AI-Powered BD Systems for AEC Firms

Stop losing deals
you never knew existed.

The AEC firms winning the most work are not the ones with the best relationships. They are the ones with the best systems. Upstream BD builds the system.

Book a Free Strategy Call

Built by a former AEC BD Director. No software to learn. No CRM to maintain. We build it and run it for you.

The Problem

Your BD team is great with people.
The admin around it is stealing from you.

You hired your BD people because they are exceptional at relationships. Instead of building those relationships, they are spending 60% of their week on admin that should not exist. That is not a BD problem. That is a systems problem.

Monday morning without Upstream

Three industry events missed last week because nobody tracked them
14 post-networking follow-ups still unsent
A proposal due Friday that nobody started
CRM last updated three weeks ago
Project you lost — they found out 90 days before you did

Monday morning with Upstream

Weekly brief in your inbox — 12 projects at the planning stage
Follow-up tasks drafted from last week's networking
Proposal deadline flagged 2 weeks out with owner assigned
Pipeline dashboard updated automatically
Three calls made before 10am to developers nobody else knows about yet

Every day your BD team spends on admin is a day they are not building the relationships that win work. Those hours do not come back. And the projects they missed because nobody was positioned early enough — those are gone too.

Is This For You?

Built for firms who refuse
to compete on price.

The firms that use Upstream BD are the ones who know that winning work is about timing and relationships — not low bids. If that is how you think about business development, this was built for you.

This is for you if

Your BD team is exceptional with people and drowning in admin
Projects slip through because nobody had time to track them
You have tried a CRM and it never got adopted
You know AI can help but do not know where to start
You want to get upstream — before the RFP, before everyone else
You are a GC, architecture firm, engineering firm, or specialty contractor with 10-200 people

This is not for you if

You already have a fully staffed BD operations team
You want software to figure out yourself
You are looking for a quick fix
You are outside the AEC industry

What We Build

Six systems. One operating layer.
Everything runs automatically.

We build a custom AI-powered BD operating system around how your firm actually works. Every module is configured to your market, your project types, and your team's workflow.

📅

Event Intelligence

Automatically surfaces industry events and networking opportunities relevant to your markets. Formatted for your calendar and team review — no manual research.

🔁

Follow-Up Engine

Tracks every networking interaction. Generates follow-up tasks and drafted messages automatically. Nothing falls through the cracks — ever.

📋

Proposal Monitor

Tracks RFP deadlines, proposal status, and team assignments. Every proposal flagged weeks out, not the day before it is due.

💡

Pre-RFP Intelligence

Surfaces commercial projects at the planning and permit stage — 60 to 120 days before a formal RFP. You get there before your competition knows the project exists.

❤️

Relationship Pulse

Flags key contacts that have gone cold and drafts re-engagement messages. Your most important relationships stay warm without manual effort.

📊

Pipeline Visibility

A live dashboard that shows where every opportunity stands. No data entry required. No spreadsheet to maintain. It just runs.

How It Works

Built for your firm. Running in 30 days.
No technical knowledge required.

BD Audit (Week 1)

We map your current BD process, identify exactly where admin is killing momentum, and design the system around how your team actually works — not how a generic tool assumes you work.

System Build (Weeks 2–3)

We build and configure your custom AI BD system. All six modules. Calibrated to your target markets, project types, and team structure. You do not touch any of it.

Handoff + Training (Week 4)

We train your team, hand over the system, and make sure it is running before we step back. Your team does not need technical knowledge — it is designed to just work.

Ongoing — The System Runs

Monthly check-ins, system updates, and continuous improvement. The system gets smarter as your firm grows. And you have someone to call when things change.

Investment

One clear price. No surprises.

$5,000

One-time system build, configuration, and team training

Full BD process audit and system design
All six modules built and configured for your firm
Custom to your geography, market, and project types
Team training and full handoff
30 days of post-launch support included

Our guarantee: If your system is not running and generating value within 30 days of handoff, we work for free until it is. No questions asked.

Ongoing maintenance from $1,500/month — monthly strategy calls, system updates, continuous improvement.

Book a Free Strategy Call

Who Built This

Built by someone who lived the problem.

I spent years as a Director of Business Development in commercial construction. I was good at relationships. I was not good at keeping up with the system around them — the events, the follow-ups, the proposals, the CRM that everyone agreed to maintain and nobody did.

So I built the system myself. An event tracker that actually worked. A follow-up engine that drafted the messages for me. A pipeline dashboard that showed what was really in play without me chasing anyone for updates.

I built Upstream BD to solve that. Not to sell software. To build the system, implement it, and make sure it actually runs. The relationships are yours. The admin is mine.

— Stephanie, Founder

Read the full story →

Common Questions

What people ask before booking a call.

How long does setup take?

Most systems are fully built and running within 30 days of the kickoff call. We move fast because we have done this before.

Do we need technical knowledge to use it?

No. We build everything and train your team. You do not touch the infrastructure. It is designed to run whether or not anyone actively maintains it.

How is this different from a CRM like Salesforce?

A CRM is a tool. This is a system. A CRM requires someone to update it — this updates itself. A CRM tracks what happened — this tells you what to do next. We have heard "we tried a CRM and nobody used it" from almost every firm we talk to. That is exactly the problem we solve.

What if our team does not adopt it?

That is the most common concern and the one we take most seriously. We build systems around how your team actually works — not how we wish they worked. The whole point is that it runs in the background whether or not people actively maintain it.

What does the guarantee actually mean?

If your system is not generating value — real, measurable value in your BD process — within 30 days of handoff, we keep working until it does. At no additional cost. We are confident enough in what we build to stand behind it.

Is this only for large firms?

It works best for firms of 10 to 200 people where BD is a real function but not a fully staffed department. If you have a dedicated BD person or principal carrying BD, this is built for you.

Get Started

Book a free strategy call.

Tell us about your firm. We will map out exactly what your BD system should look like and whether we are the right fit. No pressure, no pitch — just a straight conversation. Or email us directly at hello@upstreambd.com

The relationships are yours.
The admin is ours.

Every day without this system, your BD team is spending time on admin instead of relationships. That time does not come back. Let us fix it.

Book a Free Strategy Call with Stephanie →

Stop losing dealsyou never knew existed.

Your BD team is great with people.The admin around it is stealing from you.

Built for firms who refuseto compete on price.