Applying for constructing permits often requires extensive applications, creating unpredictable timelines for developers and businesses. There are tens of 1000’s of jurisdictions – each with their very own constructing permit forms and application processes.
Ben Allen knows a thing or two about permits. While leading business expansion and strategy at Gopuff, Allen was tasked with opening Gopuff Kitchens, Gopuff's attempt at a ghost kitchen, in a whole bunch of locations across the U.S.
The biggest obstacle for his team was obtaining the obligatory constructing permits, Allen said.
“The approval process for developers, builders and agencies is essentially outdated and manual,” he told TechCrunch. “For example, some governing bodies only accept or review approval plans on a selected day of the week during specific hours. Without adopting an answer to streamline this process, many cities can be stuck in a time-consuming and expensive cycle of current approval processes.”
After leaving Gopuff, Allen was inspired to work with James Gallagher, a former colleague at Gopuff, to unravel the puzzle. Two years ago, the 2 began GreenLitea platform that attempts to standardize the approval process for clients across multiple jurisdictions.
The platform allows GreenLite's customers – which now include retailers and quick-service restaurants in addition to developers and manufactured home builders – to conduct plan reviews almost entirely through software. Rival corporations corresponding to PermitFlow, Accela and Tyler Technologies also offer this feature, but Gallagher argues that they’re more “application-oriented” and simpler.
“GreenLite offers a digital plan review solution that really delivers approvals faster and more transparently,” said Gallagher, CEO of GreenLite, adding that GreenLite can also be authorized to review construction plans and conduct constructing inspections in roughly 2,000 jurisdictions.
Some localities, like Miami, allow builders to rent their very own private vendors (e.g. GreenLite) in lieu of plan reviews and inspections. “GreenLite's platform is exclusive since it integrates construction drawings, zoning and use data, local constructing codes and expert compliance markups right into a single database,” Gallagher added.
Gallagher declined to reveal revenue figures, but claimed that GreenLite has “dozens” of shoppers and is in a “strong position to proceed to grow.”
“Our clients are in constant need of constructing permits and GreenLite is positioned to proceed to serve our clients whilst they adjust their priorities on account of potential headwinds,” Gallagher said. “In particular, our clients require constructing permits for brand spanking new unit additions and in addition for renovations, remodeling and refreshes of existing facilities.”
It helps that VCs bring fresh capital into the corporate.
GreenLite this week closed a $28.5 million Series A funding round led by Craft Ventures with participation from 53 Stations, Trust Ventures and LiveOak Ventures, bringing the corporate's total raised to $36.5 million. Gallagher said the brand new money will fuel GreenLite's market expansion and customer acquisition in segments corresponding to lodging, industrial and green infrastructure.
GreenLite is predicated in New York and employs 30 people. Gallagher expects to rent one other 10 people by the top of the yr.
