The Biomimicry Institute

THE PURPOSES OF THIS CORPORATION SHALL BE TO NATURALIZE BIOMIMICRY IN THE CULTURE BY PROMOTING THE TRANSFER OF IDEAS, DESIGNS, AND STRATEGIES FROM BIOLOGY TO SUSTAINABLE HUMAN SYSTEMS DESIGN.

ASKNATURE AND ASKNATURE SOLUTIONS RESEARCH:AS THE LARGEST OPEN-ACCESS DATABASE FOR INNOVATORS TO FIND BIOLOGICAL MODELS FOR DESIGN GUIDANCE, ASKNATURE IS MISSION-CRITICAL FOR OUR WORK. STUDENTS USE ASKNATURE WHEN THEY FIRST LEARN DESIGN AND ENGINEERING SKILLS IN OUR PROGRAMS AND CONTINUE TO USE IT AS THEY ADVANCE THROUGH UNIVERSITY AND BECOME INNOVATORS. OUR AIM IS TO HAVE NATURE-INSPIRED DESIGN BECOME STANDARD PRACTICE, WITH ASKNATURE AS A PRIMARY TOOL. WE CURRENTLY HAVE MORE THAN 1,700 ARTICLES DESCRIBING BIOLOGICAL STRATEGIES (A CHARACTERISTIC, MECHANISM, OR PROCESS THAT PERFORMS A FUNCTION FOR AN ORGANISM OR OTHER TYPE OF LIVING SYSTEM), 220 ABOUT INNOVATIONS (STORIES BEHIND REALIZED AND CONCEPTUAL PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND SYSTEM COMPONENTS THAT ARE INSPIRED BY BIOLOGY), AND 70 INDEXED RESOURCES SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR EDUCATORS. ASKNATURE IS THE WORLD'S GO-TO AND LARGEST OPEN-ACCESS SOURCE OF BIOMIMICRY EDUCATION RESOURCES FOR PRIMARY, SECONDARY, POST-SECONDARY, AND PROFESSIONAL AUDIENCES. IN 2021 WE IMPROVED FUNCTIONALITY AND ADDED OR UPDATED HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF CONTENT TO THIS SERVICE.IN 2021, APPROXIMATELY 690,000 PEOPLE VISITED THE SITE FOR 966,000 SESSIONS AND ACCESSED FREE RESOURCES AND CONTENT (IN 2020 THERE WERE 638,000 VISITORS OVER 876,000 SESSIONS). OUR USERS COME FROM 229 COUNTRIES AND A WIDE VARIETY OF SECTORS INCLUDING EDUCATION, ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, ENGINEERING, BIOTECHNOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT, LAND USE, HEALTH, TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY, FASHION, GOVERNMENT, NON-PROFITS, AND MEDIA. THE YEAR SAW THE LAUNCH OF OUR REDESIGNED WEBSITE, WHICH HAS PUT A NEW EMPHASIS ON CREATING DEEPER CONTENT IN ACCESSIBLE, JARGON-FREE LANGUAGE, AND MORE CONTEXTUALIZING CONTENT TO BRING THE LESSONS OF BIOMIMICRY TO A WIDER AUDIENCE. IT HAS ALSO INVOLVED DEI TRAINING AND TRAINING TO APPROPRIATELY AND MEANINGFULLY ENGAGE WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES WHO WISH TO WORK WITH ASKNATURE IN ANY MANNER.

