Cleantech Award, U.S. Bank mentorship help home interior kit company grow

San Francisco-based Kit Switch has signed design contracts for more than 300 housing units in the past year

What if the components of a quality home could be delivered as a single kit? That’s the idea driving Kit Switch, a startup creating ready-to-install home interiors designed to reduce waste, lower emissions and cut costs in multifamily housing projects.

In 2024, Kit Switch was one of two companies to receive the U.S. Bank Foundation* Cleantech Award, presented annually with Evergreen Climate Innovations. The award offers grants and mentorship to entrepreneurs creating sustainable solutions that drive economic growth. 

Over the last year, Kit Switch founders Armelle Coutant and Candice Delamarre have met regularly with their mentor, Joe Manning, a U.S. Bank leader experienced in affordable housing. 

“Their modular units are delivered ready to install, integrate quickly with electrical, plumbing and appliances, and can be ready to use within hours,” Manning said. “It’s a significant innovation for construction, dramatically speeding up the building process without sacrificing quality."

In the past year, Kit Switch has signed design contracts for more than 300 housing units, started production on a 50-unit project and delivered its first kit outside California. Coutant and Delamarre have grown their team, adapted to customer feedback and established manufacturing partnerships with cabinetry shops, enabling a decentralized, scalable model that creates quality local jobs.

“With every project, we are testing, learning, training new partners, iterating on our designs and listening to customer feedback,” Coutant said. 

One recent collaboration took place in Berkeley, California, where Kit Switch provided a kitchen kit for a housing preservation project led by nonprofit construction organizations Girls Garage and Rebuilding Together East Bay Network.

The U.S. Bank Foundation helped support the effort through a contribution to Girls Garage, building on its multi-year relationship and Girls Garage's commitment to community-based work.

Kit Switch is now expanding into new states, growing its team and staying focused on affordable, sustainable housing, Coutant said.

Manning said he has enjoyed mentoring the Kit Switch leaders. 

“My background aligned perfectly with Kit Switch’s needs,” he said. “Before joining U.S. Bank, I worked for a small affordable housing developer and managed construction sites — I even designed kitchens myself. I know the industry and the customers Kit Switch serves.”

“Joe has been such a great sounding board,” Coutant said. “He’s helped us think strategically about framing our impacts, understanding the housing landscape and making sure we’re aligned with our customers’ needs. But he also checks in on us as human beings, which is one of many reasons he’s a fantastic mentor.” 

The next round of Cleantech Award winners will be announced in December. 

*U.S. Bank Foundation is a tax-exempt private foundation described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation is funded primarily through contributions from U.S. Bank National Association and its affiliates and subsidiaries. The Foundation’s mission is to close the gaps between people and possibility in the areas of work home, and play.