Model/z

What Model/z does

Model/Z (legally SOLA MODEL/Z, INC.) is a vertically integrated modular housing manufacturer founded in 2022 and headquartered in Watts, South Los Angeles, where it operates a 150,000-160,000 sq ft factory that has produced more than 500 factory-built volumetric units since 2024. The company's core product is a standardized 420 sq ft steel-frame chassis engineered to meet California building codes, HUD Section 8, and ADA Chapter 11B, configurable into 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom multifamily layouts and 419 sq ft ADUs, with 383 in-line quality checkpoints and a stated 100-year design life. Adjacent to the hardware business, Model/Z launched Z/Suite in February 2026 — an AI-powered planning platform comprising Z/Scout (site selection across 25+ data points), Z/Design (layout generation producing 90% of construction plans), Z/Forma (pro forma modeling with predictable costs), and Z/Expediter (permit pathway automation across 127+ checkpoints) — developed in partnership with Zenerate.

The company monetizes primarily through project-based per-door pricing on modular unit sales to developers, with reported all-in delivered cost of approximately $250,000 per door versus an LA County conventional median near $600,000, alongside subscription and licensing revenue from Z/Suite software and development services delivered through SoLa Impact. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting multifamily developers, channel partnerships with faith-based organizations (LOGOS Faith Development represents a $525M, 2,000+ unit pipeline across 240+ churches), and direct municipal/government engagement including $3.8M in LA County ADU funding and HUD Secretary-level policy visibility. The company is a closely affiliated entity of SoLa Impact, sharing founder and CEO Martin Muoto, and counts institutional investors in SoLa Impact's project capital stack including PayPal, California Teachers Retirement System, Equitable, Standard Life, PNC, Pacific Premier Bank, and Ally Bank. Model/Z has achieved notable operational milestones including a 66-unit, 5-story building completed at 6200 Broadway in 11.7 months (less than half the conventional timeline), 600+ units scheduled for erection in the next 12-18 months, sponsorship of California Assembly Bill 557 to expedite modular permitting, and a planned second factory targeting 10,000 units/year at $200,000 per door.

Name

Model/z

Legal name

SOLA MODEL/Z, INC.

Website

https://model-z.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Model/Z manufactures modular multifamily housing on a standardized 420 sq ft steel chassis in South Los Angeles and offers the Z/Suite AI planning platform for developers building affordable and workforce housing in California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Modular Multifamily Housing Construction

NAICS

Manufactured Home (Mobile Home) Manufacturing (321991), Prefabricated Wood Building Manufacturing (321992), New Multifamily Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236116)

SIC

Prefabricated Wood Bldgs & Components (2452), Mobile Homes (2451)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Modular & Prefabricated Home Construction (IMAFABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multi-Family Residential Construction (Apartments, Condos, Townhomes) (IMAFABAB), Residential Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) & Backyard Homes (IMAFABAK)

Keywords

• Modular construction
• Factory-built housing
• AI planning software
• Affordable housing
• Multifamily development

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Modular Housing Unit Sales: Sale of factory-built volumetric modular housing units to developers. Units are fully finished with flooring, windows, appliances, plumbing, and electrical. Revenue is project-based, calculated on per-door pricing.
2. Z/Suite Software Platform: AI-powered planning and permitting software licensed to developers. Currently in early access with preferred pricing and free site analyses included. Standalone planning tool for any multifamily project.
3. Development Services: End-to-end development services provided through SoLa Impact for partnership projects. Includes entitlement, construction management, and project coordination.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Model/Z manufactures factory-built volumetric modular multifamily housing units on a proprietary 420 sq ft steel-frame chassis, and offers Z/Suite, an AI-powered planning platform integrating site selection, building design, pro forma modeling, and permit expediting. Units are sold to multifamily developers, faith-based organizations, and municipalities for affordable and workforce housing projects, primarily in California.

