Oracle Files Lawsuit Against Procore Over Alleged Trade Secret Theft

Oracle, the renowned software corporation, has initiated a lawsuit against Procore Technologies, the Carpinteria-based company specializing in construction industry software. Filed in a federal court in California, the lawsuit accuses Procore of misappropriating trade secrets to enhance its competitive position in the market.

According to the legal documents submitted last month, Oracle alleges that Mark Mariano, a former employee, transferred “thousands” of Oracle’s confidential documents to his new employer, Procore. These documents reportedly included source code, customer data, and strategic research plans. Oracle claims that this theft was instrumental in enabling Procore to develop and launch a new software platform aimed at managing construction payments, directly in competition with Oracle’s offerings.

Mariano, who previously spearheaded the integration of third-party software with Oracle’s payment management systems, left Oracle to join Procore in 2021. Following his transfer, Procore was quick to release a platform and several integrations similar to those Oracle had developed under Mariano’s lead, the lawsuit states.

Oracle is seeking an unspecified amount in monetary damages and a judicial order to prevent Procore from using the stolen trade secrets.

“We believe the claims are meritless and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves,” Procore said in a statement. “In the meantime, we’ll continue to remain focused on what we’ve always done best—empowering the industry to build smarter and better.”

The case, filed under the designation Oracle America Inc v. Procore Technologies Inc, is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The case number is 3:24-cv-07457. Legal representation for Oracle includes Adam Alper, Michael De Vries, and Leslie Schmidt of Kirkland & Ellis, while attorney details for Procore have not yet been disclosed.