HippoBuild
YC W22Bogotá, CO · Founded 2021 · 5 employees · 3 known investors
HippoBuild provides construction material sourcing and purchasing software for builders, offering bulk purchasing tools, data-driven insights, direct access to materials, and financing options.
Also known as Hippo.Build · Hippo Build · Hippo.Build (YC W22)
Founders & leadership· Y Combinator alumni (W22)
HippoBuild was founded in 2021 by Mads Schmidt Petersen.
Investors · 3
The YC application· Winter 2022 batch
Company profile
researched Aug 2026HippoBuild (hippo.build) is a Bogotá, Colombia-based software company that builds what it describes as an operating system for the construction industry, aimed at small and medium-sized construction firms in Latin America. Its platform automates and optimizes back-office functions and the materials supply chain, connecting previously siloed software tools into a single cloud environment with ERP-style capabilities so that customers do not need to replace existing tools or retrain staff.
The product collects operational data from customer projects, uses predictive models to anticipate materials needs and buying behavior, aggregates purchases across multiple projects into group demand, and connects that demand directly to major manufacturers and suppliers. The company states this yields average savings of 4-5% on materials purchases and a roughly 20% reduction in administrative workload, alongside real-time data for decision-making and financing options for buyers. HippoBuild reports being integrated with multiple marketplaces and providers so that better-priced materials can be sourced automatically, and says onboarding takes minutes.
The company participated in Y Combinator's Winter 2022 batch and publishes Spanish-language content for contractors on ERP software and construction-sector digitization.
Founding story
HippoBuild was founded in 2021 by Mads Schmidt Petersen, a Danish serial entrepreneur who started his first company in high school and spent roughly eight years in product development across construction technology, fintech and machine learning services companies.
Business model
HippoBuild sells a vertical SaaS product to SMB construction companies with an embedded materials marketplace. It charges a small recurring SaaS fee plus a 1% transaction fee on materials sourced through the platform, a structure the company says keeps it affordable for small businesses while generating $20,000-$100,000 per customer company.
Recurring software subscription fees combined with a 1% transaction fee on construction materials purchased through the platform.
Traction
Y Combinator lists a team size of 5 and an active status; a third-party company directory lists 1-10 employees. The company website cites builders that have used the platform, direct collaboration with materials manufacturers, projects impacted and years of operation, and names reference projects including Poseidón Apartasuites in Santa Marta, Okko Tower in Medellín, a hotel project in Barranquilla and CityLive Hundred in Bogotá. Testimonials from architects and construction managers cite steel supply continuity and delivery timeliness.
Latest developments
The company continues to operate its platform for Colombian construction firms, publishing contractor-focused content on ERP software and sector digitization, and is listed by Y Combinator as active with a five-person team.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
HippoBuild positions itself in the SMB construction supply market in Latin America, which it sizes at $150 billion with an estimated $22 billion lost to inefficiencies. It presents itself as an ally to builders that both digitizes back-office operations and intermediates materials purchasing, rather than a standalone project-management or e-commerce tool.
The company combines operational SaaS with an embedded materials marketplace, using data captured through the software to predict purchases and aggregate demand across projects for better supplier pricing. It emphasizes that customers can keep their existing tools rather than replacing them, that implementation is fast, and that it provides direct supplier access plus financing options.
Technology
A cloud platform that connects existing siloed construction software into a single environment with ERP functionality, gathers operational data from customer projects, and applies predictive data models to forecast purchasing behavior and materials demand. The system groups purchases across projects to create aggregated demand and integrates with multiple marketplaces and supplier systems to source materials automatically. The public website runs on WordPress with Elementor, jQuery, PHP and Apache, with Google Analytics for measurement.
Go-to-market
Direct sales to construction SMEs supported by commercial advisors, with rapid software implementation and short onboarding. Marketing includes a Spanish-language website, customer project references and testimonials, a blog for contractors covering ERP and construction digitization, and a YouTube channel. Y Combinator participation generated Colombian and regional press coverage in early 2022.
Small and medium-sized construction companies and contractors in Latin America, including builders, developers and construction SMEs; named users on the company site include Constructora Vives, Lugar Inmobiliario, Aratti and Progressio Constructores.
Geography
Headquartered in Bogotá, Colombia, with customer projects in Bogotá, Medellín, Barranquilla and Santa Marta and a stated focus on the Latin American SMB construction market.
History
Founded in 2021 in Bogotá, the company joined Y Combinator's Winter 2022 batch, which was reported by Colombian and Latin American outlets in February and March 2022. It has since expanded its offering around ERP-style back-office software and bulk materials purchasing for construction SMEs.
Compiled by commissioned research from 7 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 1
launches, deals, and filingsHippoBuild joined Y Combinator's Winter 2022 accelerator batch, reported by Colombian and Latin American press in early February 2022.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 7
primary sources listed
- HippoBuildhippo.build · web
7 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does HippoBuild do?
- HippoBuild is a Colombian vertical SaaS and materials-sourcing platform for small and mid-sized construction companies.
- Who founded HippoBuild?
- HippoBuild was founded by Mads Schmidt Petersen in 2021.
- Who are HippoBuild's investors?
- HippoBuild's investors include MPG Fund, Startups, Y Combinator.
- Where is HippoBuild headquartered?
- HippoBuild is headquartered in Bogotá, CO.