Product overview

Model/Z is a modular housing company that combines AI-powered planning software (Z/Suite) with factory-built volumetric modular construction to deliver affordable multifamily housing. The core offering consists of standardized steel-frame modular units built on a 420 sq ft chassis, available in 1, 2, and 3-bedroom configurations. Z/Suite is the AI software platform that integrates site analysis (Z/Scout), building design (Z/Design), financial modeling (Z/Forma), and permit expediting (Z/Expediter) into a single workflow. The company also offers ADUs for residential properties. Together, the software and hardware products enable developers to reduce costs by 40-60%, compress timelines by 50%, and achieve Certificate of Occupancy in under 12 months.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Z/Suite: AI-powered proprietary software platform for site selection, building design, pro forma modeling, and permit expediting for multifamily developers. Includes Z/Scout, Z/Design, Z/Forma, and Z/Expediter tools.
• Z/Scout
• Z/Forma
• Z/Design
• Z/Expediter

Products and services

• Model/Z Modular Units Factory-built volumetric modular housing units constructed on a standardized 420 sq ft steel chassis. Units arrive fully finished with plumbing, electrical, appliances, and are code-compliant. Designed for multifamily housing with 1, 2, and 3-bedroom configurations. Sold to developers at approximately $250,000 per door all-in.
• Z/Suite AI Planning Platform Proprietary AI-powered planning platform for multifamily developers that handles site selection, building design, cost forecasting, and permit expediting. Available in limited early access with free site analyses, feasibility conversations, pro forma modeling, and preferred pricing on Model/Z units for qualified 50+ unit projects.
• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) Factory-built ADUs delivered ready for installation on residential properties. Fully finished units with plumbing, electrical, and appliances. Includes 419 sq ft one-bedroom configurations with ADA accessibility, energy efficiency, and steel framing. Used for affordable housing, residential additions, and disaster recovery housing.
• LIHTC-Compliant Modular Unit Layouts Modular unit configurations in 1, 2, and 3-bedroom layouts designed specifically to meet Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) compliance requirements for affordable housing developments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40-60% reduction in total development costs compared to conventional builds
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

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

• Logos Faith DevelopmentflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2025Partnership to build multiple affordable housing projects on underutilized church land. First project at 105th & Central with 91 units. Development pipeline of 2,000+ units valued at $525M spanning 240+ faith-based organizations.
• ZeneratecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024AI software development partner for Z/Suite platform. Zenerate collaboration automates affordable modular housing developments using machine learning capabilities for site identification, economic feasibility, and massing analysis.
• ModsetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInstallation video partner capturing five-story modular apartment building set process for marketing and industry demonstration purposes.
• SoLa ImpactflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and primary development partner. Model/Z was founded by SoLa Impact founders Martin Muoto and Gray Lusk. SoLa Impact provides development pipeline and end-to-end development services for Model/Z projects.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Autovol: Automated volumetric modular builder for multifamily housing and hotels, operating a large Idaho factory. Comparable in factory-built volumetric approach targeting mid-rise multifamily developers nationwide.
• Mighty Buildings: Tech-enabled modular housing manufacturer using 3D-printing and composite materials for factory-built single-family and ADU units. Comparable as a venture-backed, technology-forward modular housing peer targeting California's affordable housing market.
• Connect Homes: Prefabricated steel-frame modular home manufacturer in California targeting multifamily and single-family developers. Directly comparable in steel-frame prefab approach and California-market focus.
• Boxabl: Factory-built volumetric modular housing manufacturer focused on single-family homes and ADUs. Comparable in standardized-chassis strategy and factory-controlled production, though Model/Z targets stacked multifamily while Boxabl focuses on single-family/ADU delivery.
• Factory_OS: Bay Area-based modular multifamily housing manufacturer using factory-built volumetric units. Direct competitor in factory-built multifamily modular housing serving California developers.
• Plant Prefab: Prefab home builder using custom panelized and modular systems with a sustainability focus. Closest direct competitor in factory-built residential housing targeting California developers with sustainability-driven branding.

Emerging players

• Zenerate: AI-powered real estate feasibility and site selection platform — already a Model/Z partner for Z/Suite development. Comparable as an adjacent software peer targeting multifamily developer workflows with AI automation.
• Cover (Cover Technologies): Software-driven prefab housing startup using AI-powered design tools and factory-built panels for backyard ADUs. Comparable on the AI-software-plus-factory-built-housing axis, though focused on smaller ADU scale rather than multifamily.

Broad incumbents

• DR Horton: Largest US homebuilder with growing multifamily and DFC (build-to-rent) exposure. Comparable as a volume incumbent whose scale advantages Model/Z attempts to neutralize through factory-built cost efficiency.
• Lennar (Lennar Multifamily Communities): One of the largest US homebuilders with multifamily operations and ongoing modular/pilot factory-built initiatives. Comparable as an incumbent whose multifamily business Model/Z targets with cost-and-timeline-disruptive economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/modelz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Model/z