What Ferra does

Ferra is a private, AI-native software company that builds structural steel estimating and takeoff tools for fabricators and erectors. Its platform comprises four integrated modules — Bid Intelligence, Steel Takeoff, Revision Control, and 3D Model Generation — designed around a sequential preconstruction workflow: contractors upload drawing sets to evaluate fit and risk before committing estimator hours, then proceed to automated element detection, revision comparison across drawing sets, and exportable 3D models in IFC/STEP formats. The system is trained specifically on real structural steel drawings and combines computer vision (beam and column detection), NLP (document-grounded Q&A via an AI Analyst), and multimodal document understanding to produce structured bid summaries, scope breakdowns, and risk scores.

The company employs a revenue-based subscription pricing model with unlimited users and projects, positioning itself as an alternative to seat-based legacy estimating tools. Its go-to-market combines enterprise field sales (demo-first, consultative) with concentrated event-led demand generation, most notably a deep-dive session at NASCC 2026 that produced over 50 qualified leads and 31 demos. Ferra is incorporated in Delaware as Ferra Inc., co-founded by Michael Carey (CEO), Joshua Ford (CRO), and Michael Gu (CTO), and operates from Wilmington, DE with a Toronto, ON office targeting North American structural steel fabricators and erectors. The company is privately held, has not disclosed institutional investors, and raised approximately $3.315M in a January 2026 round.

Name

Ferra

Legal name

Ferra Inc.

Website

https://bidferra.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ferra builds an AI-native estimating and takeoff platform for structural steel fabricators and erectors, combining automated drawing analysis, revision diffing, and bid intelligence to reduce manual takeoff time and improve go/no-go decisions on steel bids.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Subscription (Revenue-based): Revenue-based pricing model with unlimited users and projects. Users pay based on their revenue/business metrics rather than per-seat or per-takeoff. Annual billing implied.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ferra is an AI-native structural steel estimating and takeoff platform that ingests structural drawing sets and produces bid intelligence summaries, automated element detection (beams, columns), revision diffing, and exportable 3D models. The platform is purpose-built for structural steel fabricators and erectors to make go/no-go bid decisions, accelerate takeoffs from days to under an hour, and catch scope changes buried across drawing revisions. It is sold as a recurring software subscription with revenue-based pricing and unlimited users.

Product overview

Ferra is an AI-native structural steel estimating and takeoff platform composed of four integrated modules: Bid Intelligence (for pre-estimate go/no-go decisions), Steel Takeoff (for automated element detection), Revision Control (for change detection between drawing sets), and 3D Model Generation (for converting takeoffs into exportable 3D models). The platform follows a sequential workflow where users upload drawings to Bid Intelligence for initial evaluation, then proceed to Steel Takeoff for detailed element detection, with Revision Control monitoring changes across revisions and 3D Model Generation providing downstream validation and export capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bid Intelligence AI-powered analysis module that ingests structural drawing sets and delivers a structured Bid Intelligence Summary, including scope inclusions and exclusions, risk scoring across schedule/phasing/constraints, project metadata extraction, and a fit assessment based on the user's company profile. Includes an AI Analyst for document-grounded Q&A over plans and specs. Built for structural steel estimators and preconstruction leaders who need go/no-go clarity before committing estimator hours.
• Steel Takeoff Automated structural-element detection module that identifies beams, columns, and structural scope across full drawing sets. Connects related views, organizes scope into a navigable system, and links detail references automatically. Used by structural steel estimators to replace manual takeoffs that previously took days for columns and beams with sub-hour automated output.
• Revision Control Drawing comparison module that compares full drawing sets and identifies real structural changes at the element level, surfacing modifications across beams, columns, and notes without double-counting. Provides a color-coded overlay diff view with change categorization by type and tracks change volume across revisions for analytics. Built for estimators and project teams who need to catch scope changes before they erode estimated margin.
• 3D Model Generation Module that converts validated takeoffs into interactive 3D models for scope validation, team alignment, and downstream coordination. Exports in IFC, STEP, and industry-standard formats. Used by estimators and BIM/detailers to validate work before submission and to hand off a coordinated model to fabrication and erection teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• Takeoffs that used to take days now finish in under an hour
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction)minorOthers · 1 January 2026AISC is the host of NASCC: The Steel Conference, the major industry event for structural steel. Ferra was given the opportunity to run a deep dive session at NASCC 2026. The relationship is event participation rather than formal partnership.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• StruMIS: Steel fabrication management system covering estimating, drawing management, and production control for structural steel fabricators. Competes for the same bid-to-fabrication workflow that Ferra's four-module platform addresses.
• SDS2 by Design Data: Long-standing steel detailing and estimating software for structural steel fabricators, with deep connections to fabrication workflows. Competes head-to-head with Ferra's Steel Takeoff and Bid Intelligence modules for the same fabricator buyer.
• Tekla (Trimble): Trimble's structural BIM and steel detailing platform used by structural steel fabricators worldwide for modeling, detailing, and estimating. Directly competes with Ferra in the structural steel preconstruction workflow and has the installed base and integration depth that Ferra currently lacks.
• aSa (Applied Systems Associates): Steel reinforcing and fabrication software used by rebar and structural steel fabricators for estimating and production. Targets the same vertical buyer (fabricators) with an adjacent workflow focus.
• FabTrol Systems: Steel fabrication management software (project management, estimating, production tracking) used by structural and miscellaneous steel fabricators. Directly comparable on the estimating/bid workflow that Ferra targets.

Broad incumbents

• Bluebeam (Nemetschek Group): PDF-based takeoff, markup, and estimating tool used across general construction, including structural steel. Broad incumbent with a much wider product portfolio than Ferra; competes on takeoff but does not specialize in steel-specific workflows.
• On-Screen Takeoff (ConstructConnect): Digital takeoff solution for general construction estimators. Competes for the takeoff portion of Ferra's workflow but is not purpose-built for structural steel; relevant as a benchmark for incumbent takeoff UX.

Emerging players

• Beam AI: AI platform for construction document and workflow automation, named in Ferra's published competitive comparison. Adjacent rather than identical — overlaps on document understanding for estimating and takeoff.
• SketchDeck: AI construction estimating tool referenced in Ferra's published software comparison. Emerging player with partial overlap on AI-driven takeoff, though broader than structural steel.
• Steel Genie: AI-assisted steel estimating tool explicitly named in Ferra's own competitive landscape. Most directly comparable as a niche AI takeoff competitor targeting the same structural steel fabricator buyer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ferra