Post-Dispatch Names MBS an Arch Grants 2023 Winner
Module Building Systems
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on Nov. 9, 2023 that Arch Grants named its Arch Grants 2023 startup competition winners, and Module Building Systems (MBS) was on the list. The paper counted 22 startups sharing nearly $1.9 million in grants. It listed MBS as a West Kelowna, Canada-based business making supplies for the construction industry.
The same day, Arch Grants welcomed the cohort at its neXus Gala in St. Louis. Our award came through the #STLOnward Award, powered by NISA Charitable Fund.
What did the Post-Dispatch report about Arch Grants 2023?
Reporter Annika Merrilees wrote that each winner receives grant funding plus support such as networking and workshops. Each company received $75,000, and companies from outside the region that agree to relocate to St. Louis received $25,000 more. The grants are non-dilutive, so founders give up no stake in their companies. Each startup pledges to base its business in St. Louis for at least one year.
The 2023 winners came from across the U.S. and from Canada, India and Argentina. MBS was the Canadian company in the cohort. The rest of the list ranged from 911 location software and quantum computing hardware to handcrafted soccer balls, pet food and virtual dermatology. MBS was the only construction company named.
What did the Arch Grants announcement say?
Arch Grants' own announcement, posted on the Post-Dispatch business pages, put the total at $1,875,000 for 22 startups. It named MBS a winner of the #STLOnward Award, powered by NISA Charitable Fund. It described our flat-pack panelized building system and our focus on affordable housing and fast deployment.
The gala also marked what Arch Grants has helped build since 2012. The announcement said its portfolio companies had created more than 3,500 jobs in the St. Louis region. Arch Grants used the evening to honor Jim Kavanaugh, CEO and co-founder of World Wide Technology, with its 2023 Entrepreneur Award.
What did the grant mean for MBS?
As a company relocating from outside the region, our award came to $100,000. We shared the news in MBS wins the 2023 Arch Grants competition. The grant came with a pledge to base the business in St. Louis, and we kept it. Why a Canadian construction tech company chose St. Louis tells the story of the move.
Why did MBS choose St. Louis?
Before settling on St. Louis, our founder looked at markets across the country, from Bellingham, Washington to Nashville, Tennessee, as he told First Alert 4 in Canadian entrepreneurs bet on the St. Louis region. St. Louis offered a central location for shipping panels, highway, rail and river access, and a business community he called incredibly supportive.
Arch Grants added support on top of the funding: introductions to founders, mentors and business leaders, and workshops. For a company new to the city, that network mattered as much as the check.
Update, October 2026
Today we build wall, floor and roof panel packages in our 40,000 sq ft CNC plant at 921 N 20th Street in North St. Louis, and we train for that work with Ranken Technical College. In October 2026, our crew set the panels for the first home in the city's infill pilot in The Ville. See the first home in The Ville, day by day.
About Module Building Systems
Module Building Systems (MBS) is a panelized offsite construction company founded in 2023 and based at 921 N 20th Street in St. Louis, Missouri. We build wall, floor and roof panel packages in a 40,000 sq ft CNC manufacturing facility and ship them flat-packed within 1,000 miles. Projects run up to 30% lower in cost and up to 50% faster, with up to 90% less waste. Actual schedules depend on project scope, approvals, site readiness, materials and logistics. Learn more about MBS.
Frequently asked questions
What is Arch Grants?
A St. Louis nonprofit that gives non-dilutive grants to startups that base their businesses in St. Louis. Its 2023 announcement said it had awarded more than $16 million in grants to 252 early-stage businesses since 2012.
How much did MBS receive from Arch Grants?
$100,000 as part of the Arch Grants 2023 cohort: the $75,000 award every winner received plus $25,000 for relocating to St. Louis. The grant is non-dilutive, so MBS gave up no stake in the company. It came through the #STLOnward Award, powered by NISA Charitable Fund.
What is the Arch Grants neXus Gala?
The annual Arch Grants event where each new cohort is introduced to the St. Louis business community. On Nov. 9, 2023, the gala welcomed the Arch Grants 2023 cohort, including MBS, celebrated the economic impact of Arch Grants companies since 2012 and gave the 2023 Entrepreneur Award to Jim Kavanaugh of World Wide Technology.
Is MBS still based in St. Louis?
Yes. Our 40,000 sq ft CNC plant is at 921 N 20th Street in North St. Louis, where we build wall, floor and roof panel packages. We train with Ranken Technical College, and factory tours run Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Read the coverage
Read the Post-Dispatch story: Arch Grants announces winners of 2023 startup competition to bolster St. Louis business scene, by Annika Merrilees, Nov. 9, 2023.
Read the Arch Grants announcement on STLtoday: Arch Grants Awards 9Line Software and 21 startups, Nov. 9, 2023.
