AE3 Partners
AE3 Partners is a San Francisco-based, African-American-owned architecture and construction management firm delivering integrated design-build services to public agencies and enterprises across California and federal markets, supported by ~28 staff across four offices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What AE3 Partners does
AE3 Partners is a privately held, African-American-owned architecture and construction management practice founded in 2007 by Principals Rick Dumas and Doug Davis and headquartered in San Francisco. The firm operates from four offices — San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. — and maintains a team of approximately 28 architects, designers, and construction management professionals. AE3 is certified as a Small and Minority-Owned Business (SBE/MBE) and bills itself as one of the largest African-American owned architecture and construction management firms in California, with 250+ delivered projects for 140+ clients across four declared verticals: Transportation/Aviation, Education/Institutional, Federal, and Civic/Commercial.
The firm's core offering is an integrated Architecture + Construction Management service model delivered primarily through Progressive Design Build, with DBIA-certified staff. Service lines include Architecture and Interior Design (programming, conceptual design, entitlements, design development, construction documents, permitting), Construction Management (budget tracking, project controls, bid management, value engineering, closeout), Sustainable Design (LEED certification, low-impact site planning, AIA 2030 Commitment signatory), and Real Estate Acquisitions (property search, evaluation, pro forma, long-range forecasting). The technology stack is built on industry-standard tools — BIM for design coordination, Bluebeam for team collaboration, and Twin Motion for visualization and community outreach — with no proprietary software or data assets disclosed.
AE3 monetizes exclusively through professional services fees on a project-by-project basis, with pricing determined by scope, size, and complexity rather than standardized tiers. Distribution is channel-driven: direct project engagements with public and enterprise clients, joint ventures and subconsultant roles under mentor-protégé programs with Gensler and Steinberg Hart, prime design-build partnerships with nine major West Coast general contractors (Turner, McCarthy, Flatiron, Roebbelen, Swinerton, Webcor, Whiting Turner, Rudolph & Sletten, Mark Scott), and direct federal agency tasking via GSA Schedule contract 47QRAA19D002R. Named marquee clients include Oakland International Airport, SFO, BART, LAWA/LAX, GSA, NASA, PG&E, Patelco Credit Union, Merritt College, and West Los Angeles College/LACCD. Revenue is undisclosed.
AE3 Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AE3 Partners
- Legal name
- AE3 Partners, Inc.
- Website
- https://ae3partners.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- AE3 Partners is a San Francisco-based, African-American-owned architecture and construction management firm delivering integrated design-build services to public agencies and enterprises across California and federal markets, supported by ~28 staff across four offices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AE3 Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural and Construction Project Management Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Engineering Services (541330), Engineering Services (54133)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)
Keywords
Where AE3 Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
AE3 Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Architecture and Design Services: Full-service architecture and interior design including programming, conceptual design, project entitlements, design development, construction documents, and permitting.
- Construction Management Services: Budget development and tracking, project controls, project management, design management, bid management, value engineering, change order management, and project closeout services.
- GSA Federal Services: Architecture and Construction Management Services via GSA Schedules (NAICS codes: 541310 Architecture, 541611 CM/Management Consulting, 541340 Drafting Services, 541410 Interior Design). Services ordered by federal agencies, government contractors, and authorized entities.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
AE3 Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AE3 Partners provides full-service architecture, construction administration, sustainable design, and real estate acquisition advisory for public agencies, educational institutions, and private developers. The firm supports projects from feasibility and entitlement through design, documentation, and construction administration, including infrastructure and higher-education facilities.
Product overview
AE3 Partners is a full-service Architecture + Construction Management firm offering integrated services throughout California. The company provides four core service lines: Architecture and Interiors, Construction Management, Sustainable Design, and Real Estate Acquisitions. The firm operates through a design-build delivery model (with DBIA certified team members) and serves four core market verticals: Civic + Commercial, Education + Institutional, Transportation, and Federal sectors. The company leverages BIM and Bluebeam technologies for project delivery and has completed over 250 projects including aviation facilities, educational institutions, commercial developments, and federal government projects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Design Services End-to-end architectural design services covering feasibility, programming, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and permit support for civic, transportation, education, and private development projects.
- Construction Administration Construction-phase oversight and administration services, including submittal review, RFI handling, site observation, and contract administration to support successful project delivery for owners and public agencies.
- Sustainable Design Sustainable and environmentally responsible design services integrating green building strategies, energy-efficient systems, and sustainable materials into architectural projects for public and private clients.
- Real Estate Acquisition Advisory Real estate acquisition advisory helping clients identify, evaluate, and assemble sites for development, including feasibility analysis and coordination with entitlement and design teams.