YOUTH EDUCATION AND DESIGN CHALLENGES PROGRAMS:- YOUTH DESIGN CHALLENGETHE BIOMIMICRY YOUTH DESIGN CHALLENGE (YDC) PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO LEARN STEM AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE USING BIOMIMICRY AND A PROJECT-BASED EXPERIENCE. THROUGH 25 PHASES OF ACTIVITY, THE CURRICULUM AND DESIGN CHALLENGE ALLOWS STUDENTS TO AUTHENTICALLY CONNECT BIOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND SCIENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN SOLUTIONS TO TODAY'S CHALLENGES.IN 2021, 295 EDUCATORS REGISTERED, FROM 46 STATES AND 34 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, ACCESSING TEACHER MATERIALS. THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT TO PREVIEW AND USE THE PROGRAM CURRICULUM HAD BEEN LIFTED FOR THIS YEAR. THE RESULT WAS MORE PROJECTS SUBMITTED (AS 29% INCREASE FROM 2020). THE REGISTERED EDUCATORS REPRESENTED 12,600 STUDENTS. OUR PROGRAM EVALUATION OF STUDENTS FOUND THAT THE YDC HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON UNDERSTANDING OF BIOMIMICRY (97%). OUR PROGRAM EVALUATION OF TEACHERS / COACHES FOUND THAT THE YDC HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON UNDERSTANDING BIOMIMICRY (98%).- BIOMIMICRY GLOBAL DESIGN CHALLENGETHE BIOMIMICRY GLOBAL DESIGN CHALLENGE PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH BIOMIMICRY-TO DO DESIGN, NOT JUST STUDY IT. THROUGH FREE RESOURCES SUCH AS THE BIOMIMICRY TOOLBOX, WEBINARS, DESIGN BRIEFS, AND MENTORSHIP, TEAMS LEARN AND PRACTICE THE FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOMIMICRY AND CREATE BIO-INSPIRED SOLUTIONS ALIGNED WITH NATURE AND THE UN'S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS. IN 2021, THE 92 TEAMS FROM 25 COUNTRIES SUBMITTED PROJECTS TO THE CHALLENGE. 12 FINALISTS WERE SELECTED AND WERE THEN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BIOMIMICRY LAUNCHPAD.THE 2021 BIOMIMICRY GLOBAL DESIGN CHALLENGE WAS THE FINAL ITERATION OF THIS PROGRAM. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL 6 YEAR PERIOD, THE BIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE DETERMINED THAT THIS PROGRAM WOULD COME TO CLOSE IN ORDER TO BETTER ALIGN WITH YOUTH EDUCATION AND INNOVATION INITIATIVES. ALL MATERIALS CREATED FOR THE CHALLENGE ARE READILY AVAILABLE VIA THE BIOMIMICRY TOOLBOX OR ASKNATURE.

INNOVATION:- BIOMIMICRY LAUNCHPADTHE BIOMIMICRY LAUNCHPAD PROVIDES TRAINING, CONNECTIONS, AND RESOURCES FOR NATURE-INSPIRED SCIENTISTS AND INNOVATORS WHO OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT COMMERCIALIZING THEIR WORK. THE LAUNCHPAD EQUIPS NATURE-INSPIRED SCIENTISTS, DESIGNERS, AND RESEARCHERS WITH THE SKILLS AND TOOLS THEY NEED TO TURN THEIR WORK INTO SCALABLE STARTUPS.IN 2021, THE BIOMIMICRY GLOBAL DESIGN CHALLENGE FINALISTS WERE INVITED TO JOIN THE BIOMIMICRY LAUNCHPAD, WHERE THEY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THEIR DESIGNS AND BUSINESS MODELS. THE BIOMIMICRY LAUNCHPAD HAD A COHORT OF 12 TEAMS, WITH 56 PARTICIPANTS FROM 7 COUNTRIES. THE PROGRAM CONSISTED OF A 10-WEEK VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT COMBINED THE THREE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF BIOMIMICRY WITH STARTUP BASICS TRAINING. TEAMS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND SECTORS TACKLED A RANGE OF ISSUES, INCLUDING URBAN FLOODING, WATER ACCESS, AND EXCESSIVE HEAT MITIGATION. ALL OF THE TEAMS ADDRESSED ONE OR MORE OF THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS) IN THEIR PURSUIT OF CREATING POSITIVE CHANGE. THEY VALUED LEARNING ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS SUCH AS CUSTOMER DISCOVERY, TESTING ASSUMPTIONS, DEVELOPING VALUE PROPOSITIONS, AND HOW TO BUILD A STRONG AND DIVERSE TEAM. IN ADDITION, THIS YEAR'S PARTICIPANTS LEARNED HOW TO APPLY BIOMIMICRY'S SUSTAINABILITY ETHOS TO ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR PROJECT. DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, SCHEDULED IN-PERSON TRIPS WERE CANCELED AND REPLACED BY LOCALIZED NATURE-IMMERSION ACTIVITIES AND VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS.- RAY OF HOPE PRIZETHE RAY OF HOPE PRIZE CELEBRATES AND ACCELERATES NATURE-INSPIRED SOLUTIONS ADDRESSING THE WORLD'S ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES. THIS $100,000 PRIZE SPARKS THE NEXT GENERATION OF BUSINESSES THAT WILL LEAD US TO A CIRCULAR AND REGENERATIVE FUTURE. THE 2021 AWARD RECIPIENT WAS SPINTEX ENGINEERING, FROM OXFORD, ENGLAND. SPINTEX ARTIFICIALLY SPINS THE HIGHEST PERFORMANCE SILK FIBERS AVAILABLE, THROUGH A SPIDER INSPIRED PROCESS. THE PROCESS IS 1000X MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT THAN SYNTHETIC PLASTIC FIBERS, AND USES NO HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS WITH WATER AS THEIR ONLY BY-PRODUCT. AQUAMMODATE, FROM GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN, A BIOTECH STARTUP THAT SEPARATES RAW MATERIALS SUCH AS LITHIUM FROM WATER, TOOK HOME THE $25,000 RUNNER-UP PRIZE. IN TOTAL, TEN STARTUPS (SELECTED FROM 301 APPLICANTS) PARTICIPATED IN THIS YEAR'S RAY OF HOPE PRIZE PROGRAM, WHICH CONSISTED OF TRAINING ON SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES AND SCIENCE COMMUNICATION SKILLS, IN ADDITION TO ACCESSING A CURATED COMMUNITY OF EXPERT MENTORS, ADVISORS, AND INVESTORS.DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, SCHEDULED IN-PERSON TRIPS WERE CANCELED AND REPLACED BY HIGH-QUALITY VIDEO PRODUCTION ABOUT EACH OF THE PARTICIPATING STARTUPS' TECHNOLOGY, AND HOW IT WAS INSPIRED BY NATURE. THE AWARD CEREMONY WAS HELD VIRTUALLY AT GREENBIZ'S CIRCULARITY CONFERENCE.

