Planera secures USD $8m boost amid surge in data centre builds

Planera has secured USD $8 million in new funding as it experiences rapid growth in the data centre construction sector, following a 600% increase in platform usage for such projects over the past six months.

The funding round was led by Sierra Ventures, Prudence, Brick & Mortar Ventures, and Sorenson Capital, with participation from Zachry Construction. The company's total funding now stands at USD $26.5 million.

Scale of growth

Recent analysis by Grand View Research states that the global data centre market was valued at approximately USD $347.6 billion in 2024, with projections of reaching USD $652 billion by 2030. The construction segment within this market is expected to more than double, from about USD $91.9 billion in 2024 to more than USD $214 billion by 2030, according to Arizton. This expansion is driven largely by investments in hyperscale and AI infrastructure across multiple regions.

These accelerating timelines and increased complexity have posed challenges to contractors and developers. Traditional scheduling tools are often ill-suited for the intricate coordination required as AI and hyperscale projects become more prevalent. Delays can be costly, with a single day of delay on a 60 MW data centre project potentially carrying an opportunity cost of up to USD $500,000.

Company outlook

"With data center demand exploding worldwide, our customers need modern, collaborative scheduling tools that can keep pace with the scale and complexity of these projects," said Nitin Bhandari, CEO of Planera. "This new funding will help us double down on the data center and mission critical work, while continuing to delight customers in multiple other segments."

Planera has developed a customised service offering to serve data centre clients, complementing its visual CPM-based scheduling platform. The company has also established a dedicated service team with deep knowledge in data centre project delivery and introduced AI-driven tools designed to detect possible delays early and identify opportunities for schedule acceleration.

Usage among contractors

Several major contractors are now using Planera to improve scheduling and project management. HITT Contracting, Ryan Companies, and Ralph L. Wadsworth have all started applying the platform to major data centre schemes. HITT Contracting is using Planera to monitor project progress and speed up delivery. Ralph L. Wadsworth has used the platform for projects with global technology companies, focusing on reducing schedule compression and enhancing collaboration. Ryan Companies uses Planera to coordinate project managers, field staff, and schedulers, as well as to analyse subcontractor resources and integrate sequences into master schedules.

"To meet the extraordinary demand from our data center customers, HITT requires a modern construction scheduling solution that can keep pace," said Todd Von Krosigk, Senior Superintendent at HITT Contracting. "Planera has become an essential partner, giving our teams the visibility and control we need to deliver data center projects faster and with greater confidence."

Support from investors

"The rapid adoption of AI is driving intense demand for additional data center capacity," said Ken Elefant, Managing Director of Sorenson Capital. "Every day that a 60MW data center project is delayed carries an opportunity cost of roughly $500K. In short, hitting schedules matters tremendously in this category, and Planera is ideally suited to help project owners and their GC partners to deliver their data center projects on time."

Investment from Zachry Construction comes alongside practical adoption of the platform within its own operations. Ranjeet Gadhoke, Vice President, Project Controls at Zachry, stated, "We use Planera across all of our projects and have seen the value it brings to our planning and scheduling processes. This investment is a natural next step - it reflects our confidence in the platform and our commitment to driving efficiency through smart technology."

The new funding aims to sustain Planera's role in supporting contractors and subcontractors on complex, rapidly evolving data centre projects and is intended to underpin continued sector growth.