This company is protecting land and marine life with 3D printers.
Kind Designs is one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in North America for 2024.
The U.S. government has budgeted $400 billion over the next 20 years to fund construction of seawalls that protect against inland erosion as sea levels rise due to climate change. However, conventional seawalls are often cost-prohibitive and have been found to reduce local biodiversity significantly. By contrast, Kind Designs‘ approach, which uses 3D printing, addresses both of those concerns: Its reefs cost less to produce and use nontoxic material designed with nooks and crannies to house marine life.
The company, which raised a $5 million seed round in August 2023, began installing its first seawall in October, and followed up with a commercial order of 12 panels that were installed in early December. It’s working with several coastal construction companies in Florida and projects $7 million in 2024 revenue.