Former congressman Patrick Murphy, a partner at Winter Park-based Govo Venture Partners, discovered Kind Designs in his hometown of Miami. The startup 3D prints living seawalls that mimic coral reefs and mangroves, superior to their concrete counterparts because they encourage biodiversity and reduce shoreline erosion, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
When Govo’s Managing Partner Rob Panepinto learned of Kind Designs from Murphy, his interest was piqued.
"There's a big government regulatory play in what [Kind Designs CEO Anya Freeman] is doing, which is critical to our investment. Had there not been that piece, as interesting as the technology is and as much as we like the team, it would not have been an investment for Govo," he said.
Govo announced September 5 it had co-led a $5 million round alongside M4 Investing and the Florida Opportunity Fund.
“We've made three investments and this is the second of the three where we've been the lead or co-lead. We basically work with the company to set the terms that the other investors will come along. When we're talking to transportation, govtech or climate tech companies, they’re attracted to our understanding of regulations which makes us more desirable for them as a lead beyond our capital.”
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The funding will help Kind Designs further develop its 3D-printed seawalls. In addition to the advantages of being organic and not concrete, the seawalls are also embedded with sensor systems to collect water quality data.
”We are thrilled to have a Florida-based firm with deep roots in the community and government expertise lead our round," founder and CEO Anya Freeman said in a statement.
In June, the company won the $40,000 grand prize at the 2023 Florida Aerospace and Emerging Tech Forum. Orlando venture capital firm DeepWork Capital then announced it would invest $100,000.
Kind Designs is among a cluster of early-stage climate startups in South Florida focused on using technology to find solutions to sea level rise, extreme heat and more. Governments worldwide will eventually need to invest in sustainable seawalls to ward off rising waters, said Panepinto.
"By applying its proprietary and innovative technology, Kind Designs is setting the standard and solving a global problem," he added.
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