# Michael Ding

> Michael Ding is the founder and CEO of Bobyard, an AI platform that uses computer vision to automate construction takeoffs and estimates. A Stanford-trained engineer and award-winning mathematician who grew up in Cupertino, he earned his California general contractor license as a teenager before dropping out of Stanford to launch Bobyard in 2023. By teaching machines to read blueprints the way an experienced estimator would, he's helped hundreds of contractors cut takeoff time by 65% and add over $1M in annual revenue per estimator. In December 2025, Bobyard raised a $35 million Series A led by 8VC, cementing its position as the leading AI platform for construction preconstruction workflows.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO at Bobyard
- **Organizations:** Bobyard, Pear VC (PearX S23), Stanford University (former student)
- **From:** Cupertino, California, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Computer Science and AI (dropped out), Stanford University
- **Known for:** Award-winning mathematician, One of the youngest students to complete Stanford's advanced AI coursework, Earned California General Contractor License as a teenager

## Career timeline

- **Teenager** — Earned California General Contractor License to understand construction workflows firsthand
- **2022** — Applied to the Pear Competition as a Stanford freshman, age 19, stood out immediately
- **2023** — Founded Bobyard; dropped out of Stanford; joined PearX S23 accelerator cohort
- **2023** — Raised $3.5M seed round from Primary Venture Partners with participation from Pear VC after Demo Day
- **2025** — Raised $35M Series A led by 8VC with participation from Pear VC, Primary, Tishman Speyer, RXR, Caffeinated Capital, and Merrick Ventures
- **2025** — Spoke at FutureScape USA 2026 on AI and the future of construction technology
- **2026-04** — Launched Bobyard 2.0 with Multi-Measure, AI Workbench, and material-centric takeoff experience

## Achievements

- Award-winning mathematician
- One of the youngest students to complete Stanford's advanced AI coursework
- Earned California General Contractor License as a teenager
- Founded Bobyard and grew it to 33+ employees and hundreds of contractor customers
- Raised $35M Series A led by 8VC at age ~21-22
- Bobyard automates up to 70% of quantity and material takeoff processes
- Customers average $1.1M in additional annual revenue per estimator using Bobyard
- Built a team of computer vision PhDs and top-tier AI engineers

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — Launched Bobyard 2.0 with Multi-Measure tool, unified AI Workbench, material-centric takeoff, and Legend Manager - expanding to additional trades.
- **2025-12** — Raised $35 million Series A led by 8VC; company expanding from landscaping into drywall, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and framing.
- **2025-12** — Spoke at FutureScape USA 2026 on 'How Bobyard has Changed the Game in Takeoffs' and 'Smart Landscapes: The future of technology and AI'.

## Links

- Website: https://bobyard.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-ding-933185189

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/michael-ding
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-06