SHYFT

What SHYFT does

SHYFT (also branded SHYFT Collective) is a privately held construction and design services firm founded in 2004 and headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. The company is organized around three interconnected service lines — Plan (project management and owner's representation), Design (architecture and interior design), and Build (construction management and general contracting) — delivered through a Plan-Design-Build model targeting commercial, multifamily, corporate, and residential clients in Central Iowa and Columbus, Ohio. Notable project work spans multifamily developments (e.g., 18-unit Forest Avenue Rowhomes with DEV Partners), adaptive reuse and historic renovations (Sherman Hill, German Village, Victorian Village), hospitality venues (Nocterra Brewing, Smash Park), and municipal/community redevelopment (City of Fort Dodge, Lincoln Neighborhood).

In 2024, SHYFT's design team was integrated into SSOE Group to provide full-service architecture and engineering, while SHYFT retained and continues to operate its construction management and owner's representation services independently. The company employs 11–50 people (approximately 20 as of 2022), is led by CEO Brandon Foldes and COO/Partner Eric Simon, and added three new partners (Beth Benzenberg, Eric Simon, Ellen Broich) to its ownership structure in January 2023. Technology footprint centers on industry-standard tools — Matterport 3D scanning, CAD/CADD, and BIM — alongside LEED-certified sustainable building and historic preservation practices.

SHYFT generates revenue through project-based professional services fees across construction management/general contracting, owner's representation/project management, and (historically, now via SSOE) architecture and interior design. Pricing is quote-driven and customized per project; no public pricing or SaaS-style recurring revenue streams are disclosed. The firm raised approximately $1.39M in funding in December 2022 and grew headcount by 13 team members while acquiring 133 new clients in the same year. Go-to-market is relationship-driven and direct, supported by an active content-marketing program (Learning Center blog, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest) and deep community involvement through Chamber of Commerce leadership.

Name

SHYFT

Legal name

SHYFT Collective

Website

https://shyftcollective.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SHYFT Collective is a privately held, Des Moines-based Plan-Design-Build firm offering construction management, owner's representation, and (historically) architecture services to commercial, multifamily, and residential clients across Central Iowa and Columbus, Ohio; its design team joined SSOE Group in 2024 while SHYFT continues construction operations independently.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Construction Management & General Contracting: SHYFT provides construction management and general contracting services for commercial, multifamily, and residential projects, handling the construction process from ground-up builds to remodels and tenant improvements. Revenue is earned through project-based fees for construction oversight, project delivery, and general contracting services.
2. Architecture & Interior Design Services: Full-service architecture and interior design, including permit drawings, design feasibility studies, and space planning. SHYFT's design team has joined SSOE (as of 2024) while SHYFT continues to provide construction services independently.
3. Project Management & Owner's Representation: Strategic planning, project management, and owner's representation services that help clients set goals, compare solutions, and make confident decisions throughout the project lifecycle.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SHYFT provides integrated Plan-Design-Build services for commercial, multifamily, and residential clients in Central Iowa and Columbus, Ohio. The firm delivers strategic planning and owner's representation (Plan), architecture and interior design (Design), and construction management and general contracting (Build) — handling projects from lease setup, remodels, and tenant improvements to ground-up builds and historic renovations.

