Obvious Ventures

With so many moving parts in the home improvement process, nothing ever goes as exactly planned. Many of the hurdles of the home renovation process like over-budget, delays, workmanship issues can be solved with better communication and properly managing expectations and timelines between homeowners and contractors. Block Renovation is a managed marketplace platform that leverages technology to guide homeowners and contractors through the renovation process to ensure that projects are completed on time and on budget. The company uses a proprietary design system and suite of homeowner tools to get projects rolling and connects the homeowner to a contractor from a pre-vetted network of construction specialists. Initially focused on bathroom renovations in the New York market, Block has expanded to cover kitchen renovations and also into the Los Angeles market. The pandemic created a renewed interest in home improvement as we spend more time at home and as a result, the startup, founded in 2017, has experienced triple-digit growth. AlleyWatch caught up with Cofounder Koda Wang to learn more about how the company is alleviating the stress commonly found with home improvement projects, the growing interest in home renovation during the pandemic, the company’s strategic plans, latest round of funding from investors that include NEA, Giant Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, Morningside, and Obvious Ventures, and much, much more.