What Liftbuild does

LIFTbuild is a construction technology and services company and subsidiary of Barton Malow, headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, with a team of 1–10 employees. Founded in 2017, the company specializes in a proprietary construction method branded Vertical Manufacturing®, in which building floors are fully assembled at ground level and then lifted into their final position using strand jacks. This approach is positioned to reduce construction schedules, improve safety by shifting work to ground level, and lower total project cost relative to conventional high-rise sequencing.

The company holds 15 patents protecting its lifting methodology, strand-jack deployment process, and the BOLT generative design tool, which generates and optimizes floor plans compatible with the Vertical Manufacturing® process. LIFTbuild also operates the ROPE (Reinforce, Observe, Practice, Execute) training program to build internal expertise in strand-jack operations and structural engineering. The flagship reference project is the Exchange Tower in Detroit (announced contract value $64.6M), with a follow-on engagement on Lafayette West ($108M) with Ginosko Development. Additional disclosed engagements span healthcare, hospitality, and office projects, including confidential Fortune 100 technology company assignments.

LIFTbuild generates revenue through project-based construction services contracts, typically engaged by real estate developers, general contractors, and direct building owners seeking schedule compression on multi-story builds. The company has received industry recognition including the AGC Build America Award (2024), ENR Midwest Best Project (2023), CTBUH Award of Excellence Innovation (2024, 2025), and CoStar Impact Award (2023), supporting its market positioning as a specialized alternative to conventional high-rise construction. As a subsidiary of Barton Malow, LIFTbuild leverages parent company resources, project pipelines, and back-office capabilities rather than operating as a standalone capital-raising entity.

Name

Liftbuild

Legal name

LIFTbuild LLC

Website

https://liftbuild.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

LIFTbuild is a construction technology subsidiary of Barton Malow that uses a proprietary Vertical Manufacturing® method to assemble building floors at ground level and lift them into place, serving real estate developers, general contractors, and healthcare and hospitality clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

High-Rise Construction Services

NAICS

Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors (23812), Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing (332312), Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392)

SIC

Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Lifting Systems (Hydraulic Gantries, Strand Jacks, Jacking Systems) (IMAHAJAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Site Delivery, Installation Support & On-Site Supervision (Door-to-Site) (TLACAIAM), Material Handling & Industrial Lift Vehicle Manufacturing (Forklifts/Telehandlers/Reach Stackers) (IMACAFAD)

Keywords

• High-rise construction
• Modular floor assembly
• Generative building design
• Preconstruction consulting
• Real estate development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Southfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Construction Services: LIFTbuild serves as general contractor for high-rise construction projects using its Vertical Manufacturing methodology. Revenue is generated through construction fees on development projects.
2. Development Services: LIFTbuild participates as a member of development teams for projects, contributing technology, construction expertise, and development capabilities.
3. Design and Preconstruction Consulting: Services include viability analysis, pre-development consulting, design and planning, and production services for various project types.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

LIFTbuild provides high-rise construction services using its proprietary Vertical Manufacturing method, assembling completed floor plates at grade and lifting them into position with strand jacks from the top down. It also provides development-team, design, and preconstruction services and offers the BOLT generative design tool for optimizing building configurations against programmatic and budgetary requirements.

Product overview

LIFTbuild is a construction technology and services company that offers Vertical Manufacturing®, a patented top-down construction methodology. The core offering consists of assembling floor plates at grade level and lifting them into position using strand jack technology, with the Building Optimization Layout Tool (BOLT)™ for generative design optimization and ROPE® for project delivery guidance. Their portfolio includes completed projects like the Exchange Tower and conceptual developments across commercial, healthcare, hospitality, and multifamily sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vertical Manufacturing®: LIFTbuild's proprietary construction methodology that assembles building floors at ground level and lifts them into position using strand jack technology, building from the top down.
• BOLT™ (Building Optimization Layout Tool)
• ROPE® (Resource Optimization Planning and Execution)

