Commercial real estate activity is picking up nationwide. Few states, however, are doing it bigger or better than Texas.
Texas spends $90B annually on commercial projects, more than double that of any other state. It leads the nation in construction-related jobs, adding 28,000 new positions last year.
Despite the surge in investment, the way contractors generate leads has largely remained unchanged.
For decades, Texas general contractors have relied on word of mouth, professional relationships, networking or bid boards to land contracts. The problem is that by the time they hear about a project, it is usually too late.
What if there were a more efficient, proactive way to change the way contractors discover and pursue work? Enter Mercator.ai, a Texas-centered market intelligence platform that uses artificial intelligence to give GCs, subcontractors and suppliers early visibility into private projects before they reach the competition.
“Mercator.ai is a construction intelligence platform that helps contractors get ahead of private work before it hits public bid boards,” Mercator.ai CEO Chloe Smith said. “AI is giving contractors an edge they have never had before.”
A Granular, Precise Approach
The platform uses artificial intelligence to track more than 65,000 active projects across Texas, spanning healthcare, office, data centers and high-rise residential assets. It scans thousands of sources to surface early-stage indicators such as rezoning activity, land transfers, title changes and permits.
“Private construction moves fast, and it rarely shows up on traditional bid boards,” Smith said. “If you are not monitoring early signals across thousands of properties and developers, you’re flying blind. Our AI does that heavy lifting for you.”
Once the contractor identifies a project of interest, Mercator.ai allows it to dive into real-time details, including key stakeholders, site data and project value. Contractors can also explore a company directory listing tens of thousands of developers, architects and engineering firms to find partners or assess competitors.
“The scale of the coverage lets Mercator.ai connect the dots others miss, before permits are filed or architects are announced,” he said. “Scale, powered by AI, is what turns scattered public records into actionable leads.”
The Use Of AI In Construction Is Booming
More than 75% of construction, architecture and engineering companies plan to increase their investment in AI. The industry is already using AI to improve daily operations, enhance jobsite safety and reduce risk by predicting issues before they occur.
Mercator.ai is applying those same AI capabilities to the front end of the pipeline.
“Mercator.ai is the premier product for spotting projects earlier, building relationships with decision-makers sooner and influencing scope before plans are finalized,” Smith said. “Mercator.ai will become the default way proactive contractors plan, pursue and win work.”
Mercator.ai CEO Chloe Smith
Challenging Tradition
Mercator.ai is the only intelligence platform of its kind in the commercial construction industry. It turns what was once guesswork for business development teams into predictable, AI-driven insights.
“Traditional platforms like Dodge and ConstructConnect only show you public bid-stage projects,” Smith said. “But by the time an opportunity hits those systems, it’s often too late.”
Word of mouth is equally risky. It depends on the reach of one individual, and if that person leaves or retires, their network leaves with them.
Mercator.ai creates a systemized way to generate leads rooted in structured data. It doesn’t rely on call centers or user submissions. It builds intelligence from the ground up, pushing the boundaries of AI in construction.
“We are shifting the industry from last-minute bids to long-term pipeline building,” he said.
Providing A Competitive Edge
Mercator’s customers consistently report three to five times more early-stage leads and fewer dead-end pursuits. Users have also seen a 40% increase in business development efficiency and a 60% reduction in lead qualification time.
One Houston GC identified a land rezoning signal through Mercator.ai, brought the developer to tour a similar project, and ended up defining the scope and winning the work before bids were announced. A Dallas GC tracked multifamily conversions and secured two jobs before competitors could react. A subcontractor used the platform to spot a healthcare expansion project and won work before the RFP was issued.
“Texas is the perfect proving ground for Mercator.ai,” Smith said. “It is large, fragmented and heavy on private sector construction, especially in fast-growing metros like Houston, Austin and Dallas. There is no centralized data source. Every county and city handles things differently. That makes early signals hard to track manually, but it is exactly where AI makes the difference.”
This article was produced in collaboration between Mercator.ai and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.
Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.
