Ensemble companies had a big week in the news!
- ICON announced a second development alongside Lennar, signaling that big, incumbent players in the traditional homebuilding industry believe in ICON's ability to deliver homes at massive scale with lower cost and better-than-traditional performance.
- Saronic continues to pick up recognition -- this time being named the No. 9 most innovate company of 2025 by Fast Company.
Lennar Doubles Down on 3D-Printed Homes with ICON
As we highlighted in previous newsletters, last year at SXSW, ICON announced four groundbreaking initiatives and shared a powerful milestone: after years of development, they had officially crossed the threshold where 3D-printed homes are cheaper to build than traditional framing—with far superior quality. In fact, ICON’s wall system outperforms conventional construction in nearly every category, offering superior fire, wind, and flood resistance. The original House Zero set the foundation, and now, real-world deployments are proving that 3D printing isn’t just feasible—it’s the future.
ICON’s first full-scale partnership with Lennar resulted in a 100-home neighborhood at Wolf Ranch, a major testing ground for optimizing speed and cost at scale. Now, after seeing the results firsthand, Lennar has decided they want more—another 200 homes will be printed as part of an expanded collaboration. This is the strongest possible validation that the world’s biggest homebuilders are ready to integrate ICON’s technology into their core operations. The industry is changing, and ICON is at the forefront.
CNBC: Take a look inside the world’s largest 3D printed housing development
Lennar and Icon, a 3D technology company, partnered to print 100 homes in Georgetown, Texas. The real estate company says about 75% of them have already sold. The homes have all the amenities of a conventionally built Lennar community. They come in 2- and 3-bedroom models and start at just under $400,000.
Saronic Named to the "Fast Company" Most Innovative Companies List
Saronic has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s "Most Innovative Companies in Robotics and Engineering for 2025," securing the No. 9 spot on this year’s list. This recognition underscores the company’s rapid execution and technical leadership in the evolving defense sector. As the geopolitical landscape shifts and demand for autonomous maritime systems accelerates, Saronic has distinguished itself by combining advanced software, scalable manufacturing, and a clear operational vision to deliver cutting-edge naval autonomy solutions.
Ensemble invested in Saronic early, recognizing the movement of top technical talent into defense and the urgent need for new approaches to shipbuilding. Their inclusion in Fast Company’s rankings further validates our thesis that the next generation of defense innovation will be driven by fast-moving, well-connected startups capable of scaling hardware and software in tandem. We’re excited to continue backing their work as they build a critical part of the future defense infrastructure.
Fast Company: The most innovative companies in robotics and engineering for 2025
From Apptronik to Saronic, here are Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in robotics and engineering for 2025.
Optimus to Optimist: The Next Generation of Primes Pt. 2
In the second part of a two-part series, Ensemble VC explores how emerging defense tech startups are reshaping the military-industrial landscape. With AI, structural reforms, and a changing geopolitical environment, new defense primes are rising to meet the challenges of modern warfare.
Optimus to Optimist: The Next Generation of Primes Pt. 1
In the first part of a two-part series on innovation in the defense industry, Ensemble VC examines the historical context behind the "military-industrial complex," and the failure of a consolidated set of prime contractors to innovate in line with adversaries despite no shortage of innovation in the larger economy.
The Future of Healthcare Tech Adoption: From Top-Down to Practitioner-First
Danny Freed and Blueprint are redefining healthcare tech adoption with practitioner-first AI tools that streamline workflows and prioritize patient care. By empowering providers instead of replacing them, they’re addressing the inefficiencies of top-down mandates to drive meaningful change in healthcare.
Clazar raises $10M to revolutionize the way software is bought and sold
Ensemble is proud to announce our most recent investment in Clazar, a company powering software businesses to sell and grow revenue through cloud marketplaces, like AWS, Azure, and GCP.