Products and services

• Vertical Manufacturing® A patented top-down construction methodology that assembles complete floor plates at ground level and lifts them into final position with strand-jack technology for high-rise developers, property owners, and contractors.
• Building Optimization Layout Tool (BOLT)™ An automated generative design tool for developers and design teams that identifies optimized building configurations against programmatic and budgetary requirements and produces programmatic summaries, Revit models, optimized floor plans, and early takeoff quantities.
• Design and Preconstruction Consulting Project services covering viability analysis, pre-development consulting, design and planning, estimating, production planning, and preconstruction support for developers and construction stakeholders.
• Development Services Participation in development teams, contributing Vertical Manufacturing technology, construction expertise, and development capabilities to real estate project teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% faster project completion compared to traditional construction
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Barton MalowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIFTbuild is a subsidiary/company of Barton Malow. As part of the Barton Malow Family of Companies, LIFTbuild benefits from shared resources, industry relationships, and organizational infrastructure. Joe Benvenuto leads Key Alliance relationship efforts. LIFTbuild is the innovation arm focused on Vertical Manufacturing technology for high-rise construction.
• Ghafari AssociatesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDearborn-based Ghafari Associates worked as part of the design team for the Exchange project. Provided architectural services as part of LIFTbuild's first major demonstration project.
• 1+1+ ArchitecturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm with offices in New York City, Ann Arbor, and Chicago, working as part of the design team for the Exchange project in Detroit.
• Thornton TomasettimajorTechnology or IntegrationEngineering firm that engineered the Exchange project. Implemented LIFTbuild methodology for 14 floors and roof level. Core engineering partner for the Vertical Manufacturing construction approach.
• Barton Malow FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIFTbuild partners with Barton Malow Foundation for community engagement activities. Joint participation in Community Week at CARE House of Oakland County, providing building maintenance and support for children's advocacy programs.
• Ginosko Development Co.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNovi-based development company undertaking the $108 million Lafayette West development. LIFTbuild engaged as construction technology provider for the project replacing Shapero Hall in Detroit's Lafayette Park neighborhood.
• DIRTTminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLIFTbuild team members participated in panel discussion at DIRTT NYC headquarters alongside other innovative firms including Withum, Perkins Eastman, and Anchor Health Properties on the transformation of design and construction.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Walsh Construction: Walsh is a major US general contractor with significant high-rise, healthcare, and commercial building experience. It competes for similar enterprise developer projects and represents another broad incumbent benchmark for LIFTbuild's go-to-market.
• Mortenson Construction: Mortenson is a major US general contractor with substantial high-rise, healthcare, hospitality, and renewable energy practices. Its integrated preconstruction and self-perform capabilities make it a credible incumbent alternative for the same enterprise segments LIFTbuild targets.
• DPR Construction: DPR is a top US technical builder with strong healthcare, commercial, and life-sciences practices and a reputation for construction technology adoption. It competes for the same sophisticated enterprise customers and represents a tech-forward incumbent peer.
• Skanska USA: Skanska is one of the largest US commercial construction firms with deep high-rise experience and substantial self-perform work. It competes for the same developer and healthcare clients as LIFTbuild and represents the type of broad incumbent LIFTbuild must displace to win marquee high-rise projects.
• AECOM (Tishman Construction): AECOM's Tishman Construction operation is a major US high-rise builder with iconic skyscraper references and broad preconstruction services. It competes directly with LIFTbuild for premium high-rise developer and corporate clients and operates a wider portfolio of construction and engineering services.
• Turner Construction: Turner is one of the largest US general contractors with extensive high-rise and healthcare construction experience. It is a direct incumbent competitor for large developer, healthcare, and corporate campus projects that LIFTbuild also pursues.
• Clark Construction Group: Clark Construction is a major US general contractor with deep high-rise and mixed-use development experience. It competes for many of the same large enterprise developer contracts and provides a useful benchmark for traditional top-down versus LIFTbuild's top-down methodology economics.
• Barton Malow: LIFTbuild's parent company and a top US general contractor with extensive high-rise, healthcare, sports, and industrial experience. Barton Malow is directly comparable as a full-service construction firm pursuing similar enterprise customers with broader delivery methods.

Emerging players

• DIRTT Environmental Solutions: DIRTT applies manufacturing principles to interior construction using prefabricated modular systems. Its factory-based, design-driven approach to building interiors parallels LIFTbuild's broader manufacturing-in-construction thesis and overlaps on technology partnership discussions.

Direct peers

• Prescient: Prescient provides panelized structural systems for mid- and high-rise buildings using a factory-based manufacturing approach. Its prefabricated structural framing and automated design tools most closely parallel LIFTbuild's manufacturing-in-construction thesis and technology-forward delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/bartonmalow
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100090620003658
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/liftbuild
• Instagraminstagram.com/liftbuild_official
• Xx.com/LIFTbuild

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Liftbuild