SYSTEM CHANGE:- DESIGN FOR DECOMPOSITION (D4D)THIS YEAR WE INITIATED A NEW SYSTEMS CHANGE PROGRAM TO CONTINUE BUILDING ON THE INTEREST GENERATED BY OUR THE NATURE OF FASHION REPORT (2020). THIS PROGRAM LOOKS AT SYSTEM LEVEL CHALLENGES, WITH AN INITIAL FOCUS ON TEXTILE DECOMPOSITION AND HOW WE CAN DESIGN SYSTEMS THAT ULTIMATELY SUPPORT THE SAFE BREAK DOWN AND BUILD UP OF MATERIALS. IN 2021, THE D4D INITIATIVE RECRUITED AND SIGNED MOU'S WITH TWO US PARTNERS, CELERY DESIGN AND THE YALE CENTER FOR GREEN CHEMISTRY, AND FOUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS: METABOLIC INSTITUTE (THE NETHERLANDS), THE OR FOUNDATION (GHANA), HKRITA (HONG KONG), AND THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA LEGON. WITH THESE PARTNERS ON BOARD, WE SECURED FUNDING FROM THE LAUDES FOUNDATION TO BEGIN THE WORK.THE D4D INITIATIVE HAS FOUR PRIMARY ELEMENTS: A PHYSICAL PILOT IN WESTERN EUROPE, A PHYSICAL PILOT IN ACCRA, GHANA; GAINING A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF BIOLOGICAL AND ABIOTIC DEGRADATION AND HOW WE CAN BETTER TEST AND DESIGN FOR DEGRADATION; AND A NARRATIVE COMPONENT. AS PART OF BOTH PHYSICAL PILOTS, WE BEGAN IDENTIFYING DOZENS OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT COULD BREAK DOWN TEXTILES AND GENERATE BIOCOMPATIBLE PRODUCTS OF VALUE, SUCH AS GLUCOSE OR SOIL AMENDMENTS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, WE BEGAN ECOLOGICAL MONITORING OF SEVERAL SITES IN ACCRA THAT ARE SUBJECT TO TEXTILE AND OTHER WASTE. WE ALSO CONDUCTED A BIOLOGICAL LITERATURE REVIEW TO DEEPLY UNDERSTAND NATURAL DECOMPOSITION, AND PARTNERED WITH THE YALE CENTER FOR GREEN CHEMISTRY TO CONDUCT ANOTHER LITERATURE REVIEW ON BIODEGRADATION SCIENCE AND TESTING.