When we first met the founders of EquipmentShare in Winter 2015, they didn’t come from Silicon Valley or Wall Street. They came from rural Missouri: the “Show Me” state. Their background is one where you learned to build things yourself, fix what was broken, and work with what you had.
EquipmentShare’s founders grew up in a commune where rules were strict, and self-reliance wasn’t a slogan — it was a necessity. When they left, they didn’t have much. They certainly didn’t have Ivy League degrees. What they did have was something much better: a deep understanding of construction, contractors, and the everyday frustration of trying to get real work done with the wrong tools and the wrong systems.
The EquipmentShare founders didn’t start by trying to “disrupt” an industry. They started by solving their own problem. YC founder Paul Graham proselytized about solving your own problems in his essay about how to get startup ideas: “The most successful startups almost all begin … from things their founders built because there seemed a gap in the world.”
EquipmentShare started as a straightforward idea, which was to level the playing field for contractors by simplifying access to equipment, building a marketplace for construction machinery and unlocking more value from what they already owned. From day one, the company operated with a distinct rhythm: build first (before talking about it), ship fast (before optimization), and listen (obsessively) to customers.
YC’s motto is “Make something people want” and few companies embody that principle more literally than EquipmentShare.
Over time, they didn’t just build a marketplace. They built an operating system for the jobsite. What started as a way to rent and share equipment grew into a national, vertically integrated platform that helps contractors manage fleets, track machines, and run their operations better. Their T3 telematics and software platform — built because customers needed visibility and control — became just as important to the manufacturing process as the iron itself.
Looking back at their original application, it’s striking how much of the DNA is still there: deep domain knowledge, relentless work ethic, and a refusal to accept that “this is just how the industry works.”
The EquipmentShare founders are certainly from the Show Me state: they showed everyone that great businesses don’t always start in obvious places, and that the most durable, legendary companies are built by people who truly understand the work on the ground.
Watching EquipmentShare grow from a scrappy Missouri startup into a company helping power jobsites across the country has been a privilege. This milestone is huge — and it also feels like just another step in their journey for a team that has been building steadily from day one.
EquipmentShare has always felt like a team of destiny, and we couldn’t be more proud to have been a part of your story. Congratulations to Jabbok, Willy, and the entire EquipmentShare team! We’re excited to keep watching you build.