urb-in

What urb-in does

urb-in is a specialized infrastructure and urban design consultancy headquartered in San Francisco, California, founded in 2013 by Jonathan Manzo with operational activity traceable to 2010. The firm serves a narrow set of clients — investor-owned utilities (principally Pacific Gas & Electric / PG&E), real estate developers, and municipal agencies — by providing Infrastructure Design Consulting, Urban Design, Stakeholder Management, Land Planning, and Design Supervision services. Its core technical capability centers on electrical substation architecture and large-scale urban redevelopment master planning, with demonstrated delivery on five-plus PG&E substations (Larkin, Mission, Martin, Potrero, Embarcadero, Egbert) and the 32-acre Hunters Point site in San Francisco.

The firm's underlying product is professional services delivered through design-led project execution: feasibility and vision documents, stakeholder and entitlement management, schematic and construction-phase design supervision, and increasingly prefabricated building systems. Notable technical deliverables include the Larkin Substation — described as the first Net-Zero electrical switchgear building — and a prefabricated concrete housing system applied to the Boyle Tower micro-unit project in Los Angeles. The Hunters Point Vision Document, completed in June 2018, has functioned as the master plan guiding interim activation ("NOW Hunters Point") and long-term buildout of the parcel.

The business model is fee-for-service professional consulting, with project-based billing tied to design and advisory engagements. Distribution is direct and relationship-driven, anchored by a multi-year PG&E relationship that has produced the majority of the firm's visible project portfolio. urb-in operates privately under founder ownership, has not raised external funding, and has not engaged in M&A activity; growth has been organic and constrained by a 12-person team. The firm has won multiple AIA awards (2018, 2019, 2020), which serve as the primary third-party validation of design quality.

Name

urb-in

Legal name

urb-in

Website

https://urb-in.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

urb-in is a San Francisco-based infrastructure and urban design consultancy serving investor-owned utilities (primarily PG&E), real estate developers, and municipalities with substation design, master planning, stakeholder management, and design supervision for utility and urban redevelopment projects in California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Infrastructure Design Services

NAICS

Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction Management (Agency/Owner’s Rep) (IMAFAAAC)

Keywords

• Urban infrastructure design
• Utility substation design
• Land planning services
• Stakeholder engagement
• Design supervision

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Infrastructure Design Consulting: urb-in provides strategic guidance, design supervision, land planning, and stakeholder engagement services for infrastructure projects. The firm works with utility companies and developers on major infrastructure projects from planning through construction.
2. Design Services: Direct design services including architecture, urban design, and landscape architecture for infrastructure projects

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

urb-in is a practice specializing in infrastructure and urban design, providing strategic guidance, design supervision, land planning, and stakeholder engagement for utility and real estate clients. The firm delivers projects including electrical substation modernizations, power plant site redevelopment, shoreline restoration, and affordable housing prototypes, primarily serving Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Product overview

urb-in is a specialized infrastructure and urban design practice that offers a portfolio of professional services rather than a unified software product. Their core service offering spans four main modules: Design, Stakeholder Management, Land Planning, and Design Supervision. These services are applied to infrastructure projects including electrical substations, shoreline restoration, affordable housing, and urban redevelopment plans. Key projects include the Hunters Point Vision Document (a strategic redevelopment resource), Hunters Point Shoreline (community waterfront amenity), multiple substation modernization projects (Larkin, Mission, Martin, Egbert, Potrero, Embarcadero), Boyle Tower (micro-unit affordable housing prototype), and NOW Hunters Point (interim site activation program).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Infrastructure Design Services
• Urban Design Services
• Stakeholder Management
• Land Planning
• Design Supervision

Quantifiable outcome

• First Net-Zero electrical switchgear building in the US certified by ILFI ZEB Certification
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 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

