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Case Study

Beyond Bidding: PlanHub’s Product-Led Expansion Strategy

SaaS
Founded: 2015
Invested: 2020
Status: Current
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Overview

Built for contractors, by contractors, PlanHub’s comprehensive preconstruction platform simplifies the bidding and project management process by connecting general contractors (GCs), subcontractors and suppliers in a single marketplace that streamlines bidding workflows and helps commercial construction professionals find and win more projects.

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At-A-Glance

PlanHub and Mainsail worked together to:

  • Expand the leadership team by recruiting a CFO, CTO, SVP of People, VP of Sales as well as an independent Board Director and Board Advisor.
  • Launch premium products for general contractors and suppliers to monetize existing freemium users.
  • Expand the PlanHub marketplace by adding material suppliers alongside GCs and subcontractors.
  • Professionalize the sales motion to improve acquisition and conversion.
  • Reduce churn by implementing a customer health score.
  • Develop a data-driven geographic expansion strategy.
THE STORY

PlanHub was born from a common challenge faced by contractors: tedious and disconnected bidding processes. In 2015, the company launched a marketplace to optimize workflows, streamline collaboration and connect construction professionals to help them win more work.

By 2020, PlanHub had grown into a robust national network of more than 250,000 users. With thousands of new projects added monthly, the company was experiencing notable organic growth. PlanHub sought an experienced partner to help scale the organization and capitalize on market opportunities. In October 2020, Mainsail Partners invested $41 million to help accelerate PlanHub’s expansion.

“Partnering with Mainsail has been transformational for PlanHub. They didn’t just invest in our growth, they rolled up their sleeves and helped us scale our leadership, sharpen our go-to-market strategy, and expand our product in ways that accelerated our vision. Together, we’ve built a platform that’s not only helping contractors win more work, but helping redefine how the construction industry connects and collaborates.”

Ro Bhatia
CEO, PlanHub
MAINSAIL'S VALUE ADD
Talent and Operations

Supported by Mainsail’s Talent Team, PlanHub expanded its leadership with a CFO, CTO, SVP of People and VP of Sales as well as an independent Board Director and Board Advisor. The partnership also introduced 360 reviews and facilitated interview training workshops to help strengthen management capabilities.

Product and Pricing

Mainsail worked with PlanHub on several key product and pricing initiatives, including:

  • Launching a premium product for general contractors (GCs) to monetize the platform’s large freemium user base.
  • Conducting market research and helping launch a new supplier offering, expanding the marketplace by adding material suppliers alongside GCs and subcontractors.
  • Analyzing product usage data to define clear KPIs for customer activation and retention.
Go-to-Market Strategy

Evaluating the company’s Ideal Customer Profiles was a key first step in professionalizing the sales motion and improving subcontractor acquisition rates. Together, Mainsail and PlanHub also reorganized the market development function to help improve general contractor onboarding and drive project growth.

To help increase retention, Mainsail implemented a customer health score and optimized payment and contract terms, while also steering PlanHub’s geographic expansion by analyzing metro area total addressable market and market share.

OUTCOME

Since the partnership with Mainsail began, PlanHub’s network has expanded to over 500,000 construction professionals, with more than 100,000 new users joining annually.

Building on the momentum, PlanHub launched PlanHub 2.0 in 2025 — a fully integrated preconstruction solution designed to help contractors network, win more projects and accelerate business growth. Shortly after, PlanHub continued to innovate with the introduction of AI-powered tools for blueprint analysis and complex job request interactions.

PlanHub earned its recognition on the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 and on the 2024 Inc. 5000, all while maintaining strong customer satisfaction on Capterra  and earning accolades such as the Easiest Setup, Easiest Admin, and Momentum Leader in 2025 on G2.

In late 2025, PlanHub was acquired by GrowthCurve Capital. Mainsail remains invested in the business as a minority shareholder.

Mainsail is proud to continue to support PlanHub in its next phase of growth and as the company focuses on not just simplifying bidding but reimagining how the construction industry connects, collaborates, and builds the future.