Synthesis
Synthesis Incorporated is a privately held Indianapolis-based architecture and design firm founded in 1998, delivering full-service architectural design across civic, corporate, healthcare, higher education, life sciences, and residential sectors for enterprise and institutional clients in the Midwest.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersIndianapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Synthesis does
Synthesis Incorporated is a privately held architecture and design firm founded in 1998 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with a recently opened secondary office in Schenectady, New York. The firm delivers full-service architectural design across six practice sectors—Civic, Corporate, Healthcare, Higher Education, Life Sciences, and Residential—covering visioning, master planning, interior design, programming, codes and standards compliance, building assessments, and sustainability consulting. Its proprietary differentiator is "The Sandbox," a state-of-the-art design and visualization hub at the new Indianapolis studio that enables clients to experience proposed spaces before construction, alongside a "Responsible Creativity" methodology that the firm uses to frame client engagements.
The firm generates revenue through project-based professional services contracts with enterprise and institutional clients, including Eli Lilly, IU Health, Eskenazi Health, Purdue University, the Indiana Department of Transportation, the Indianapolis Airport Authority, and Lucas Oil Stadium. Synthesis reports that over 95% of its $500M in annual project work comes from repeat clients, signaling an enterprise field-sales model driven by portfolio reputation, multi-decade relationships, and repeat engagements rather than competitive RFP volume. Marketing is content-driven through a corporate blog, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook, supplemented by industry awards (2025 Best Places to Work in Indiana, AIA EP Friendly Firm 2024, NIRSA Outstanding Facilities Award 2025) and community engagement.
Operationally, the firm runs a lean model with 15–34 U.S. employees, supported by sub-consultant engineering and construction partners (e.g., Hannig Construction, V3 Companies, HOK) on larger flagship commissions such as the INDOT Clear Creek Welcome Center. Leadership is centered on Founder & Principal Jenelle Smagala alongside a director team averaging approximately 30 years of industry experience, and the firm is a signatory of the AIA 2030 Commitment, embedding sustainability targets across its practice.
Synthesis firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Synthesis
- Legal name
- Synthesis Incorporated
- Website
- https://synthinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Synthesis Incorporated is a privately held Indianapolis-based architecture and design firm founded in 1998, delivering full-service architectural design across civic, corporate, healthcare, higher education, life sciences, and residential sectors for enterprise and institutional clients in the Midwest.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Synthesis industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (541410)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
Keywords
Where Synthesis is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Indianapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Synthesis business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architecture and Design Services: Project-based professional services revenue from architectural design, interior design, programming, master planning, and construction administration. Services span civic, corporate, healthcare, higher education, life sciences, and residential sectors. Work includes renovation and new construction projects for government, healthcare, pharmaceutical, university, and private sector clients.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Synthesis product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Synthesis provides full-service architectural design encompassing visioning, master planning, interior design, programming, codes and standards compliance, building assessments, and sustainability solutions. The firm delivers projects across civic, corporate, healthcare, higher education, life sciences, and residential sectors, supported by The Sandbox, a proprietary in-house visualization environment for real-time design exploration and client experience prior to construction.
Product overview
Synthesis is an architecture and design firm offering comprehensive architectural services through a single unified practice. The core offering centers on architectural design encompassing visioning, master planning, interior design, and sustainability solutions, supported by The Sandbox—a proprietary design visualization technology. The firm organizes its portfolio across six service sectors: Civic, Corporate, Healthcare, Higher Education, Life Sciences, and Residential projects. Notable projects include the INDOT Clear Creek Welcome Center, Eskenazi Health facilities, Eli Lilly workspace renovations, Purdue University research laboratories, and various senior living communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Design Services Full-service architectural design encompassing visioning, master planning, interior design, programming, codes and standards compliance, building assessments, and sustainability solutions for government, healthcare, higher education, life sciences, corporate, and residential clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- Eli Lilly integrated workspace project completed 20% under budget
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Synthesis
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Synthesis technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Synthesis partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.
- LeChasecoreLeChase serves as construction manager in partnership with Synthesis for the Schenectady Day Nursery expansion project. The project will add two new classrooms and a gross motor activity room. Synthesis provides architectural design through its NY Capital Region office while LeChase handles construction management.
- Indianapolis Motor SpeedwayflagshipCollaboration on the Clear Creek Welcome Center design, translating the spirit of the Indy 500 into architectural form. The welcome center celebrates the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing' through form, light, and motion.
- Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT)flagshipINDOT partnered with Synthesis as architect for the Clear Creek Welcome Center, part of INDOT's statewide modernization plan to reimagine welcome centers as gateways reflecting Indiana's character. INDOT provided vision and commitment to design integrity.
