“Beyond just a building certification”: Savannah-based Green Badger lands funding and expands into ESG space

When Hypepotamus last caught up with Tommy Linstroth and his Savannah-based Green Badger in 2018, they were already alleviating a big problem in the construction world.

The pandemic and the growing corporate sustainability movement put the focus on what our built environment looks like even more front and center. Linstroth said that there is now a “bigger push for healthy indoor environments — focus on making sure there’s adequate air filtering, treatment, filtration rates, cleaning policies — all of that ties into green building.” 

Green Badger is a SaaS startup that helps construction sites and contractors with real-time green compliance as they work toward LEED certification. The platform has helped over 1,000 project teams across the US, Canada, and Europe. 

A recent injection of capital is expected to “add fuel to the fire for our growth,” according to Linstroth. The team landed a seed round of just over $1 million last month as the construction tech space continues to refine how best to incorporate green solutions. 

The round was led by Atlanta-based VC Shadow Ventures, a firm focused on the property and construction tech space. GroundBreak Ventures, Hamilton Ventures, and other private investment partners joined the round as well, according to a press statement. 

In the Southeast region, Shadow Ventures is an investor in Asheville-based Ecobot and Atlanta-based Kairos. 

While Green Badger received a small seed round in 2014, Linstroth said the platform has mostly been “growing organically” over the past few years. “We’ve been part of the Shadow ecosystem for years, so we were very aware of the depth of industry knowledge they brought to the table. Having them lead the round was fantastic as they bring such great industry strategy and connections beyond just the financial capital,” he added. 

It is a unique moment in time for the construction tech space. 

“Construction was one of the industries that were considered critical and really didn’t see too much of a slowdown during the pandemic. If anything, the industry (at least in the near term) has been on fire,” said Linstroth. You only have to look at the skylines of cities like Atlanta, Nashville, and Miami to see that in action. Construction cranes have been a near-constant site in growing cities over the last two years. 

Beyond the new funding news, the team has been busy adding to its product capabilities. Lindstroth told Hypepotamus that with the added corporate interest in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), there is even more of a push to “incorporate green building certifications into their standard operating practices.”

The team recently launched an ESG model specifically for the construction industry to help with that push, which Linstroth said takes “sustainability beyond just a building certification.”