Hco
HCO Architects is a privately held, certified minority-owned architecture firm in Indianapolis founded in 1989, providing architecture, planning, and interior design for faith-based organizations, educational institutions, government agencies, and housing developers across the U.S. and Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersIndianapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hco does
HCO, Inc. (DBA HCO Architects) is a privately held, certified minority-owned architecture firm founded in 1989 by Henry C. Onochie, AIA, NCARB, in Indianapolis. The firm delivers full-service architecture, planning, and interior design and is nationally positioned as a leading designer of faith-based facilities, including 3,000–5,000 seat sanctuaries, family life centers, fellowship halls, and multi-phase religious campuses. Beyond its faith-based core, the portfolio spans educational institutions (Purdue University, Ivy Tech, Indianapolis Public Schools), government and aviation infrastructure (Indianapolis Airport Authority Midfield Terminal and Ground Transportation Center), healthcare (Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County, Eskenazi Health), and HUD-funded senior and affordable housing. Project costs range from $2 million to over $55 million, and the firm reports active engagements across more than twenty U.S. states and two African countries.
The practice operates as a traditional, relationship-driven architecture firm using BIM/REVIT and standard rendering tools. HCO performs both as prime architect on direct engagements (sanctuary, dormitory, library, fire station, airport garage projects) and as Associate Architect or Joint Venture member on marquee civic and infrastructure projects alongside tier-one partners including Populous, HNTB, Aero Design Group, ARCHonsortium LLC, SchenkelShultz Architecture, and Fanning/Howey Associates. Revenue is earned through conventional architectural and engineering service fees on a project-by-project basis; no productized pricing, software platform, or proprietary technology offering is disclosed. Customer acquisition relies on repeat relationships, publication in industry outlets such as Gospel Today, minority-owned certification, and documented regulatory expertise spanning ADA, HUD 811/202, Fair Housing Act, and federal/state/local code requirements.
The firm is founder-led and family-influenced: Henry C. Onochie remains CEO/President since inception, with Richard Onochie as Vice President, Chuks Onochie as CFO, Florence Onochie as Specialized Accountant, and Ndos Onochie as Intern Architect. No private equity, venture capital, or institutional outside investment is present in the data. Operational footprint consists of the Indianapolis corporate headquarters (purchased in 2002) and offices in Johannesburg (South Africa) and Lagos, Abuja, and Onitsha (Nigeria). The firm discloses no recent financial metrics, and growth signals are limited to qualitative descriptions of national reach and the listed leadership roster.
Hco firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hco
- Legal name
- HCO, Inc.
- Website
- https://hcoarchitects.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- HCO Architects is a privately held, certified minority-owned architecture firm in Indianapolis founded in 1989, providing architecture, planning, and interior design for faith-based organizations, educational institutions, government agencies, and housing developers across the U.S. and Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Hco is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Indianapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Hco business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Architectural Design Services: HCO generates revenue through architectural design fees for projects ranging from $2 million to over $55 million in project cost. Services include architecture, planning, and interior design for various building types including religious facilities, educational campuses, housing complexes, and public buildings. Revenue is project-based and earned through professional design and engineering service contracts.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Hco product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HCO, Inc. (operating as HCO Architects) is a full-service architecture and design firm delivering architecture, planning, and interior design services. The firm specializes in faith-based architecture, designing churches, sanctuaries, and religious campuses, while also serving educational institutions, government agencies, and housing developers on projects ranging from $2 million to over $55 million in value.
Product overview
HCO provides architecture, planning, and interior design services as a unified offering. The firm's core services encompass architectural design, project planning, and interior design, delivered through a team of over 25 professionals. HCO specializes in faith-based architecture while also serving educational, housing, public, and commercial sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architecture Services Full-service architectural design including space planning, structural design, and construction documentation for faith-based, institutional, commercial, and residential projects.
- Planning Services Comprehensive planning services including site analysis, feasibility studies, and project programming for various building types.
- Interior Design Interior design services including space layout, finish selection, furniture specification, and interior styling for commercial and institutional spaces.
Quantifiable outcome
- Projects completed ranging from $2 million to over $55 million in project cost
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Hco
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Hco technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Hco partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- SchenkelShultz ArchitectureminorHCO served as Associate Architect while SchenkelShultz was Architect of Record for Eleanor Skillen Elementary School project for Indiana Public Schools.
