Why construction giants are using this WhatsApp AI tool

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Image credit: Timmy Loen

As a former project manager, Ethan Ow spent hours manually compiling WhatsApp messages into spreadsheets and reports. He knew there was a better way. At the same time, Suk Yee Gong seeing the potential of large language models for messy data.

They teamed up with engineers Tu Nguyen and Yang Bin Kwok to build Wenti Labs, an AI assistant that lives inside the apps construction teams already use.

😟 Problem

The construction industry is growing, yet remains one of the least digitized sectors globally. A key reason is that critical operational data like safety issues, progress updates, and sensor readings is generated daily in WhatsApp chats.

Site supervisors and safety managers spend 30 to 60 minutes each day scrolling through messages to manually compile reports. This tedious process leads to unreported safety observations, delayed progress updates, and incomplete records for compliance audits.

💡 Solution

Wenti Labs uses AI agents that operate directly within WhatsApp group chats. These agents automatically read messages and photos from field workers, turning unstructured conversations into organized data. 

The system requires no new app or special training, including:

• Creates automated safety logs and progress reports from text and images.
• Tracks site activities, manages documents, and monitors environmental data.
• Works in English, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

Photo credit: Wenti Labs

📊 Market size

Construction is a US$13 trillion global industry and one of the world’s least digitized. Governments are also accelerating the shift, with Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority pushing for digital adoption to meet a projected S$47 billion (US$36.9 billion) to S$53 billion (US$41.6 billion) in demand by 2026.

🤝 Team

• Ethan Ow. CEO and co-founder. His previous industry experience shaped the product and initial customer acquisition.
• Suk Yee Gong. Co-founder. Has early, hands-on experience building internal AI systems, applying large language models to enterprise data.
• Tu Nguyen. Co-founder. Built the first minimum viable product and scaled the technology stack to serve enterprise clients.
• Yang Bin Kwok. CTO and co-founder. The team’s first angel investor, he joined full-time, bringing engineering leadership from Zendesk and Zopim

🚀 Traction

• Approaching US$1 million in annual recurring revenue.
• Growing 40% month-over-month and is already profitable.
• Serving over 20 paying enterprise clients, including Woh Hup, CapitaLand, and Obayashi.
• Live on more than 50 construction sites in Singapore.
• Achieved a near-100% field adoption rate due to its WhatsApp-native design.

🏆 Competition

💰 Financials

🚩 Risks