Ascent Group

What Ascent Group does

Ascent Group Inc. is a Boulder, Colorado-based structural engineering firm founded in 2000 that provides comprehensive structural design, assessment, and construction administration services for commercial, residential, light industrial, municipal, and federal projects. The firm operates across the Rocky Mountain region with active engineering licenses in 25+ U.S. states and maintains two offices — Boulder (headquarters) and Winter Park. Core technical capabilities span wood, steel, concrete, precast concrete, concrete masonry units, and structural insulated panels, supported by Building Information Modeling (BIM) and structural analysis workflows. Specialty service lines include Expansive Soils Solutions, High-Altitude and Mountain Construction, Solar Array Engineering, Signage & Sculpture Engineering, and Specialty Component Engineering (structural glass, glass curtain walls, theater rigging, pools, art sculptures).

The firm is led by three principal partners — Lee Winkler (PE, LEED-AP BD+C, founding partner), Matthew Berry (PE), and Chris Krauss (PE, SE) — supported by a team of senior engineers, project engineers, designers, and technical staff. Ascent Group is a project-based professional services firm: revenue is generated through hourly billing and fixed-fee contracts for new construction, remodels, existing-structure evaluations, and forensic consulting. The go-to-market motion is sales-led, relying on direct relationships, referrals, and industry reputation rather than digital channels. Customer segments span enterprise developers and general contractors (Melton Design Build, Sopris Development, Big Valley Construction, Harrington Stanko Construction, Aquality Construction), architecture firms (Barrett Studio Architects, OZ Architecture, McMenamin Design Associates, The ABO Group, DTJ Design, Trapp Associates), craft breweries (Upslope Brewing, Oskar Blues Brewery), federal agencies (NREL, NIST), and municipal governments (City of Golden Public Works). Anchor government work (e.g., a 5-year ongoing NREL contract) plus long-standing private client relationships (20+ years with Sopris Development) provide revenue visibility, while marquee projects such as the Denver Union Station redevelopment and the 2015 Colorado Home of the Year support brand positioning. Ownership is private and partner-held, with no external institutional investment indicated.

Name

Ascent Group

Legal name

Ascent Group Inc.

Website

https://www.ascentgrp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ascent Group is a Boulder, Colorado-based structural engineering firm providing design, assessment, and specialty engineering for commercial, residential, municipal, and federal projects across 25+ U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Structural Engineering Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAIAA

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Engineering & Technical Consulting

Keywords

• Structural engineering services
• Commercial structural design
• Residential structural engineering
• Building information modeling
• Construction administration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Boulder

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Structural Engineering Consulting Services: Professional engineering services billed on project basis for structural design, assessments, and construction administration. Services include new construction design, remodels, existing structure evaluations, and forensic consultation. Revenue generated through hourly billing and fixed-fee project contracts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ascent Group is a structural engineering firm providing comprehensive design, analysis, and construction administration services for commercial, residential, institutional, light industrial, and specialty projects. Their work covers new construction, remodels, existing structure evaluations, and forensic consultation across the Rocky Mountain region and over 25 states. Services are billed on a project basis using hourly rates or fixed-fee contracts, delivered by PE/SE-licensed engineers specializing in wood, steel, concrete, precast concrete, CMU, and structural insulated panels.

