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StartupsCA / Silicon Valley·Ranked Tuesday, April 28, 2026
How a chance encounter in Texas sparked a $1 billion Kleiner Perkins-backed AI startup
Kleiner Perkins backs $1B Avoca startup bringing AI to trades like plumbing.

“Avoca, founded by two MIT grads, brings Silicon Valley tech to trades like plumbing, roofing, and HVAC.”
AI score breakdown
#10 that day4.05/ 10
Technology breakthrough · weight 30%4/10
Economic impact · weight 25%5/10
Job impact · weight 20%3/10
Regional relevance · weight 15%6/10
Policy & geopolitics · weight 10%1/10
Composite is the weighted sum of the five dimensions. How scoring works →
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