Built Different

S03 E06 - DPR Construction's Kaushal Diwan and Josh DeStefano on building a culture of innovation

Built Different

Show Notes

To get the most out of your technology you have to do more than just use it, you have to build a culture around that technology that empowers innovation.

In this episode of Built Different, we met with the innovative leaders at DPR construction, director of strategic investments and partnerships, Kaushal Diwan, and west coast innovation lead, Josh DeStefano. During this conversation, we explored the impact of DPR's innovative community and how freeing up builders at the beginning of a project can help inspire executive leadership buy-in on the tools that work. We also explored the biggest misconceptions around technology and how you can identify the changemakers at your organization.

DPR Construction stands as an innovative, self-executing general contractor and construction management firm, expertly navigating the intricacies of sustainable, technologically advanced projects across various sectors. The scope of DPR’s work spans from extensive new builds to minor tenant enhancements and distinctive projects.

More from Built Different

Dec 5, 2025

How do you go from zero to five drone docks – and a company-wide mandate – in under 18 months? In this episode, we sit down with Chase Ertzbergerfrom Lexicon to break down how his team turned top-down buy-in into a field-ready drone program that’s scaling fast. From dodging pilot bottlenecks to proving ROI before the lawyers even show up, this one’s packed with hard-earned lessons in autonomy, adoption, and adaptability.

Aug 1, 2025

From jungle drones to high-rise progress shots, Neil of Blue Water Drones shares his wild path into construction tech—and how he's redefining what it means to be a service provider in reality capture. We talk about contractors self-performing drone work, why documentation saves more than just time, and how marketing footage can also win lawsuits.

Jul 18, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Josh Kanner to unpack the real evolution of construction tech – from pre-iPad field tools to AI-driven safety systems. We get into what it takes to build for an industry with slow cycle times, the shift from labeling images to prompting vision models, and why your data is only as useful as your process. If you’re serious about cutting through AI hype and deploying tech that actually works in the field, don’t miss this one.

Jun 13, 2025

What happens when doing it all stops working? In Episode 45, we sit down with Julia Guerra from FlyGuys to unpack the pivotal strategy shift that took her from leading solo to building scalable systems that actually work. From hard lessons in trust and control to unlocking growth through partnerships, this episode dives into what it really takes to scale reality capture in construction—and why empathy, education, and alignment are the new tools of the trade.

Jun 6, 2025

How does a 76-acre offshore wind project turn daily drone capture into business-critical infrastructure? In this episode, we sit down with Kara Fragola and Louis Saccaro from Skanska to unpack how their team scaled a 7-pilot drone program without adding chaos. Learn how civil and building teams synced ops with top-down visuals, how 60+ staff rely on daily flights, and why DroneDeploy has become a safety and planning essential.

See all episodes →