See where the panels are built
Factory tours run Monday to Friday at our plant on North 20th Street. Book a factory tour, get an estimate or email info@modulebs.com.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on Nov. 9, 2023 that Arch Grants named its Arch Grants 2023 startup competition winners, and Module Building Systems (MBS) was on the list. The paper counted 22 startups sharing nearly $1.9 million in grants. It listed MBS as a West Kelowna, Canada-based business making supplies for the construction industry.
The same day, Arch Grants welcomed the cohort at its neXus Gala in St. Louis. Our award came through the #STLOnward Award, powered by NISA Charitable Fund.
What did the Post-Dispatch report about Arch Grants 2023?
Reporter Annika Merrilees wrote that each winner receives grant funding plus support such as networking and workshops. Each company received $75,000, and companies from outside the region that agree to relocate to St. Louis received $25,000 more. The grants are non-dilutive, so founders give up no stake in their companies. Each startup pledges to base its business in St. Louis for at least one year.
The 2023 winners came from across the U.S. and from Canada, India and Argentina. MBS was the Canadian company in the cohort. The rest of the list ranged from 911 location software and quantum computing hardware to handcrafted soccer balls, pet food and virtual dermatology. MBS was the only construction company named.
What did the Arch Grants announcement say?
Arch Grants' own announcement, posted on the Post-Dispatch business pages, put the total at $1,875,000 for 22 startups. It named MBS a winner of the #STLOnward Award, powered by NISA Charitable Fund. It described our flat-pack panelized building system and our focus on affordable housing and fast deployment.
The gala also marked what Arch Grants has helped build since 2012. The announcement said its portfolio companies had created more than 3,500 jobs in the St. Louis region. Arch Grants used the evening to honor Jim Kavanaugh, CEO and co-founder of World Wide Technology, with its 2023 Entrepreneur Award.
What did the grant mean for MBS?
As a company relocating from outside the region, our award came to $100,000. We shared the news in MBS wins the 2023 Arch Grants competition. The grant came with a pledge to base the business in St. Louis, and we kept it. Why a Canadian construction tech company chose St. Louis tells the story of the move.
Why did MBS choose St. Louis?
Before settling on St. Louis, our founder looked at markets across the country, from Bellingham, Washington to Nashville, Tennessee, as he told First Alert 4 in Canadian entrepreneurs bet on the St. Louis region. St. Louis offered a central location for shipping panels, highway, rail and river access, and a business community he called incredibly supportive.
Arch Grants added support on top of the funding: introductions to founders, mentors and business leaders, and workshops. For a company new to the city, that network mattered as much as the check.
Update, October 2026
Today we build wall, floor and roof panel packages in our 40,000 sq ft CNC plant at 921 N 20th Street in North St. Louis, and we train for that work with Ranken Technical College. In October 2026, our crew set the panels for the first home in the city's infill pilot in The Ville. See the first home in The Ville, day by day.
About Module Building Systems
Module Building Systems (MBS) is a panelized offsite construction company founded in 2023 and based at 921 N 20th Street in St. Louis, Missouri. We build wall, floor and roof panel packages in a 40,000 sq ft CNC manufacturing facility and ship them flat-packed within 1,000 miles. Projects run up to 30% lower in cost and up to 50% faster, with up to 90% less waste. Actual schedules depend on project scope, approvals, site readiness, materials and logistics. Learn more about MBS.
Frequently asked questions
What is Arch Grants?
A St. Louis nonprofit that gives non-dilutive grants to startups that base their businesses in St. Louis. Its 2023 announcement said it had awarded more than $16 million in grants to 252 early-stage businesses since 2012.
How much did MBS receive from Arch Grants?
$100,000 as part of the Arch Grants 2023 cohort: the $75,000 award every winner received plus $25,000 for relocating to St. Louis. The grant is non-dilutive, so MBS gave up no stake in the company. It came through the #STLOnward Award, powered by NISA Charitable Fund.
What is the Arch Grants neXus Gala?
The annual Arch Grants event where each new cohort is introduced to the St. Louis business community. On Nov. 9, 2023, the gala welcomed the Arch Grants 2023 cohort, including MBS, celebrated the economic impact of Arch Grants companies since 2012 and gave the 2023 Entrepreneur Award to Jim Kavanaugh of World Wide Technology.
Is MBS still based in St. Louis?
Yes. Our 40,000 sq ft CNC plant is at 921 N 20th Street in North St. Louis, where we build wall, floor and roof panel packages. We train with Ranken Technical College, and factory tours run Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Read the coverage
Read the Post-Dispatch story: Arch Grants announces winners of 2023 startup competition to bolster St. Louis business scene, by Annika Merrilees, Nov. 9, 2023.
Read the Arch Grants announcement on STLtoday: Arch Grants Awards 9Line Software and 21 startups, Nov. 9, 2023.
See where the panels are built
Factory tours run Monday to Friday at our plant on North 20th Street. Book a factory tour, get an estimate or email info@modulebs.com.