Quantifiable outcome
- LEED Gold and CALGreen Tier 2 certification achieved for Merritt College Child Development Center
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use AE3 Partners
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
AE3 Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
AE3 Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Flatiron ConstructioncoreDesign-build contractor partner for various projects including BART Oakland Airport Connector through Flatiron/Parsons design build team
- Turner ConstructioncoreDesign-build contractor partner; collaborated on SFO Terminal 2, 15th Gate Renovation as Lead Architect within Turner/Woods Bagot/AE3 design-build team
- McCarthy ConstructioncoreDesign-build contractor partner; collaborated on Kaiser Oakland Hospital Replacement project as part of McCarthy Construction design/build team
- Roebbelen ConstructioncoreDesign-build contractor partner; collaborated on PG&E Auburn Regional Business Park as Program Architect on Roebbelen design-build team
- GenslerflagshipMentor-protégé joint venture relationship that expanded AE3's reach into federal, state, and municipal markets
- Steinberg HartflagshipMentor-protégé joint venture; active collaboration on LAWA MATOC initiatives for LAX modernization ahead of 2028 Olympics; collaborated on Venue multifamily project as Associate Architect
- AECOMcoreSubconsultant for SFPUC SSIP ($2B program) and NASA Ames Research Center Mentor-Protégé Program; collaborated on County of Los Angeles Building Assessment Program
- Woods BagotcoreJoint venture partner on Turner/Woods Bagot/AE3 design-build team for SFO Terminal 2, 15th Gate Renovation
- Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)flagshipSteinberg Hart AE3 Partners Joint Venture collaboration through MATOC initiatives for LAX modernization and traveler experience enhancements ahead of 2028 Olympics
- Swintson IncorporatedcoreDesign-build contractor partner listed among major contractor partners
- Webcor ConstructioncoreDesign-build contractor partner listed among major contractor partners
- Whiting TurnercoreDesign-build contractor partner listed among major contractor partners
- Rudolph & SlettencoreDesign-build contractor partner listed among major contractor partners
- Mark Scott ConstructioncoreDesign-build contractor partner listed among major contractor partners
- JacobscoreProgram management partner for West Los Angeles College Plant Facilities and Shops Replacement project ($29M, LEED Silver targeting Gold)
- ArquitectonicaminorAssociate Architect role on One Mission Bay 350-unit mixed-use project in San Francisco
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
AE3 Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Moody Nolan: Moody Nolan is the largest African-American-owned architecture and engineering firm in the U.S., the most directly comparable peer to AE3 given shared ownership narrative, multi-office footprint, integrated architecture + CM services, and deep federal/aviation/education portfolio overlap. Both firms compete on the same set-aside and mentor-protégé opportunities.
- KAI Design: KAI Design is a minority-owned, integrated architecture + engineering firm operating from multiple U.S. offices. It is comparable to AE3 for the same reasons: combined A+E service delivery, mid-size team, and focus on civic, education, aviation, and federal markets.
- Page (Page Southerland Page): Page is a national architecture and engineering firm with similar end markets (aviation, federal, civic, education) and an integrated design/CM-style delivery model. Comparable to AE3 in service scope and typical project scale.
- SmithGroup: SmithGroup is a large integrated design firm with strong higher-education, civic, and federal practices. Comparable to AE3 on market verticals, integrated delivery, and progressive design-build competence, though at much larger scale.
- Steinberg Hart: Steinberg Hart is a California-based architecture firm and active mentor-protégé / JV partner of AE3 (LAWA MATOC JV). Comparable service mix and regional focus; useful as a real-time JV benchmark and a competitor on joint pursuits where AE3 might otherwise have been the lead.
Broad incumbents
- Gensler: Gensler is a global architecture and design firm — a flagship mentor-protégé partner of AE3 (federal, state, municipal work). Comparable market verticals; functions partly as a partner and partly as a much larger competitor on aviation and commercial projects.
- Perkins&Will: Perkins&Will is a global architecture practice with major aviation, federal, education, and healthcare practices. Comparable to AE3 in target verticals but operates at meaningfully larger scale and brand recognition; a relevant competitor on larger public-sector pursuits.
- HOK: HOK is a large global design firm with deep aviation, education, and government practices. Comparable to AE3 on end markets and design-build delivery; competes for the same federal and airport authority contracts at much greater scale.
- Stantec: Stantec is a large global architecture + engineering firm with transportation, federal, and civic practices comparable to AE3's verticals. Functions as a much larger competitor on integrated A+E and CM pursuits.
- Jacobs: Jacobs is a large global professional services firm with architecture, CM, and program management practices. Active program management partner of AE3 (WLAC project) and subconsultant to AE3 on SFPUC SSIP — comparable in delivery model but at vastly greater scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AE3 Partners social profiles
Digital presenceAE3 Partners compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
AE3 Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AE3 Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
AE3 Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AE3 Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AE3 Partners
What does AE3 Partners do?
AE3 Partners provides full-service architecture, construction administration, sustainable design, and real estate acquisition advisory for public agencies, educational institutions, and private developers. The firm supports projects from feasibility and entitlement through design, documentation, and construction administration, including infrastructure and higher-education facilities.
Is AE3 Partners a public or private company?
AE3 Partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was AE3 Partners founded?
AE3 Partners was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is AE3 Partners based?
AE3 Partners is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does AE3 Partners make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Architecture and Design Services are the primary driver. The others are construction Management Services and GSA Federal Services.
Who are AE3 Partners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Moody Nolan, KAI Design, Page (Page Southerland Page), SmithGroup and Steinberg Hart. Broad incumbents are Gensler, Perkins&Will, HOK, Stantec and Jacobs.
Does AE3 Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for AE3 Partners.
What industry is AE3 Partners in?
AE3 Partners's product category is Architectural and Construction Project Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAA, Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54131 and its SIC code is 8711.