Jay Olsen, founder and CEO of Jobsite Unite.
Working in construction can be a very confusing and hard to manage job, simply because of how involved certain projects are. With dozens of contractors and workers all collaborating at once, it is easy to lose track of all the action. Jobsite Unite is an application designed to keep all communication at a construction site simple and easy to access. By opening up all contact to one application, it’s less difficult for construction workers to follow what is happening on site.
Originally from Des Moines, IA, Jay Olsen has been involved with construction work nearly all his life. “My dad taught construction to high school students, and my grandfather owned a construction company, so I just fell into it.” Olsen has worked in construction for ten years, doing field work and also running a subcontracting company. During this time he realized the importance of good communication on site. “In all my experience I encountered many pain points that I felt would be solved with just one application. Rather than using text messaging or email or several different methods of communication, we developed an App that simplifies it down to one channel.”
Working with mobile developers, Olsen created Jobsite Unite to have one line of communication for an entire construction site. The app also provides contact lists and messaging for every worker on site, as a means of simplifying connections.
In June, Jobsite Unite was one of eleven companies to receive an Arch Grant, leading to their move from Des Moines to St. Louis. “We’ve had a lot of great mentors and friends who have helped us to transition into this new community,” said Olsen. The $50,000 Arch Grant is being put towards expanding on Jobsite Unite’s software and marketing.
While it’s still early in the product’s development and the company is not anticipating revenue presently, so far feedback from clients has been positive. “We think it’s a valuable tool that can be used to help people in the U.S. or anywhere, Arch Grant is looking for the best the Midwest has to offer, and I really believe we’re a company who can provide that.”
Check out a short interview with Jay Olsen.