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TEF DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Ongoing collaboration with TEF Design on multiple substation projects including Larkin Switchgear Building, Hunters Point Substation, and Potrero and Embarcadero Substations. TEF Design serves as architect on these projects with urb-in providing design supervision and stakeholder engagement.
• Horton Lees Brogden Lighting DesignminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Lighting design consultant for Larkin Switchgear Building project, contributing to the biophilic design with green wall and ambient illumination features.
• Tatiana Bilbao EstudiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Co-author for design of Hunters Point Substation, bringing architectural vision to the Zero-Net Energy Building project alongside TEF Design.
• Studio MLAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Landscape architect for Hunters Point Vision Document, contributing to design and planning aspects of the 32-acre site redevelopment framework.
• Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLPminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Land use counsel for Hunters Point Vision Document, providing legal guidance on land use and regulatory considerations for the site redevelopment.
• Manuel Miranda PracticeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Graphic design contributor for Hunters Point Vision Document, supporting the visual communication and documentation of the redevelopment plan.
• Creo Landscape ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Landscape architecture for Hunters Point Substation, supporting the Zero-Net Energy Building design with public space and streetscape improvements.
• RHAAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Environmental graphics contributor for Hunters Point Shoreline project, supporting the restored waterfront parcel design for community use.
• IlluminosaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Lighting design for Mission Substation project, contributing to the Luminous Revivals recognition by Architectural Record.
• Alice PrussinminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Lighting design consultant for Mission Substation security screen wall design that was featured in Architectural Record.
• Amy EliotminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Design contributor for Martin Substation security wall project, collaborating on the innovative design featuring channel glass and Heath ceramic tiles.
• Envelope A+DcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Lead design firm for NOW Hunters Point interim use program, awarded project in 2012. Collaboration continued on Hunters Point Vision Document and Hunters Point Shoreline project.
• Studio OcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Interdisciplinary team member for NOW Hunters Point interim use program alongside Envelope A+D, providing design services for community engagement and site activation.
• Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Since 2010, urb-in has provided strategic guidance to PG&E developing disposition plans for the Hunters Point site and has overseen design processes for multiple substation modernization projects. This is urb-in's primary client relationship and central to their practice.
• MUTUOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Los Angeles architecture firm MUTUO on the Boyle Tower micro-unit housing project, where urb-in worked with MUTUO as architect on developing a new paradigm for affordable housing through prefabricated construction systems.
• Jensen ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitect for Egbert Switching Station project, working with urb-in through the design and pre-construction phases for this critical electrical infrastructure component.
• MWA ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm contributing to Potrero and Embarcadero Substations projects in Dogpatch and Rincon Hill neighborhoods.
• Stanley Saitowitz | Natoma ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm associated with Potrero and Embarcadero Substations projects, representing significant investment in urban infrastructure design.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Global architecture and planning practice with a robust civic, infrastructure, and sustainability portfolio. Comparable as a large incumbent with the multidisciplinary bench to compete for institutional and utility-scale design commissions.
• Handel Architects: Larger, multi-office architecture and planning firm with significant residential, mixed-use, and large-infrastructure practice. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating at the intersection of architecture and large-scale urban/built-environment projects.

Direct peers

• Studio-MLA: Landscape architecture studio serving as landscape architect on the Hunters Point Vision Document. Comparable as a small, design-excellence practice integrating infrastructure, community, and ecological systems.
• Tatiana Bilbao Estudio: Mexico City-based architecture studio that co-authored the Hunters Point Substation and Mission Substation work. Comparable as a small, award-recognized firm operating at the intersection of architecture, infrastructure, and social impact.
• Envelope A+D: San Francisco architecture studio that co-leads NOW Hunters Point and the Hunters Point Shoreline with urb-in. Directly comparable as a similarly sized, design-led practice working on adaptive reuse and waterfront/community infrastructure for the same client ecosystem.
• Stanley Saitowitz | Natoma Architects: San Francisco architecture firm credited on the Potrero and Embarcadero substation projects alongside urb-in. Directly comparable as a design-led practice translating infrastructure typologies into rigorous architectural work.
• Jensen Architecture: San Francisco architecture firm serving as architect on the Egbert Switching Station project with urb-in. Comparable as a similarly positioned utility-infrastructure design partner.
• MUTUO: Los Angeles architecture firm that partnered with urb-in on Boyle Tower micro-unit housing. Comparable as a similarly sized, mission-driven practice exploring prefabricated, affordable, design-forward housing typologies.
• TEF Design: Architecture firm serving as architect-of-record on the Larkin, Hunters Point, Potrero, and Embarcadero substations alongside urb-in. Closely aligned as a design partner embedded in the same PG&E utility infrastructure delivery model.
• MWA Architecture: San Francisco architecture firm contributing to the Potrero and Embarcadero substation projects. Comparable boutique practice operating in the same PG&E utility substation ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/urb.in
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urb-in

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 urb-in