I-ON GROUP
I-ON Group is a Honolulu-headquartered multidisciplinary design and development firm integrating architecture, urbanism, neuroscience, and biophilic design to deliver sustainable built environments for healthcare, education, non-profit, and real estate clients across Hawaii and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersHonolulu, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What I-ON GROUP does
I-ON Group is a private multidisciplinary design and development firm founded in 2007 and headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, with additional offices in London and Zürich. The company positions itself as a transdisciplinary practice that integrates architecture, urbanism, neuroscience, indigenous culture, and biophilic design principles into built environments intended to serve as sustainable community catalysts. Core offerings comprise Design and Development Services and Applied Research, delivered through project-based professional services engagements that span healthcare campuses, educational facilities, non-profit real estate, residential developments, urban revitalization plans, and confidential technology campus work.
The firm operates through a lean core team of five employees supplemented by an advisory and partner network anchored by a strategic partnership with G70, Hawaii's largest multidisciplinary design firm (where the CEO serves as Partner and Principal Architect), and the co-founded B-HARI (Brain Health Applied Research Institute), which extends the firm's applied-research capabilities into brain-health-focused design. Go-to-market is relationship-driven, relying on referrals from institutional partners in Hawaii (King Lunalilo Trust, Salvation Army Hawaii, Honolulu Museum of Art, Castle & Cooke Homes Hawaii, Woodbury Corporation), international partnerships (Manaola Group, Louis Wane, Yohann Florentin Architecte), and confidential enterprise engagements including Google. Revenue is generated through custom, quote-based project fees with no publicly disclosed pricing.
Customer segments are primarily healthcare institutions, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and real estate developers, with secondary exposure to technology companies requiring infrastructure and campus development. The firm claims track-record "firsts" including Hawaii's first LEED Platinum School, first LEED Platinum Laboratory, and first HI-CHPS certified project. I-ON Group is founder-led, with no disclosed institutional investment, parent company, or external ownership.
I-ON GROUP firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- I-ON GROUP
- Legal name
- I-ON Group
- Website
- https://i-ongroup.design
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- I-ON Group is a Honolulu-headquartered multidisciplinary design and development firm integrating architecture, urbanism, neuroscience, and biophilic design to deliver sustainable built environments for healthcare, education, non-profit, and real estate clients across Hawaii and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
I-ON GROUP industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural and Urban Design Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)
Keywords
Where I-ON GROUP is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Honolulu
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
I-ON GROUP business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Design and Development Services: The company provides multidisciplinary design and development services, conceiving projects with financial partners that stimulate markets and serve as sustainable community catalysts. Revenue is generated through project-based engagements involving architecture, urbanism, and development services.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
I-ON GROUP product offering
Product offeringCore offering
I-ON Group is a multidisciplinary design and development firm that conceives architecture, urbanism, and development projects in collaboration with financial partners. The company creates sustainable community catalysts across healthcare, education, residential, and technology sectors, integrating neuroscience, indigenous culture, and biophilic principles into built environments that improve brain health and community wellbeing.
Product overview
I-ON Group is a multidisciplinary design and development company offering two core service lines: Design and Development Services and Applied Research. The company operates across architecture, urbanism, and sustainable community development, with specific projects including healthcare campuses, residential developments, and the Brain Health Applied Research Institute (B-HARI). Their portfolio spans projects in Hawaii, international locations (French Polynesia, Hong Kong, California), and confidential technology campuses, positioning them as a versatile firm focused on sustainable, community-driven development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- B-HARI (Brain Health Applied Research Institute): Co-founded by Ma Ry Kaiona Kim; a pioneer in integrating neuroscience, aging, indigenous culture, and biophilia into lifestyle solutions and built environments that improve brain health.
Products and services
- Design and Development Services Multidisciplinary design and development services spanning architecture, urbanism, and project delivery. Engagements span healthcare campuses, educational facilities, residential developments, and confidential technology campuses for enterprise clients and financial partners.
- Applied Research Evidence-based applied research initiatives that translate findings into scalable and affordable design solutions. Work focuses on community and environmental impact, including neuroscience, aging, indigenous knowledge, and biophilic integration through B-HARI.
Quantifiable outcome
- First LEED Platinum School in Hawaii (Kanu o Ka Aina)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use I-ON GROUP
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
I-ON GROUP technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
I-ON GROUP partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- B-HARI (Brain Health Applied Research Institute)coreCo-founded by CEO Ma Ry Kaiona Kim, B-HARI is a pioneer in integrating neuroscience, aging, indigenous culture, and biophilia into lifestyle solutions and built environments. I-ON Group collaborates on projects with B-HARI, with project sites in Hawaii and various locations.
- G70 (formerly Group 70 International)coreHawaii's largest multidisciplinary architecture, engineering, and planning firm. CEO Ma Ry Kaiona Kim serves as Partner and Principal Architect, while Charles Kaneshiro serves as President. Partnership enables comprehensive design and development project delivery across Hawaii.
