Pre-seed funding fuels Toronto startup’s expansion across North America, tackling labor productivity with field-tested software

Crewscope Raises Over $1M to Boost Productivity for Construction and Industrial Field Crews.

TORONTO, Aug. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crewscope (https://crewscope.com), a Toronto-based startup, has raised over $1 million in pre-seed funding to accelerate development of its field operations AI software for hourly construction and industrial teams.

Groundbreak Ventures led the round and includes a strategic partnership with EllisDon, one of Canada’s largest general contractors.

Construction and industrial production are capital-intensive. Delivering on time saves hundreds of thousands of dollars in financing and overhead costs. To gain an edge where time is the only variable, site teams must execute safer, faster, and more efficiently. Crewscope is a purpose-built productivity platform that empowers site teams to align weekly goals with the critical path schedule, provide real-time progress updates to workers, and recognize performance.

Crewscope was built in the field and proven by leading developers (Hazelview Investments, Lanterra Developments), general contractors (EllisDon), mining operations (Amrize/LafargeHolcim), and civil contractors (Maple Reinders).

Designed for critical path trades, the platform has consistently delivered a measurable impact, with customers reporting gains of up to 10% in labor productivity, improved forecast accuracy, and stronger team retention. Best of all, workers say the program is motivating, enhances focus, and makes work fun.

“Crewscope helps us transform the way we engage our field teams. It’s not just about tracking progress, it’s about creating a culture of accountability and recognition that drives real results,” said Brandon Milner, Chief Information Officer, EllisDon.

North America is short of more than 500,000 skilled workers, and 40% of the current workforce is expected to retire by 2030. Meanwhile, construction labor productivity has declined 1% annually since 1970, a gap three times wider than in other industries.

“Crewscope is addressing a key productivity challenge in construction with practical, scalable technology,” said Claudia Krywiak, President and CEO of OCI. “At OCI, we’re proud to support innovative solutions like Crewscope that empower Ontario’s industrial workforce to work smarter, retain top talent, and stay competitive.”

Workers today want more than a paycheck - they want purpose, transparent expectations, instant information, and recognition for a job well done. Site leaders need to develop their leadership competencies to treat workers as essential contributors, not tools. Crewscope meets the moment and will use this investment to expand across North America, scale predictive AI, and help clients reduce schedule risk and build high-performance field teams.

“Crewscope is redefining labor productivity in an industry bedeviled by cost overruns and schedule delays. We love how the team has integrated on-site communication and goal-setting with a gamified incentive system. The right incentives aren’t just motivational - they’re a powerful lever for team empowerment and operational change that can drastically improve outcomes,” said Scott Kaplanis, Managing Partner, Groundbreak Ventures

“This raise is an important milestone, but just the beginning. Construction and industrial teams are the backbone of our economy, but are underserved by simple technology,” said Calvin Benchimol, Co-Founder and CEO of Crewscope. “With the support of our partners, we’re building the tools to help crews deliver with purpose, clarity, and recognition.”

About Crewscope
Crewscope is a jobsite productivity platform for construction, mining, and industrial teams. It helps crews stay aligned, take initiative, and finish on time by combining weekly planning, progress feedback, and performance-based incentives — all built for use by field teams.
Founded in 2023 and commercially launched in 2024, Crewscope is already trusted by leading developers, contractors, and self-perform trades across Canada. https://crewscope.com/

About the Ontario Centre of Innovation
The Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) brings industry, academic, and government partners together to invest in collaborative R&D, technology development, and commercialization opportunities that generate the highest return on innovation for Ontarians. OCI drives economic growth and job creation through investments in the development, commercialization, and adoption of advanced technologies. For more information: https://www.oc-innovation.ca

For media inquiries, partnership opportunities, or to see how Crewscope is delivering results in the field, visit crewscope.com or contact info@crewscope.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f4a17d54-a222-45cf-acd6-d1a27fd85e58