Product overview

SHYFT operates as a unified construction and design services firm organized around three interconnected service lines: Plan (Project Management + Owner's Representation), Design (Architecture + Design), and Build (Construction Management + General Contracting). The company mission is 'A Better Way to a Better Space,' focused on delivering commercial and multifamily construction projects on time and on budget in Central Iowa. The design team has recently joined SSOE to provide full-service architecture and engineering, while SHYFT continues to provide construction services independently. The firm also maintains a Learning Center that provides educational content through blog posts, research papers, and videos covering construction insights, design trends, and project management topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plan (Project Management + Owner's Representation) Strategic planning and project management services that help clients set goals, develop plans, compare solutions, and make confident decisions throughout the construction project lifecycle. Includes owner's representation to safeguard client interests.
• Build (Construction Management + General Contracting) Construction management and general contracting services that handle projects from lease setup and remodels to tenant improvements and ground-up builds, navigating each milestone on behalf of the client.
• Design (Architecture + Design) Comprehensive architecture and interior design services, including permit drawings, design feasibility studies, and space planning. Delivered through SSOE Group following the 2024 design team integration, while SHYFT continues to support these capabilities in its construction projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered 133 new projects/clients in 2022 with 13 new team members
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DEV PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2025DEV Partners is a development company and strategic partner of SHYFT. Danny Heggen from DEV Partners collaborated with SHYFT on Forest Avenue Rowhomes and Park Indy Rowhomes projects. SHYFT provides architecture, interior design, and construction management services while DEV Partners handles development. The two companies also co-invested in real estate through the FRMD house flip portfolio, with SHYFT's design and construction teams working alongside DEV Partners to purchase, renovate, and sell single-family and small multi-family homes in Columbus, Ohio.
• SSOE GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHYFT's design team has joined SSOE Group to bring full-service architecture and engineering to clients in Columbus, Ohio and Des Moines, Iowa. SHYFT continues to provide construction services independently while the design team integrates with SSOE's architecture and engineering capabilities.
• City of Fort DodgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHYFT partnered with the City of Fort Dodge to reimagine the Lincoln Neighborhood north of downtown, working on urban redevelopment and community planning initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Weitz Company: Des Moines-headquartered general contractor and design-build firm with national reach in commercial, industrial, and multifamily construction. Comparable as a Midwest-anchored design-builder with overlapping service lines in construction management and owner's representation.
• Neumann Brothers: Des Moines-based general contractor and construction manager with design-build capabilities across commercial, healthcare, education, and historic projects. Comparable to SHYFT in regional Iowa presence, historic renovation expertise, and integrated delivery approach.
• Russell Construction: Iowa-based design-build general contractor serving commercial, healthcare, senior living, and industrial clients. Directly comparable to SHYFT in integrated design-build delivery, regional Midwest focus, and project-based professional services revenue model.
• Story Construction: Iowa-based general contractor serving commercial, healthcare, education, and multifamily clients across the Midwest. Closely comparable to SHYFT in regional footprint, project mix, and design-build orientation, with a similar Central Iowa operating base.

Broad incumbents

• Gilbane Building Company: National privately held construction management and design-build firm serving commercial, healthcare, education, and multifamily markets. Comparable to SHYFT in integrated owner's-representation and construction management offerings, though operating nationally and at much larger scale.
• Power Construction: Chicago-based design-build general contractor serving commercial, healthcare, hospitality, and multifamily clients. Comparable to SHYFT in integrated Plan-Design-Build delivery and similar project verticals, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Ryan Companies: Large regional design-build firm with deep Midwest presence across commercial, healthcare, multifamily, and industrial sectors. Comparable to SHYFT in integrated development-construction services and multifamily/multifamily-adjacent exposure, but at substantially greater scale.
• The Boldt Company: Wisconsin-based design-build firm with Midwest operations across commercial, healthcare, industrial, and multifamily construction. Comparable to SHYFT in integrated design-build delivery and owner-representation services, but at meaningfully larger scale and broader geography.
• Pepper Construction: Midwest-anchored design-build firm with offices across several states. Comparable to SHYFT in integrated design-build delivery and commercial/multifamily mix, but materially larger in scale, headcount, and geographic reach.

Emerging players

• Shive-Hattery: Iowa-based architecture and engineering firm offering planning, design, and building-related services. Comparable to SHYFT's pre-SSOE design capabilities and overlapping Midwest client base, and a potential substitute for SHYFT's Plan-Design positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQjsfPhyq5MGwkx2LFxgZ1w/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/shyftcollective
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shyft-collective
• Instagraminstagram.com/shyftcollective
• Pinterestpin.it/17qujkU

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SHYFT