CoCrafter

What do they actually do

CoCrafter operates a B2B marketplace that matches general contractors with vetted subcontractors across construction trades, focused on small and mid-sized businesses in Germany and expanding across Europe. Contractors post orders/tenders with scope and pricing basis, and subcontractors browse and indicate interest, with a fast “two‑click” contact flow (Hiretop recap). The marketplace is business-only and excludes private household jobs (Hiretop recap).

The platform requires company verification and document uploads to support compliance, and it provides basic document management for both sides. It also discourages public underbidding to protect price integrity and quality (Hiretop recap, Crunchbase). Y Combinator’s profile states the network is used by over 3,000 companies in the German SMB sector (YC profile).

Technically, CoCrafter moved from an early low‑code build to a full‑code implementation to improve stability, performance, and custom features as volume grows (MVST case write‑up).

Who are their target customer(s)

• Small general contractors (SMBs) in Germany: They struggle to quickly find reliable, vetted subcontractors and spend time chasing compliance paperwork for each hire, slowing project starts (YC profile, Hiretop recap).
• Mid-size contractors / project managers coordinating many subs: Manually tracking documents, compliance, and availability across multiple jobs is error‑prone and time‑consuming; they need tools to manage volume without adding headcount (Crunchbase).
• Small subcontractor businesses (e.g., plumbers, electricians, carpenters): They lose hours searching and filtering listings and want a faster way to find relevant B2B tenders and apply with minimal friction (Hiretop recap).
• Office/compliance managers at contracting firms: Collecting, verifying, and storing certificates and legal documents from many subs is repetitive and costly; they want centralized, automated compliance handling (Hiretop recap, Crunchbase).
• Contractors expanding across Europe: They face varying country rules and unfamiliar suppliers; they need a trusted, standardized vetting process to reduce legal and payment risk when working cross‑border (YC profile).

How would they acquire their first 10, 50, and 100 customers

• First 10: Founder‑led pilots with local SMB GCs: direct outreach (calls/site visits), 1–2 hour live demos, and a short pilot where CoCrafter handles onboarding and document uploads to show immediate admin savings (collect testimonials) (YC profile, Hiretop recap).
• First 50: Partnerships with trade associations, building‑supply stores, and chambers of commerce to co‑host lunch‑and‑learns with live sign‑ups; add simple referral incentives so early customers bring peers (Hiretop recap, Crunchbase).
• First 100: Stand up a small inside‑sales team for cities with traction using outbound lists from directories and event leads; standardize a 30–60 min demo + compliance proof pack + onboarding checklist, supported by local SEO content and a few integrations to cut onboarding friction.

What is the rough total addressable market

Top-down context:

Construction in Europe is a large, subcontractor‑heavy sector; digitizing sourcing and compliance management is an established category, with incumbents like Autodesk’s BuildingConnected and Procore’s network validating market need (BuildingConnected, Procore Construction Network).

Bottom-up calculation:

If 150,000 SMB and mid‑market contractors in Europe paid an average €1,500 per year for sourcing + compliance automation, TAM would be ~€225M annually (excluding any transaction fees).

Assumptions:

• Addressable SMB/mid‑market contractor base in Europe ~150,000.
• Average annual subscription per contractor ~€1,500 for sourcing/compliance features.
• TAM reflects software/subscription revenue only; any per‑hire fees would increase TAM.

Who are some of their notable competitors

• Autodesk BuildingConnected: Bid management and GC–subcontractor network widely used in North America; demonstrates demand for digital matching and prequalification in construction.
• Procore Construction Network: A directory and prequalification network attached to Procore’s project management suite; helps GCs discover and evaluate subs as part of a broader workflow.
• MyHammer: German marketplace for tradespeople, primarily consumer‑oriented; overlaps on discovery of local craft businesses though not specialized for B2B compliance.
• Randstad Germany (staffing): Large staffing/provider alternative used by contractors to source labor; not a subcontractor marketplace but a common incumbent path for filling capacity quickly.