Kind Designs raised $5 million from investors to build "living" seawalls that protect coastal communities.
The Miami startup's seed investment round was led by Govo Venture Partners, M4 Investing and the Florida Opportunity Fund. It is the third company Winter Park-based Govo has invested in since the launch of its Govo Fund I venture fund in January.
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The funding will help Kind Designs develop its 3D-printed seawalls, which are designed to mimic coral reefs and mangroves. That makes it possible for the structures to protect shorelines from flooding while creating an ecosystem for marine life. 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 Rob Panepinto, managing general partner at Govo.
"By applying its proprietary and innovative technology, Kind Designs is setting the standard and solving a global problem," he added.
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