What MSP Design does

MSP Design, legally McGill Smith Punshon, Inc., is a privately held, Cincinnati-headquartered multi-discipline design firm operating continuously since 1856. It provides architecture, civil engineering, landscape architecture, interior design, planning, surveying, and 3D architectural illustration services to public- and private-sector clients across Ohio, with a focus on the greater Cincinnati region. The firm is employee-owned, ranks consistently among the top 25 engineering firms in the Greater Cincinnati area, and serves verticals that include education, civic and municipal government, healthcare, corporate and commercial, housing and residential development, parks and recreation, industrial, and retail and hospitality.

The firm's core technology stack is conventional for a regional A&E practice but includes a Reality Capture service launched in February 2023 that combines UAV photogrammetry, UAV LiDAR, and terrestrial laser scanning to collect site condition data more cost-effectively than traditional surveying. Licensed professionals across architecture (AIA), engineering (PE), landscape architecture (PLA), interior design (NCIDQ), and surveying (PS) deliver projects that range from adaptive reuse (e.g., Clinique En Beaute medical spa, Sheakley Center for Youth) to greenfield corporate headquarters (e.g., a 72,010 SF three-story Rumpke Waste & Recycling facility) and LEED-certified industrial terminals (e.g., the award-winning PITT OHIO Cleveland Terminal). Public-facing technology is limited to a Constant Contact-integrated website, Hotjar analytics, and Google Maps for directions.

MSP Design generates revenue through professional services fees quoted on a project-by-project basis, with work sourced via direct client relationships, competitive RFQ/RFP processes for public-sector projects, and subconsultant relationships with firms such as Skanska, Schaefer, and Prater Engineering. The client mix spans government (City of Sharonville, Butler Tech), healthcare providers (UC Health), enterprise corporates (Rumpke, PITT OHIO), financial institutions (GE Credit Union, multi-branch), and smaller commercial tenants. Marketing is conducted through a portfolio-led website, LinkedIn, Facebook, an email newsletter, and active participation in industry associations (IRWA, PLSO, AIA, CREW Network). No external institutional investors, parent company, or funding rounds are disclosed.

Name

MSP Design

Legal name

McGill Smith Punshon, Inc.

Website

https://mspdesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1856

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MSP Design (McGill Smith Punshon, Inc.) is a Cincinnati-based, employee-owned multi-discipline design firm providing architecture, civil engineering, landscape architecture, interior design, planning, and surveying services to public- and private-sector clients across Ohio since 1856.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Design Services: MSP Design provides integrated architecture, civil engineering, landscape architecture, interior design, planning, and surveying services on a project fee basis. Revenue is generated through design fees for commercial, institutional, municipal, and residential development projects across Ohio and the greater Cincinnati region.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MSP Design (McGill Smith Punshon, Inc.) is an architecture, engineering, and surveying firm founded in 1856 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The firm delivers multi-disciplinary design services that combine architecture, civil/structural engineering, and land surveying for commercial, institutional, and infrastructure clients, with approximately 11–50 staff supporting project delivery.

Product overview

MSP Design (McGill Smith Punshon, Inc.) is an architecture and engineering firm offering a comprehensive suite of design services. The firm operates on a multi-service model consisting of seven core service areas: Architecture, Civil Engineering, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Planning, Surveying, and 3D Architectural Illustrations and Animations. These services are organized around various market sectors including Education, Healthcare, Corporate & Commercial, Industrial, Retail & Hospitality, Parks & Recreation, Land Development, Civic & Municipal, Social Services/Nonprofit, and Infrastructure. The company has over 170 years of history since its founding in 1856 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Architecture design services for commercial, institutional, and infrastructure clients, delivered as part of MSP Design's multi-disciplinary practice based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
• Engineering Services Engineering services (including civil and structural engineering) delivered as part of MSP Design's multi-disciplinary practice for commercial, institutional, and infrastructure projects.
• Land Surveying Services Land surveying services delivered by MSP Design to support site and infrastructure projects as part of its multi-disciplinary design practice in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple projects achieving LEED certification and green building awards
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• SkanskaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubconsultant on Butler Tech Natural Science Center project providing additional construction and project management expertise.
• SchaeferminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubconsultant engineering firm on Butler Tech Natural Science Center project.
• Prater EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubconsultant engineering firm on Butler Tech Natural Science Center project.
• JS HeldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubconsultant on Gorman Park Master Plan project.
• Hudepohl Engineering, LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubconsultant on Gorman Park Master Plan project.
• Professional Engineering ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubconsultant on Gorman Park Master Plan project.
• Fischer Engineering Services, LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubconsultant on Gorman Park Master Plan project.
• Cedar Hill Custom HomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubconsultant on Clinique En Beaute adaptive reuse project.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Woolpert: Dayton, Ohio-headquartered architecture, engineering, geospatial, and surveying firm. Closest peer in geography, services mix, and reality-capture/drone capability, though materially larger than MSP.
• Kleingers Group: Ohio-based multi-discipline design firm offering civil engineering, surveying, landscape architecture, and planning services. Directly comparable in headcount, regional Midwestern focus, and integrated land-development practice.
• KZF Design: Cincinnati-headquartered architecture, engineering, and planning firm of comparable size and regional scope. Direct overlap with MSP on civic, education, healthcare, and corporate-commercial projects across the Cincinnati/Ohio market.
• CTL Engineering: Ohio-based engineering, surveying, and environmental services firm serving municipal, commercial, and industrial clients. Comparable regional footprint and multi-discipline A&E delivery model.
• EMH&T (Engineering, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Transportation): Ohio-headquartered civil engineering, surveying, and planning firm serving municipal, healthcare, and transportation clients. Comparable regional Midwestern A&E platform with similar public-sector bidding model.

Broad incumbents

• NV5 Global: Infrastructure, environmental, and geospatial engineering firm with surveying and reality-capture capabilities. Comparable in offering integrated design, surveying, and drone-based data services to municipal and commercial clients.
• HDR: Large U.S. architecture and engineering firm with strong healthcare, civic, and infrastructure practices. Overlaps with MSP on UC Health-style healthcare and municipal projects but competes from a national platform.
• Stantec: Global multi-discipline architecture, engineering, and consulting firm with significant Ohio presence. Competes with MSP on civic, healthcare, and education pursuits but at vastly greater scale and geographic breadth.
• TRC Companies: U.S. engineering, environmental, and construction-management firm serving utility, municipal, and commercial clients. Comparable multi-discipline design-plus-surveying platform with regional Ohio presence.

Regional players

• Heapy Engineering: Dayton, Ohio-based MEP and structural engineering firm serving education, healthcare, and government clients in the Midwest. Comparable regional A&E platform with similar civic and institutional client base, though more engineering-heavy than MSP.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mspdesign
• Facebookfacebook.com/mspdesign
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/msp-design

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 MSP Design