winning work aspect of construction, you know, chasing developers, managing client relationships, working with the marketing team, getting into these project interviews and really communicating, ‘Hey, we’re the team that’s going to execute on this project because we know you the best.'”
The Genesis of Project Mark
The idea for Project Mark emerged from Deane’s firsthand experience with the limitations of existing technology solutions in the construction industry. While working on a major project, Deane and his future co-founder, Noel, observed the emergence of construction technology companies like Building Connected and PlanGrid. However, they noticed a gap in the market for sophisticated business development and marketing tools tailored to the construction sector.
Deane reflects on this realization: “We were seeing the likes of building connected and plan grid really emerge. And they were coming in and presenting to us on that particular project. And it was something that myself and Noel were always really curious about, like business development and marketing, such a massive, massive workflow for construction companies often involve lots of pain in winning work, not necessarily a modern technology that’s coming in and really helping and empowering teams to win work.”
Founding and Bootstrapping
In 2020, Deane and Noel decided to take the plunge and start Project Mark. They began by investing their own money to develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Deane emphasizes the importance of this initial phase: “What we initially did was we put our money together and we said, let’s build on a concept here and start kind of validating it across our network.”
The co-founders’ industry connections proved invaluable during this early stage. As they presented their concept to construction executives, they received positive feedback and, surprisingly, investment interest. Deane recalls, “The first $500,000 we were able to pull together from construction executives that we knew, but also some of our earliest clients.”
Fundraising Journey
Project Mark’s fundraising journey illustrates the challenges and opportunities faced by startups in the construction tech space. After the initial $500,000 raised from industry contacts, the company secured a pre-seed round led by Heartland Ventures, followed by a $3 million seed round in September 2023.
Deane emphasizes the importance of building relationships in the VC world: “I think you’re always out to raise money in startup land… Try to build up a great network in the early days, really understand VCs and why they invest and what they invest in and what the parameters are.”
He also highlights the value of momentum in fundraising: “The more momentum that you can build around your fundraisers is key because everything then moves quicker. The last thing you wanna do… is it just doesn’t go to plan in terms of timing.”
ProjectMark Today
Today, ProjectMark operates as a comprehensive CRM solution for the construction industry, focusing on the U.S. and Canadian markets. Deane describes the product as “combining sales enablement, the content management and the data hub together alongside the ORP and proposal generation.”
The company’s focus on industry-specific solutions sets it apart from generic CRMs. Deane explains,
“If you think about it, you know, day one of implementing a agnostic CRM, you’re in the same place as the law firm down the street or the startup around the corner, which then often requires a massive amount of money and effort to customize it for your liking.”
Looking to the Future
As Project Mark continues to grow, Deane and his team remain focused on product development and customer success. They’re constantly seeking feedback from clients to improve their offering. Deane notes, “We look for opportunities to continue to enhance our core product to delight our customer base.”
While currently focused on the North American market, Deane sees potential for global expansion, acknowledging the universal nature of certain construction industry processes: “General contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, no matter where they are in the world, they track opportunities the same. They want to manage their data very similarly.”
Reflections on the Entrepreneurial Journey
Deane’s journey from Irish quantity surveyor to Silicon Valley startup founder offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs. He emphasizes the importance of resourcefulness, relationship-building, and resilience in the face of challenges.
On the topic of location, while acknowledging the benefits of being in San Francisco, Deane cautions against overestimating its importance: “It’s often a question that comes up or a comment from, you know, mates or something like that are outside, you all must be easy to raise money. You guys are in the Mecca. It’s the opposite, you know?”
Deane remains committed to giving back to the startup community, offering to share his experiences with other founders: “If you’re a contact founder and that’s, you know, looking for advice or tips on fundraising, especially in the early days, feel free to give me a show. I’d be happy to spend that, you know, 15, 20 minutes to pay back some of the time that other founders had spent with me.”
Tom Deane’s story is one of international ambition, industry expertise, and entrepreneurial drive. From his early days as a quantity surveyor in Dublin to co-founding a Silicon Valley startup, Deane’s journey embodies the global nature of today’s business world and the transformative potential of industry-specific technology solutions.
