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Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP)
Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP) was founded in 2019 by Jonathan O’Connell and Mike Shapiro, both veterans of Google-backed Sidewalk Labs.
Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP)
Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP) was founded in 2019 by Jonathan O’Connell and Mike Shapiro, both veterans of Google-backed Sidewalk Labs. The firm emerged from Alphabet’s urban innovation unit, inheriting a focus on technology-enabled infrastructure that addresses systemic urban challenges. Unlike traditional infrastructure funds, SIP takes a project-development approach, originating and structuring deals that integrate sensors, connectivity, and automation into physical assets. SIP invests across three core verticals: mobility (including autonomous vehicle fleets and electric-vehicle charging networks), energy (renewable generation and grid modernization), and digital infrastructure (fiber, 5G, and edge computing). The firm’s portfolio includes partnerships with municipal utilities and private developers. Confirmed holdings include a 50% stake in an autonomous vehicle fleet operated in partnership with Waymo and a fiber-to-the-home joint venture with an unnamed telecom provider (public record). SIP targets the United States and Canada, with additional exploration in European and Asia-Pacific markets. The firm operates from offices in New York, Menlo Park, and San Francisco, with a team of roughly 30–50 professionals as of early 2025. In May 2024, SIP closed a $500M credit facility for infrastructure projects (per industry reports). The firm does not maintain a separately branded philanthropic foundation; its social impact is embedded through project design—for example, deploying broadband to underserved neighborhoods. SIP’s structural differentiator is its affiliation with Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs, which gave the firm access to proprietary technology and urban planning expertise. This lineage enables SIP to act as a developer-operator rather than a passive allocator, retaining operating control of assets that traditional infrastructure funds typically delegate to external managers. The firm’s governance is designed for long-duration holdings, with no fixed fund life, allowing patient capital deployment.
General information
Firm type
Infrastructure Investment Firm
Year founded
2019
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
New York, NY, United States
Additional offices
West Palm Beach, FL · Menlo Park, CA · San Francisco, CA
Principals
Jonathan B. M. (Jon) K. O’Connell
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
Michael D. (Mike) Shapiro
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners?
The firm is led by co-founders Jonathan O’Connell and Mike Shapiro, both managing partners. O’Connell oversees strategy and external partnerships, while Shapiro leads deal structuring and operations. The investment committee includes senior professionals from the firm’s mobility, energy, and digital infrastructure verticals (public record).
How does SIP source proprietary deal flow?
SIP originates deals through direct relationships with municipal governments, utilities, and technology companies, rather than relying on intermediaries. The firm’s Sidewalk Labs lineage provides access to urban innovation networks. SIP also participates in requests for proposals (RFPs) for large-scale public infrastructure projects (public record).
Is SIP structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
SIP is neither a single-family office nor a traditional venture firm. It operates as an asset manager with a development arm, taking operating control of infrastructure assets. The firm charges management fees on committed capital and performance fees on realized returns. It does not disclose an AUM target or fund size.
What investment stages does SIP typically target?
SIP invests at the project-development stage, often acquiring or structuring greenfield infrastructure projects that require technology integration. The firm also does growth-stage equity in companies that own physical infrastructure assets. SIP does not typically participate in early-stage venture or public-market deals (public record).
Does SIP participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
SIP primarily makes direct investments into infrastructure projects and operating companies, not fund-of-funds commitments. The firm occasionally co-invests alongside institutional partners, such as pension funds and sovereign wealth funds, in large capital-intensive projects (public record).
What sectors does SIP explicitly avoid?
SIP avoids sectors it views as purely financial infrastructure without technology integration, such as traditional toll roads, social infrastructure (hospitals, schools), and commodity-based energy projects. The firm also avoids residential real estate development (public record).
How is SIP related to Sidewalk Labs and Alphabet?
SIP was spun out from Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs in 2019 as an independent firm, but maintains a strategic relationship with Alphabet. Alphabet is a minority investor in SIP’s funds, and SIP has access to Alphabet’s technology capabilities, including AI, mapping, and connectivity tools. SIP is not a subsidiary of Alphabet (per the firm’s communications).
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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