Alexey Dubov of Mighty Buildings
An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Alexey Dubov (co-founder and COO) of Mighty Buildings, which was honored in our:
Tell us the origin story of Mighty Buildings – what problem were you trying to solve and why?
In late 2017, I and Slava Solonoitsyn, Dmitry Starodubtsev, and Sam Ruben came together to start a 3D printing technology company called Mighty Buildings. We wanted to leverage technology to disrupt the construction industry by creating beautiful, high-quality, and sustainable homes using 3D printing and robotics. Our garage was originally 7,900 sq ft in a shared warehouse in Redwood City, CA, but we have since grown into a 10X larger space, a 79,000 sq ft production facility in Oakland, CA. The current focus is on executing multiple planned developments in California, including the world’s first 3D printed zero-net-energy community in Rancho Mirage.
What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?
As with any startup trying to innovate, the long cycle of certification and dealing with entitlements and permitting processes in high-regulated states like California is one of our biggest hurdles. However, we are the first company to receive UL certification to incorporate 3D printing into residential units.
What does the future hold for Mighty Buildings?
Mighty Buildings’ long term vision is to change how the world builds. This means creating a production system that is design-agnostic and capable of creating everything from small complex components to full-size volumetric modules in order to meet the specific needs of a wide variety of partners and projects. Launching and operating Mighty Factories to produce custom prefab solutions for B2B partners will be Mighty Buildings main business long-term. Mighty Buildings has started engaging with potential AEC partners to best understand how industry experts want to use its system and processes. Achieving this meant reimagining what the construction looks like.
What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in Oakland?
There are more and more local startups starting to pop up in Oakland, including software, hardware, and some manufacturing. The growth is tremendous including some big names like Roofstock, Mosaic, and of course, Mighty Buildings.
What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Work on what you are passionate about and stay focused by saying no to all the noise. More importantly, master the skill of building your A+ team.