- Manaola GroupcoreDesign collaboration through Kalahikiola Group, co-founded by CEO Ma Ry Kaiona Kim and Manaola Yap of Manaola Group. Partnership focuses on Hawaiian cultural design integration and sustainable community development.
- Castle & Cooke Homes HawaiimajorResidential development partnership for sustainable housing projects throughout Hawaii. Includes the Koa Ridge Healthcare Campus project, one of the company's major initiatives.
- King Lunalilo TrustmajorNon-profit organization partnership for community development projects in Hawaii with various project sites.
- GooglecoreConfidential technology projects in sub-Saharan Africa. CEO Ma Ry has prior experience working with Google, and I-ON Group continues to work on confidential projects for the technology company.
- Salvation Army HawaiimajorNon-profit real estate consulting partnership. Mel Kaneshige serves as consultant for the Salvation Army, helping optimize real estate assets to provide additional revenue for their mission.
- Woodbury CorporationmajorReal estate development partnership for projects in Hawaii.
- Ternion Risk Mitigation GroupminorRisk mitigation partnership for Hawaii-based projects.
- Cipher Sports and WellnessminorSports and wellness facility development partnership in Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Louis WaneminorArchitecture and design partnership for projects in French Polynesia.
- Yohann Florentin ArchitecteminorArchitecture partnership for projects in French Polynesia.
- 442nd Legacy CenterminorNon-profit partnership for community development projects in Hawaii. Mel Kaneshige serves as consultant for the 442nd Legacy Center.
- Assets SchoolminorEducational institution partnership for school development projects in Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Honolulu Museum of ArtminorCultural institution partnership for arts and cultural facility development in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
I-ON GROUP competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cookfox Architects: NYC-based architecture firm pioneering biophilic and wellness-driven design for healthcare, education, and commercial clients. Directly comparable in brain-health and biophilic design specialization.
- Mithun: Design firm specializing in sustainable architecture, urban design, and interior design with strong biophilic and community orientation. Comparable to I-ON in transdisciplinary approach and sustainability-led positioning.
- WATG: Global architecture and design firm specializing in hospitality, residential, and community master planning with strong Pacific/Asia presence. Comparable to I-ON's blend of design and community development, particularly across Hawaii and Asia-Pacific.
- BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Transdisciplinary architecture and design practice combining architecture, urbanism, and research. Comparable to I-ON's transdisciplinary ethos and 'new thinker' positioning at significantly larger scale.
- Snøhetta: Transdisciplinary design firm operating across architecture, landscape, interiors, and branding with strong sustainability ethos. Comparable to I-ON's transdisciplinary positioning and global project ambitions.
- BNIM: Design firm with deep expertise in regenerative design, biophilia, and high-performance buildings. Comparable to I-ON in sustainability credentials and the integration of neuroscience/wellness into built environments.
- Lake|Flato Architects: Award-winning practice known for climate-responsive, community-oriented, and biophilic design across education, healthcare, and residential. Directly comparable to I-ON's sustainable-community-catalyst positioning and Hawaii-style climate-conscious ethos.
- G70: Hawaii's largest multidisciplinary architecture, engineering, and planning firm. Directly comparable as a Hawaii-anchored design firm pursuing biophilic and community-focused projects; I-ON's CEO is also a Partner and Principal Architect there, making it both a peer and a delivery partner.
- Hart Howerton: Boutique planning, design, and landscape architecture firm focused on community-scale master planning, hospitality, and mixed-use developments. Closely comparable to I-ON's community-catalyst and biophilic ethos at boutique scale.
Broad incumbents
- Gensler: World's largest architecture firm and I-ON CEO Ma Ry Kaiona Kim's former employer. Operates as a global incumbent across mixed-use, commercial, healthcare, and community design — I-ON effectively competes for similar clients but at boutique scale and with a community/biophilic specialty.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
I-ON GROUP social profiles
Digital presenceI-ON GROUP financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
I-ON GROUP leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
I-ON GROUP funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
I-ON GROUP 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 I-ON GROUP
What does I-ON GROUP do?
I-ON Group is a multidisciplinary design and development firm that conceives architecture, urbanism, and development projects in collaboration with financial partners. The company creates sustainable community catalysts across healthcare, education, residential, and technology sectors, integrating neuroscience, indigenous culture, and biophilic principles into built environments that improve brain health and community wellbeing.
Is I-ON GROUP a public or private company?
I-ON GROUP is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was I-ON GROUP founded?
I-ON GROUP was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is I-ON GROUP based?
I-ON GROUP is headquartered in Honolulu, United States, in the North America region.
How does I-ON GROUP make money?
One revenue line is on record: design and Development Services.
Who are I-ON GROUP's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cookfox Architects, Mithun, WATG, BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), Snøhetta, BNIM, Lake|Flato Architects, G70 and Hart Howerton. Gensler is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does I-ON GROUP have an API?
No public API is recorded for I-ON GROUP.
What industry is I-ON GROUP in?
I-ON GROUP's product category is Architectural and Urban Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAO, Community Engagement & Participatory Planning.