Startup Blueprints AI claims it can turn an ordinary photo, PDF, or hand-drawn sketch into construction drawings that comply with building codes and can be submitted directly for approval. The entire process takes just a few minutes. This week, the company will unveil the second, significantly more capable version of its software at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco. Behind the project is an architect who had dreamed of such a tool since university.
An idea that had to wait twenty years
Nearly two decades ago, architecture student Al Dram wrote his thesis about software that could independently prepare design documentation for school buildings. He chose architecture following in the footsteps of his parents and grandfather, but he was far more drawn to technology. His idea had just one flaw. The technology he needed simply did not exist at the time. The turning point came in November 2022, when OpenAI released ChatGPT. Then came the big bang, Dram recalls. The old idea from his thesis suddenly made sense, and within six months it had evolved into the concept for Blueprints AI.
Before reaching that point, he had come a long way. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture at the University of Tehran, then spent two years studying digital design in a doctoral program at the European Graduate School in Switzerland. He later moved to the United States, where he opened his own architecture studio, Drams Design-Build, in 2018. After obtaining a general contractor’s license, he also added a construction company in 2021.
Dram had everything he needed, yet he still felt something was missing. I thought that perhaps I would build new projects that would change the lives of people in the area, but they would not have a major impact, he explains. In his own words, what he enjoys most about technology is precisely its impact—the hours and energy saved for people who repeatedly perform the same tasks. According to him, repetitive drafting takes up most of an architect’s working day. He estimates that drawing plans consumes roughly eighty percent of their time, leaving only one fifth for the actual design work. I want to reverse that ratio, he says. He believes people will benefit the most because architects will have time to truly design better spaces.
Dram officially founded the company in Santa Monica in 2025 together with Coco Cao. The two met several years ago at an artificial intelligence conference and decided to join forces. Cao is from Hong Kong, is a data scientist, and serves as the company’s chief commercial officer, leading sales and the product’s market launch.
They trained their models on approved sets of drawings produced over eight years by Dram’s design and construction firm. Incidentally, the firm is still operating today.
One change updates the entire project
The first version of the software can prepare architectural construction documentation. The second generation can do more. The customer starts with a description or sketch of the building, and the program immediately creates drawings for every part of it, including architecture, structural engineering, ventilation, heating, electrical systems, water and waste piping, and interior design.
The new version also allows users to edit the project directly. If a user changes one thing, the software automatically revises the entire project and checks it against local building codes. The first customers are already using the second version, and it is expected to become available to the public later this week. A third version is already in development and will add structural calculations and electrical panel design.
A human still provides the stamp of approval
The founders emphasize that their tool does not replace architects. The finished drawings are always reviewed by a licensed professional, who stamps them, and only then are they submitted to the authorities for approval.
Blueprints AI targets two groups of customers. The first consists of architectural, engineering, and design firms, while the second includes developers and property owners. Depending on the selected plan, the first version of the software costs approximately $3,200 to $8,500 per month, while large companies can negotiate custom pricing. The startup sells the software as a subscription and is also considering a one-time fee for customers who need it for just one construction project.
So far, it has managed without investor funding and is growing entirely from its own resources. This year, it was selected as one of two hundred early-stage companies for the Startup Battlefield 200 program.
Sources: techcrunch.com and nacionale.com
