Dr. Tarek Rakha kept returning to the same idea during his time as a faculty member at Syracuse University: a building’s façade is far more than a design statement. It’s the structure’s first line of defense against the elements.
“We obsess over the beauty of a building’s exterior. It’s architecture at its most expressive, the thing that draws people in,” Rakha said. “But that same envelope is what stands between the people inside and climate hazards, energy waste and real risk.”
He co-founded Lamarr.AI to ensure that buildings are not only beautiful, but also resilient. This conviction took shape over years of collaboration. Rakha connected with Dr. Senem Velipasalar, a leading computer vision expert at Syracuse University, and the two began advancing the concept. They were eventually joined by Dr. Norhan Bayomi, a long-time collaborator of Rakha’s from Cairo University, and Prof. John Fernandez, who had served on Rakha’s Ph.D. committee at MIT. Their work earned $1.8 million in U.S. Department of Energy funding in 2019. Following years of research across Georgia Tech, Syracuse University, and MIT, the team confirmed what they had long suspected: buildings are increasingly exposed to climate stress, their outermost protective layer remains poorly understood and almost entirely unmanaged at scale.
Lamarr.AI utilizes drones, infrared and visible-range imaging and AI to inspect buildings’ deficiencies and map out retrofitting options. Analyzing images captured by domain experts is labor intensive and costly. And manual building diagnostics require people to scale building exteriors, making it dangerous, costly and time consuming. Lamarr.AI’s technology replaces those processes with an autonomous system for a safer, faster, more accurate and overall more efficient process.
“The data capture and analysis are up to 10 times faster. Our solution provides a cost reduction of 80-90%, and the results are 50% more accurate than traditional practice,” Velipasalar said.
Lamarr.AI’s technology sets itself apart through its ability to identify root causes and map solution cost benefits. This means that not only can they detect a problem spot, but also identify what is causing the problem: missing insulation, water intrusion, physical damage and more. Then they’re able to run an advanced energy simulation to calculate the return on investment of whatever fix is needed.
The company’s name is a nod to Hedy Lamarr— a Hollywood actress who co-invented frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology, the foundation for modern Bluetooth and Wi-Fi encryption.
“We named the company as a dedication to all innovators who didn’t gain recognition for their contributions during their time, especially women like Hedy Lamarr,” Rakha said.
Since starting the GENIUS NY program in fall 2025, the team at Lamarr.AI has been busy on its next steps. They’re working on fully automating its technology, getting investor-ready and adding new capabilities to their current offerings. Being a part of the GENIUS NY cohort has helped the company accelerate its progress. Rakha said the resources the program has provided, access to industry advisors and collaboration with other teams has helped Lamarr.AI reach its inflection point much sooner.
Lamarr.AI will pitch to a panel of judges as they compete for the $1 million GENIUS NY grand prize at Innovation Night this May. The event features GENIUS NY Pitch Finals, and serves a celebration of the entire Syracuse innovation ecosystem bybringing together community members, entrepreneurs and industry experts. Get your ticket today!