Product overview

Ascent Group is a structural engineering firm offering comprehensive engineering services rather than a software product. The company provides a unified set of engineering services organized by project type: Commercial Structural Engineering, Residential Structural Engineering, Institutional Structural Engineering, Light Industrial Structural Engineering, and Existing Structures Assessment. Specialty services include Signage & Sculpture Engineering, Expansive Soils Solutions, Solar Array Engineering, and Specialty and Component Engineering. Projects span the Rocky Mountain region and over 25 states, serving developers, general contractors, architects, municipalities, federal agencies, and homeowners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Structural Engineering Structural engineering services for diverse commercial projects including restaurants, retail, industrial buildings, and office developments throughout the Rocky Mountain region. Designed for developers, general contractors, and property owners needing economical construction and long-lasting, low-maintenance structural design.
• Residential Structural Engineering Structural engineering for single-family, high-end custom, and multi-family homes including pools and residential remodels. Serves custom homeowners, production builders, and architects with services ranging from straightforward economical designs to personalized custom residential support.
• Institutional Structural Engineering Structural engineering for large-scale federal and municipal projects including laboratories, libraries, and large public spaces. Designed for government agencies requiring adherence to strict schedules, budgets, and complete construction documents.
• Light Industrial Structural Engineering Structural engineering for light industrial projects including pharmaceutical companies, medical manufacturing facilities, breweries, and marijuana growing and extraction facilities. Addresses special structural requirements for unique manufacturing processes and equipment.
• Existing Structures Assessment Existing condition assessments, modernization feasibility studies, structural repair documents, and residential reviews to evaluate foundation distress and structural irregularities. Serves building owners, homeowners, and institutions needing forensic evaluation or renovation feasibility.
• Signage & Sculpture Engineering Structural engineering for large-scale signage, art, and sculpture installations requiring specialized expertise. Designed for artists, galleries, institutions, and developers needing non-standard structural solutions.
• Expansive Soils Solutions Engineering solutions for structural issues caused by expanding soils inherent to Western states due to heavy bentonite content. Designed for businesses and homeowners needing foundation and structural solutions in expansive soil conditions.
• Solar Array Engineering Engineering for solar panels used in commercial and residential applications, including foundation and racking systems for ground mount, roof mount, awning, or carport installations. Serves solar installers, commercial property owners, and homeowners.
• Specialty and Component Engineering Specialized engineering for unique structures including steel connection design, swimming pool and spa shell structures, art sculptures, structural glass, glass curtain wall systems, and theater rigging. Designed for architects, contractors, and specialty contractors facing non-standard structural challenges.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2015 Home of the Year award for Colorado Mountain Home engineered by Ascent Group
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• McMenamin Design AssociatescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2014Architectural firm that completely repurposed the Golden Public Works building. Ascent worked closely with McMenamin on the structural aspects of the remodeling project including building facade addition and metal insulated panel selection for the existing metal structure.
• KiewitflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of North America's largest and most respected construction organizations. Ascent Group worked as part of the team on the Denver Union Station redevelopment project, providing structural engineering for ceiling, wall, and MEP element support within the main station structure.
• AECOMflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal provider of professional technical, management support, and engineering services. Partner on Denver Union Station redevelopment project as part of the greater project team.
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading architecture, urban planning, interior design, and engineering firm. Partner on Denver Union Station project contributing to the transformation of the 120-year-old station.
• NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership since early 1990s with recently secured 5-year ongoing contract. Ascent Group helps upgrade NREL facilities for new uses, implement energy-efficient designs, and strengthen existing structures at the National Wind Technology Center and Golden campus.
• NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 3 years of partnership helping modernize Boulder laboratory facilities. Projects include converting a 1950s storage building into a modern machine shop and upgrading safety features across laboratories.
• Barrett Studio ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFull-service environmental design firm focused on contemporary green architecture. Partnership on award-winning 2015 Home of the Year residence in Evergreen, CO, featuring unique structural challenges with stone fins and timber beams.
• OZ ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partnered with on recent craft brewery projects, combining architectural skills with Ascent's home-brewer knowledge for efficient project execution.
• Trapp AssociatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm collaborated with on brewery engineering projects including structural assessments and equipment support installations.
• DTJ DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign firm partnered with on brewery projects combining design expertise with structural engineering requirements.
• The ABO GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partnered with on NREL projects since early 1990s and current I-70 Event Canopy project in Denver for CDOT, City of Denver, and Kiewit/Meridiam Partners.
• SEAC (Structural Engineers Association of Colorado)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association that supports the annual Gingerbread Bridge Competition. Competition has grown from Ascent's internal holiday party to a SEAC-supported event attracting over 100 attendees.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Martin/Martin Inc. Colorado-based structural engineering firm serving commercial, residential, and institutional clients across the Rocky Mountain region. Directly comparable to Ascent Group in size, geography, and project mix, including specialty expertise in challenging site conditions.
• KL&A Engineers and Builders: Structural engineering firm with a strong Colorado presence offering commercial, residential, and institutional structural services. Overlaps directly with Ascent in markets served, specialty expertise (mountain construction, complex sites), and customer base (architects, developers, contractors).
• JVA Consulting Engineers: Colorado-headquartered structural, civil, and environmental engineering firm serving commercial, residential, and institutional projects. Comparable mid-size peer focused on the Rocky Mountain region with similar service breadth.
• Anderson Engineering: Structural engineering firm serving residential, commercial, and industrial clients in Colorado and surrounding states. Mid-size direct peer with a comparable structural-only service offering and customer mix.

Emerging players

• Monroe Engineering: Specialized structural engineering firm with growing Colorado presence focused on residential and light commercial work. Comparable in scale and overlap on residential/mountain projects served by Ascent.

Broad incumbents

• WSP USA: Large multi-discipline engineering and professional services firm with structural engineering capabilities across buildings, transportation, and federal projects. Competes with Ascent on larger institutional and federal pursuits and was a collaborator (through AECOM) on Denver Union Station.
• Stantec: Global engineering, architecture, and consulting firm with structural engineering practices serving commercial, institutional, and federal clients. Broad incumbent competing for the same federal and institutional clients as Ascent across the Western US.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with extensive structural engineering capabilities across buildings, transportation, and federal markets. Directly relevant as a partner on Denver Union Station and as a competitor for large federal and institutional work.
• Arup: Global engineering and design firm with strong structural engineering credentials across complex buildings, transportation, and specialty structures. Comparable at the specialty end of Ascent's portfolio (long-span, sculptural, complex projects) but operates at materially larger scale.
• Thornton Tomasetti: International engineering firm known for complex structural work, including tall buildings, sculptures, and specialty structures. Relevant peer for Ascent's signage/sculpture and specialty/glass engineering practices, though significantly larger in scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AscentGroupBoulder
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ascent-group-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

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 Ascent Group