The partnership will be launched at Idea Day 2025, Idealab Arizona’s signature event connecting entrepreneurs and investors. The Idealab Arizona – SOM partnership will focus on fostering startups that address critical challenges and opportunities in the built environment, targeting sectors such as Data Centers, Housing, Social Infrastructure, Energy Infrastructure, Materials, and Advanced Manufacturing. By focusing on the built environment, this partnership deepens the mission of the startup studio that Idealab Arizona announced in October 2024 to focus on startups that address the world’s most pressing challenges.
“Idealab Arizona’s partnership with SOM marks an exciting milestone,” said John Graham, Founding Investor of Idealab Arizona, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, 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, shaping cities and communities for nearly a century,” said SOM Partner Adam Semel. “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.”
Arizona State University will contribute to this collaboration through The Design School (Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts), the Del E. Webb School of Construction (Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering), and the School of Sustainability (College of Global Futures).
“Arizona State University is proud to see this collaboration between Idealab Arizona and SOM, which builds on our shared commitment to innovation and sustainability,” said Renée Cheng, dean of the Herberger Institute and ASU senior vice provost. “By bringing together Idealab Arizona’s entrepreneurial drive, SOM’s global expertise in the built environment, and ASU’s interdisciplinary research capabilities, we are creating a unique platform to launch impactful ventures that will shape the future of our communities and the world.”
The partnership will also continue Idealab Arizona’s collaboration with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) to leverage Greater Phoenix’s thriving ecosystem of global startups, which has attracted more than $9 billion in venture capital, angel, and seed funding from 2018-2023. This alliance will significantly expand access to local innovators and support the region’s growth in advanced construction and sustainability technologies for the rest of the world.
“Greater Phoenix’s emergence as a hub for startup innovation is further solidified by this partnership between SOM, Idealab Arizona, and ASU,” said GPEC President & CEO Chris Camacho. “The synergy of SOM joining forces with ASU, the No. 1 university in innovation, and Idealab Arizona’s company creation and incubator expertise will significantly amplify our region’s capabilities to incubate and scale transformative Built Environment startups, generate substantial economic and community impact, and meaningfully enhance our quality of life.”
