From Data to Decisions
Estimate with Precision.
Active Estimating, founded in 2024 and based in Davis, California, is a construction technology company redefining the construction estimating process. By integrating AI-powered tools, real-time analytics, and seamless data transformation, it dramatically reduces estimating time (by up to 80%) and improves cost accuracy and risk management.
About Us
At Active Estimating, we are construction veterans, engineers, and technologists who’ve lived the pain of outdated estimating systems—and decided to solve it. Our team blends over a century of experience in high-stakes construction, academic research, and software development.We’ve delivered Target Value Design projects worth billions. We’ve taught the next generation of engineers. And we’ve partnered with NASA to estimate construction on the Moon.Our mission is bold: to replace reactive, spreadsheet-driven estimating with a dynamic, intelligent platform that delivers cost certainty from concept to closeout.
Deep Industry Expertise:
Paul Martin
Co-founder Paul Martin brings over 29 years of combined academic and industry experience in preconstruction and estimating, particularly in complex environments such as healthcare and high-tech construction. His work bridges cutting-edge academic research and practical implementation:
Pioneers data-rich, multidimensional preconstruction modeling and cost forecasting.
Leads innovation through the Institute for Construction Innovation, merging industry, government, and academia.
FOUNDED BY INDUSTRY PIONEERS
Active Estimating® was founded by Paul Martin, a preconstruction and estimating innovator with decades of experience in high-profile projects. Paul developed the Active Estimating® methodology to bridge the gap between theoretical analysis and practical application in construction estimating.
Connect with Paul on LinkedIn
Learn More About Our Story
Collaborative Innovation Across Industries
Our unique collaborative model, led by co-founder Paul Martin through the Institute for Construction Innovation (i4ci), creates a continuous exchange of knowledge between construction, aerospace, healthcare, and education. This cross-pollination of ideas drives innovation that benefits all our clients, regardless of industry.
Our Story:
From Innovation To Implementation
The Birth of Active Estimating®
Active Estimating® began with a simple observation: traditional estimating approaches were reactive, creating a disconnect between design data and actual project execution. In an industry where accuracy is paramount, this gap was causing cost overruns, contract disputes, and delays.
Our co-founder, Paul Martin, recognized this challenge through his extensive experience in high-profile healthcare projects. Working with complex jobs requiring large capital outlays, he saw firsthand how traditional estimating methods failed to keep pace with evolving technologies, changing approaches to contracts and procurement, and other external pressures.
Rather than accepting these limitations, Paul developed a contemporary approach that evaluates behaviors and knowledge that evolve to meet emerging challenges and opportunities. This became the Active Estimating® methodology—a framework that implements advanced technologies and processes to bridge the gap between analysis and holistic actual application, minimizing risk within the construction industry.
From Classroom to Boardroom
What began as an innovative teaching methodology by Paul, has evolved into a powerful suite of solutions trusted by leading AECO companies worldwide. This academic foundation led to the establishment of the Institute for Construction Innovation (i4ci.org), where our team conducts ongoing research and development to create differentiators through instruction, innovation, and implementation.
Where We Are Today
Today, Active Estimating® empowers builders and designers with our AI-powered solutions to improve accuracy, manage risk, and reduce estimating time by up to 80%. Our platform is specifically designed for the AECO industry to solve the most complex estimating challenges through:
- Automated data transformation
- Centralized database management
- Real-time analytics
- Seamless integrations with existing tools
Our growing team of experts continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in construction estimating, guided by our commitment to transform the industry from reactive to active approaches.
Join Us on This Journey
Whether you're a general contractor, subcontractor, designer, or owner, we invite you to experience the difference Active Estimating® can make in your projects. Schedule a demo today to see our methodology in action and discover how we can help you create your own differentiators in the competitive construction landscape.
Collaborations That Transcend Industries
Breaking Down Industry Silos
At Active Estimating®, we believe that the most powerful innovations often come from cross-pollination between industries. Our unique methodology has proven effective not just in traditional construction settings, but across sectors where complex estimating challenges demand innovative solutions.
Perhaps the most striking example of our cross-industry impact is our collaboration with NASA through the Institute for Construction Innovation (i4ci). When NASA faced challenges with cost estimation for next-generation space systems, they recognized that the complexity of these projects mirrored many of the challenges found in advanced construction. Paul Martin, leveraging his dual expertise as both Active Estimating's co-founder and director of i4ci, led a pioneering initiative to adapt our methodologies for aerospace applications. This collaboration demonstrated how construction innovation principles could transform processes even in the highly specialized field of space exploration. The success of this partnership created a two-way exchange of knowledge: NASA gained more accurate, transparent estimating processes, while our team gained insights into managing extreme complexity that we've since incorporated into our construction solutions.
Similarly, Paul's extensive background in healthcare construction led to specialized applications of Active Estimating® methodologies in medical facility development. The unique requirements of healthcare projects—strict regulatory compliance, complex MEP systems, and critical operational considerations—provided the perfect testing ground for our advanced approaches. By developing specialized solutions for healthcare estimating, we've created frameworks that now benefit projects across all sectors, from commercial to institutional construction.
Our commitment to collaboration extends to the academic world as well. Through Paul's teaching position and i4ci's university partnerships, we maintain a continuous dialogue between theoretical research and practical application. These educational collaborations ensure that Active Estimating® remains at the cutting edge of innovation while training the next generation of industry leaders.
Building a Collaborative Future
Today, we continue to seek out collaborative opportunities that challenge conventional thinking and push the boundaries of what's possible in estimating and cost management. Each partnership—whether with aerospace engineers, healthcare administrators, or academic researchers—enriches our methodology and strengthens our ability to deliver exceptional results for all our clients.We invite you to become part of this collaborative journey, joining organizations across industries who have discovered the transformative power of Active Estimating®. Join the Active Estimating™ Innovation Program
Our Team
Our founding team brings over 50 years of construction industry experience, solving process inefficiencies through data-driven solutions.
Rich Schoener
CEO & Co-Founder
Vishesh Singh, Ph.D.
Head of Product & Co-Founder
Paul Martin
CTO & Co-Founder
John Niederer, Ph.D.
Head of Engineering
Brad Roberts
Commercialization
Ready to Transform Your Estimating Process?
Schedule a personalized demo to see how Active Estimating can work for your specific needs.