- Hannig Construction, Inc.coreConstruction partner for the Clear Creek Welcome Center project whose expertise helped realize the design vision for the welcome center.
- Janssen Spaans EngineeringsupportingEngineering partner on the Clear Creek Welcome Center project.
- Fink Roberts & PetriesupportingEngineering partner on Clear Creek Welcome Center, helping refine structure and systems that make the dynamic architectural form possible.
- Applied Engineering ServicessupportingEngineering partner on Clear Creek Welcome Center, contributing to precision and collaboration for the project's dynamic form.
- RATIO Landscape ArchitecturesupportingLandscape architecture partner on Clear Creek Welcome Center, contributing to the checkered north facade and landscaping that brings movement and memory to the visitor experience.
- HAMILTONcoreCollaborated with Synthesis on immersive exhibit design for Clear Creek Welcome Center, developing interactive elements and sensory experiences extending the story beyond the building's form.
- V3 CompaniescoreDesign team partner with Synthesis and Accompany LLC for the City of Lawrence Trades District Master Development Plan. The partnership engaged with the City of Lawrence and Lawrence Redevelopment Commission to create a strategic plan for a construction trades-oriented cluster district.
- Accompany LLCcoreDesign team partner with Synthesis and V3 Companies for the City of Lawrence Trades District Master Development Plan, creating a strategic Master Development Plan rooted in architecture, engineering, and construction industry.
- HOKflagshipExecutive Architect partnership for Eskenazi Health Ambulatory Care Building project. HOK aligned design execution with established schedule and budget requirements while Synthesis served as Architect of Record for the interior fit-out.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Synthesis competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Schmidt Associates: Indianapolis-based architecture and engineering firm of comparable size serving civic, healthcare, higher education, and corporate clients in Indiana. Directly comparable as a Midwest-rooted full-service architecture firm competing for the same institutional RFPs as Synthesis.
- CSO Architects: Indianapolis-headquartered architecture firm with strong healthcare, higher education, and civic portfolios. Closest direct head-to-head competitor for Indiana-based institutional clients served by Synthesis.
- Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf: Indianapolis architecture and interiors firm of similar scale covering civic, healthcare, education, and workplace sectors. Comparable in geography, service mix, and client profile to Synthesis.
- Ratio Design: Indianapolis-based architecture, interiors, and branded environments firm with significant civic, sports, and entertainment work. Directly competes with Synthesis on civic and stadium-scale projects.
Broad incumbents
- HOK: Global architecture and design firm that has partnered with Synthesis as Executive Architect on the Eskenazi Health Ambulatory Care Building. Represents the type of large, full-service incumbent Synthesis partners with — and competes against — on healthcare mega-projects.
- CannonDesign: Large integrated design firm with deep healthcare, higher education, and science & technology practices. Competes for the same institutional and life-sciences engagements Synthesis pursues, but at national scale.
- Perkins&Will: Global architecture practice with strong healthcare and science practices. Competes for major institutional clients that Synthesis serves, particularly academic medical centers and research institutions.
- DLR Group: Integrated design firm with significant civic, healthcare, and higher education portfolios. National-scale competitor pursuing the same client segments as Synthesis.
Regional players
- Legat Architects: Midwest-rooted architecture firm with higher education and civic expertise. Comparable in scale and regional positioning though primarily Illinois-based rather than Indiana.
- Wight & Company: Midwest architecture, engineering, and construction firm serving civic, education, and workplace clients. Comparable as a regional Midwestern peer with an integrated design-build model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Synthesis social profiles
Digital presenceSynthesis compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Synthesis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Synthesis leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Synthesis funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Synthesis 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 Synthesis
What does Synthesis do?
Synthesis provides full-service architectural design encompassing visioning, master planning, interior design, programming, codes and standards compliance, building assessments, and sustainability solutions. The firm delivers projects across civic, corporate, healthcare, higher education, life sciences, and residential sectors, supported by The Sandbox, a proprietary in-house visualization environment for real-time design exploration and client experience prior to construction.
Is Synthesis a public or private company?
Synthesis is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Synthesis founded?
Synthesis was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Synthesis based?
Synthesis is headquartered in Indianapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Synthesis make money?
One revenue line is on record: architecture and Design Services.
Who are Synthesis's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Schmidt Associates, CSO Architects, Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf and Ratio Design. Broad incumbents are HOK, CannonDesign, Perkins&Will and DLR Group. Regional players are Legat Architects and Wight & Company.
Does Synthesis have an API?
No public API is recorded for Synthesis.
What industry is Synthesis in?
Synthesis's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services. Its NAICS code is 54131.