Kimon Onuma

Kimon Onuma is a technology strategist with over 37 years at the intersection of the built environment, data, and systems interoperability. He is the founder of ONUMA, Inc., a pioneer in cloud-based solutions for BIM, GIS, and Digital Twins, delivering cloudBIM in 2000 when most still shipped CDs. A Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and Co-Chair of the Buildings Committee at buildingSMART USA, Kimon has long championed open standards and owner-driven digital ecosystems. He has led projects with the U.S. State Department, Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, GSA, and California Community Colleges, always emphasizing outcomes over hype and real-world implementation over theory. In 2025, he launched ZAiMAP, the culmination of decades of work, a system-of-systems connecting BIM, GIS, sensors, AI, and people to deliver situational awareness at scale. It’s not a new platform but the evolution of a philosophy: that intelligence, not data, is the most sustainable resource. Kimon created BIMStorm in 2007 to prototype open collaboration across disciplines and continues to advocate for transparency, interoperability, and informed environments. He contributes regularly to AutomatedBuildings.com, writing on open source, AI, and the shift from isolated tools to connected intelligence for cities and owners. Kimon has presented at more than 400 events globally and authored numerous industry journals, including the 2006 AIA Report on Integrated Practice, “The 21st Century Practitioner,” and was the 2013 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Technology in Architectural Practice (TAP) Chair.