- Fanning/Howey AssociatesminorHCO served as Associate Architect while Fanning/Howey was Architect of Record for Joseph Hess Elementary School and Harding Elementary School projects in Hammond, IN.
- HNTBminorHCO was Employee Experience partner on Earlham College residence hall project while HNTB was Architect of Record.
- PopulouscoreHCO served as Associate Architect for Evansville Arena, a major multipurpose sports facility with 11,000 spectator capacity. Populous was Project Architect on this significant public infrastructure project.
- Aero Design GroupcoreHCO served as Joint Venture Team Member for Indianapolis Airport Midfield Terminal project while Aero Design Group was Architect of Record.
- ARCHonsortium LLCcoreHCO served as Joint Venture Architect alongside ARCHonsortium LLC for the Indianapolis Airport Authority Ground Transportation Center, a five-level parking structure project.
- OMS (Odle McGuire & Shook)minorHCO served as Architect of Record and project manager while OMS provided library design architect and interior design/FF&E services for Waren Branch Library project.
- Arc DesignminorHCO served as Associate Architect for Eskenazi Health Services project while Arc Design was Project Architect.
- KGA StudiominorHCO served as Associate Architect for Alfred Street Baptist Church expansion while KGA Studio was lead architect.
- Odle McGuire & ShookminorHCO provided electrical, mechanical, and plumbing engineering services while Odle McGuire & Shook was Architect of Record for Pike Township Fire Station #64.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hco competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DLR Group: National integrated design firm with strong K-12, higher-education, civic, and faith-based practices. Comparable in serving institutional clients on projects of similar scope.
- HKS Architects: Large national architecture firm with significant faith-based and healthcare portfolios. Comparable via faith-based and institutional segment overlap, though at substantially larger scale.
- HNTB: Major U.S. infrastructure and architecture firm with strong aviation, transportation, and campus-housing practices. Comparable via shared JV work (Earlham College residence hall) and overlap in aviation, education, and public-sector projects.
- Populous: Global sports and large-venue architecture firm. Comparable via JV on Evansville Arena (11,000-seat venue) and overlap in large-scale institutional and assembly-type building design.
Direct peers
- Moody Nolan: Largest African-American-owned U.S. architecture firm. Highly comparable to HCO: minority-owned status, strong institutional/education practice, similar project mix including faith-based and public-sector work, and a multi-office national footprint.
- Fanning/Howey Associates: Education-focused architecture and engineering firm serving K-12 and higher-ed across the Midwest. Comparable firm size, education segment overlap, and JV partner of HCO on Hammond, IN elementary school projects.
- SchenkelShultz Architecture: Mid-size U.S. architecture firm with strong K-12 and higher-education portfolio. Comparable in scale, project mix, and JV structure (HCO has served as Associate Architect on SchenkelShultz-led K-12 projects).
- KGA Studio: Faith-based architecture specialist with national reach (e.g., Alfred Street Baptist Church). Directly comparable niche focus on large sanctuary design and Onochie's prior JV partner on Baptist church projects.
- Odle McGuire & Shook (OMS): Indianapolis-based architecture and engineering firm with comparable public-sector and library expertise. HCO has partnered with OMS on library and fire station projects in the Indianapolis market.
Regional players
- Aero Design Group: Aviation-focused architecture firm that partnered with HCO on the Indianapolis Airport Midfield Terminal. Comparable in aviation and public-sector design and as a JV counterparty.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hco social profiles
Digital presenceHco financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hco leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Hco funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hco 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 Hco
What does Hco do?
HCO, Inc. (operating as HCO Architects) is a full-service architecture and design firm delivering architecture, planning, and interior design services. The firm specializes in faith-based architecture, designing churches, sanctuaries, and religious campuses, while also serving educational institutions, government agencies, and housing developers on projects ranging from $2 million to over $55 million in value.
Is Hco a public or private company?
Hco is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hco founded?
Hco was founded in 1989. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hco based?
Hco is headquartered in Indianapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hco make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural Design Services.
Who are Hco's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DLR Group, HKS Architects, HNTB and Populous. Direct peers are Moody Nolan, Fanning/Howey Associates, SchenkelShultz Architecture, KGA Studio and Odle McGuire & Shook (OMS). Aero Design Group is listed as a regional player.
Does Hco have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hco.