Idealab Arizona, SOM partner to boost built‑environment innovation
Idealab Arizona, the venture studio affiliated with Bill Gross’s famed Idealab Studio, has announced a far‑reaching partnership with global architecture and engineering powerhouse Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). The alliance is designed to cultivate startups that reinvent how we plan, build, power, and inhabit the built environment—from off‑grid data centers to next‑generation housing systems. By tapping the research muscle of Arizona State University (ASU) and the market‑development strengths of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC), Idealab Arizona and SOM aim to assemble one of the world’s most fertile proving grounds for climate‑positive, high‑performance construction technologies.
Launchpad: Idea Day 2025
The collaboration will debut publicly at Idea Day 2025, Idealab Arizona’s annual summit that pairs founders with venture capitalists, corporate strategists, and domain experts. This year’s event will showcase a curated cohort of concept‑stage companies that tackle six critical verticals:
- Data Centers – Liquid‑cooling, modular off‑grid facilities, and AI‑optimized energy management.
- Housing – Prefabricated accessory dwelling units (ADUs), net‑zero multifamily models, and circular‑economy materials.
- Social Infrastructure – Schools, clinics, and community hubs engineered for rapid deployment and resiliency.
- Energy Infrastructure – Distributed generation, long‑duration storage, and microgrid integration for urban campuses.
- Materials – Carbon‑sequestering concrete, mass‑timber hybrids, and recyclable composites.
- Advanced Manufacturing – Robotics, additive manufacturing, and digital twins to streamline supply chains.
By zeroing in on these sectors, the partnership aligns squarely with Idealab Arizona’s October 2024 pledge to back startups solving “the world’s most pressing challenges”—chief among them urbanization, housing shortages, and climate resilience.
Voices from the Leadership
“Idealab Arizona’s partnership with SOM marks an exciting milestone,” said John Graham, Founding Investor of Idealab Arizona and CEO of Sunbelt Holdings. “Leveraging SOM’s unmatched focus on engineering and design innovation with Idealab Arizona’s robust entrepreneurial ecosystem and ASU’s research prowess, this partnership will enable startups that address the biggest challenges facing the built environment worldwide—from off‑grid data centers to accessory dwelling units. Together, we will drive innovation that shapes more sustainable and resilient cities.”
“Since our founding, SOM has been at the forefront of architectural and engineering innovation,” added Adam Semel, SOM Partner. “We see the opportunity to expand beyond the boundaries of a traditional architecture practice and reach across sectors to invent new solutions to the most pressing challenges in the built environment. In the spirit of collaborative problem‑solving, this partnership with Idealab Arizona and ASU is a commitment to continue to develop new advanced technologies and sustainable practices.”
How the Partnership Will Operate
- Venture Ideation & Validation
Idealab Arizona will run design sprints to test product‑market fit, while SOM architects and engineers vet technical feasibility. - Prototype Development
Startups gain access to SOM’s digital design studios and ASU’s fabrication labs, shortening iteration cycles on physical prototypes such as modular wall assemblies or energy‑storage pods. - Pilot Projects
Through GPEC and municipal partners, ventures can deploy pilots in living‑lab districts—think microgrid‑enabled industrial parks or net‑zero housing clusters—generating performance data to de‑risk scaling. - Capital Stack & Mentorship
Idealab Studio’s global investor network joins regional funds to supply pre‑seed through Series A financing, while SOM principals and ASU faculty serve as technical advisers. - Commercialization & Global Expansion
Successful pilots feed into SOM’s worldwide client roster (airports, tech campuses, civic authorities), giving startups an export pathway beyond Arizona.
Target Outcomes by 2030
- Launch 50+ startups addressing embodied carbon, water efficiency, and climate resilience.
- Create 5,000 high‑skill jobs in Greater Phoenix’s clean‑tech and advanced‑manufacturing sectors.
- Avoid or sequester 10 million metric tons of CO₂e through material substitution and energy innovations.
- Attract $2 billion in follow‑on capital to Arizona’s built‑environment cluster.
Greater Phoenix: A $9 Billion Innovation Sandbox
From 2018 through 2023, startups in Greater Phoenix attracted more than $9 billion in venture, angel, and seed capital. GPEC intends to amplify that momentum by funneling local founders into the Idealab Arizona–SOM pipeline and promoting pilot deployments across the region’s rapidly expanding infrastructure and housing stock.
“The synergy of SOM joining forces with ASU, the No. 1 university in innovation, and Idealab Arizona’s company‑creation expertise will significantly amplify our region’s capabilities to incubate and scale transformative built‑environment startups,” said Chris Camacho, GPEC President & CEO.
