Santa Monica startup Blueprints AI says its software can produce permit-ready building blueprints in minutes

What happened

TechCrunch reported on Oct. 12 that Blueprints AI, a startup based in Santa Monica, says its software can turn a 2D sketch or PDF into code-compliant, permit-ready architectural construction blueprints in minutes. The company was chosen for the 2026 Startup Battlefield 200, a group of early-stage startups exhibiting at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco from October 13 to 15.

According to TechCrunch, the company will unveil a second-generation version of its software at the event. Co-founder Al Dram said early customers are already using that version and that it will become publicly available this week.

How the software works

The first version

The first-generation product produces architectural construction documents. TechCrunch reported that it costs between $3,200 and $8,500 a month depending on the plan, and that custom pricing is available for enterprises.

The second version

The new version lets customers start from a description or a sketch and generate blueprints for every part of a building at once. That includes architecture, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and interior design. Users can also design and make changes, and the company says one change updates the entire project and is checked against local building codes.

Training data and a third version

The founders trained their models on eight years of approved drawing sets from Dram's own design and construction firm, which is still in business, TechCrunch reported. The startup is already working on a third version that would add structural analysis and electrical panel design.

Who is behind the company

Dram earned bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture from the University of Tehran and completed two years of PhD coursework on digital design at the European Graduate School in Switzerland. After moving to the United States, he opened an architecture firm called Drams Design-Build in 2018. He added a construction business in 2021 after getting a general contractor's license.

Nearly two decades ago, Dram wrote a college thesis about software that could generate design documents for school buildings, but the needed technology did not exist yet. "Then ChatGPT came along," he told TechCrunch. He launched the Blueprints AI concept within six months and incorporated the company in 2025 with co-founder Coco Cao.

Cao is a data scientist from Hong Kong who serves as chief commercial officer and handles sales and go-to-market strategy. The two met at an AI conference several years ago, according to TechCrunch.

What the founders say it changes

Dram told TechCrunch that architects spend about 80% of their time on drafting and only 20% on design, and that he wants to reverse that split. "It will make better spaces for people because now architects have the time to design," he said. These performance claims come from the company's founders.

The role of licensed architects

The co-founders said the technology does not replace licensed architects. Licensed professionals still review the documents and affix their seal before the plans are submitted for permits, they told TechCrunch.

Who the company is targeting

Blueprints AI is aiming at two groups: professional architecture, engineering and design firms, and developers and real estate owners. The software is sold as a subscription, and the company may add a one-time flat fee for customers who need it for a single project. For more on how these tools are reaching everyday industries, see our AI and tech coverage.

What to watch next

• The public release of the second-generation software, which Dram said would happen this week.
• Blueprints AI's appearance at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, October 13 to 15.
• A third version in development that would add structural analysis and electrical panel design.
• A possible one-time flat-fee option for customers working on a single project.