Earlytrade raises $10M to automate construction payments with AI agents
Earlytrade, which handles payment flows for construction contractors, announced $10 million in new funding on June 9, bringing its total raised to $25 million. S3 Ventures and Brick & Mortar Ventures led the round.
The company plans to use the capital to expand across the United States and build agentic AI into its core infrastructure. Construction remains one of the last major industries where payment workflows rely heavily on manual, paper-based processes.
How construction payments work now
A property owner hires a general contractor, who then brings in subcontractors for specialized work-electrical, plumbing, foundations, carpentry. When work finishes, subcontractors submit invoices and wait. Payment typically arrives 60 to 90 days later.
That delay creates cash flow problems for subcontractors, many of whom are small businesses. They still need to cover payroll, materials, and equipment costs while waiting for payment. The slowness sometimes pushes subs toward insolvency and creates room for predatory practices.
Earlytrade's approach
Earlytrade offers subcontractors immediate payment in exchange for a discount. If a general contractor owes a subcontractor $100,000 due in 60 days, Earlytrade can pay the sub $98,000 today. The subcontractor gets working capital to accelerate operations.
The company plans to use AI agents to optimize payments autonomously. Agents could learn subcontractor cash flow patterns, predict capital needs, and negotiate early payment offers at optimal times. Instead of flat discounts, dynamic pricing could adjust rates based on project timelines, financial health, inflation, market conditions, and urgency.
Market size and hiring
The U.S. construction market runs at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2.17 trillion as of December 2025. Specialty trade contractors-the subcontractors Earlytrade targets-account for roughly $875 billion in annual revenue.
Labor shortages dominate contractor concerns. According to independent research, 78% of U.S. contractors cite labor shortages as their top challenge, often worsened by delayed payments that squeeze their ability to pay workers.
CEO Guy Saxelby said the company is "actively seeking exceptional talent across AI, product and sales" to support U.S. growth.
Dave Anderskow, chief financial officer at Power Construction and an Earlytrade client, said the marketplace lets general contractors "invest in our trade partners' growth in a way that is both disciplined and sustainable."
Learn more about AI applications in real estate and construction.
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