The number that started this
Last year, $242 billion was invested in AI. None of it — and I mean none — was directed at the skilled trades. Not at electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs, mechanics, framers, or the small shops that employ them. The biggest technology shift of our generation, and the workforce that physically keeps America running was left out of the room.
I’m an electrician. I’ve been running jobs for years with tools that don’t fit the work — clipboards, text threads, parts counts done from memory. Meanwhile the workforce is aging out: in New Jersey alone, three tradespeople retire for every one entering the field. Nobody at the top of the AI stack seems to notice.
Blue Collar Labs exists to close that gap.
What we’re going to do
Three pillars. Build, Teach, Defend.
Build. We ship AI tools for the trades. Voice-first, mobile-first, priced for one-truck contractors. The first product — Truck Inventory — went live to ten pilot contractors this month. The AI Estimator and Job-Site Companion ship by the end of the year.
Teach. We teach AI literacy with the trades. Curriculum written by tradesmen, for tradesmen. Weekend workshops, a 4-week AI-Ready Tradesman certificate, and a free tier funded by grants for low-income workers.
Defend. We defend small shops from AI threats — voice-cloning, phishing, credential attacks. The least-protected shops are the easiest targets. We audit, monitor, and train against the threats that are actually showing up.
Why a nonprofit
Because this work is too important to be gated behind subscription tiers and enterprise sales calls. Earned revenue from one shop subsidizes free access for the next. Donor dollars amplify what already works. Every program is co-designed with working tradesmen and pressure-tested in real shops — no surveys, no focus groups, no slide decks.
What’s next
We’re seeking catalytic grants of $50k–$300k to stand up the 501(c)(3) and accelerate Year 1 targets:
- 50 contractors using BUILD tools
- 100 tradespeople certified in applied AI
- 10 shops hardened via DEFEND audits
If you’re a tradesperson, a funder, or a shop that wants to pilot a tool — reach out. If you’ve been waiting for AI to do something real for the people doing real work, you’re in the right place.
— Paul Mantello, Founder