BIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE
PO BOX 9216, MISSOULA, MT 59807 www.biomimicry.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: 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. ABOUT BIOMIMICRY: EFFORTS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, CONSUMPTION, POLLUTION, DEFORESTATION, AND THE MYRIAD OF OTHER ISSUES THAT THREATEN THE PLANET HAVE TO DATE BEEN PRIMARILY REACTIVE AND WHOLLY INSUFFICIENT. THE STRATEGIES WE RELIED ON TO PROVIDE FOOD, WATER, ENERGY, SHELTER, AND COMFORT TO A GROWING POPULATION ARE NOW SEEN AS COMPOUNDING RATHER THAN SOLVING THE PROBLEMS. BIOMIMICRY IS A NEW SCIENCE THAT STUDIES NATURE'S BEST IDEAS, ABSTRACTS THE DEEP DESIGN PRINCIPLES, AND THEN EMULATES THESE DESIGNS AND PROCESSES TO SOLVE HUMAN PROBLEMS. THE BIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE IS THE FOREMOST AUTHORITY AND ALL AROUND GO-TO PLACE FOR BIOMIMICRY INFORMATION, THROUGH ITS THREE MAIN PROGRAMS: BIOMIMICRY DESIGN CHALLENGES & EDUCATION PROGRAMS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM, AND ASKNATURE.

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.

DESIGN CHALLENGES AND EDUCATION 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 A 22 LESSON CURRICULUM AND DESIGN CHALLENGE, STUDENTS CONNECT WHAT THEY LEARN ABOUT BIOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND CLIMATE CHANGE, AND CONNECT THAT KNOWLEDGE TO THE REAL WORLD BY DESIGNING A NATURE-INSPIRED SOLUTION TO A LOCAL CLIMATE CHANGE PROBLEM. IN 2019, 193 TEACHERS FROM 37 STATES REGISTERED; 4,200 STUDENTS WERE IMPACTED, AND TEACHERS FROM 24 COUNTRIES USED OUR CURRICULUM. OUR PROGRAM EVALUATION FOUND THAT 90% OR MORE OF STUDENTS REPORTED THAT THE YDC HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT IN LEARNING ABOUT SCIENCE, KNOWING HOW TO USE SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, THINKING CRITICALLY, AND BEING MORE INTERESTED IN NATURE AND SUSTAINABILITY.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. TOP TEAMS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BIOMIMICRY LAUNCHPAD.IN 2019, THE BIOMIMICRY GLOBAL DESIGN CHALLENGE OFFERED TWO SPECIFIC PROMPTS: ADDRESSING PLASTIC POLLUTION IN THE OCEAN AND REDUCING FOOD WASTE. WE HAD 98 TEAMS APPLY, WITH 455 PARTICIPANTS FROM 19 COUNTRIES.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP:LAUNCHPADBIOMIMICRY GLOBAL DESIGN CHALLENGE FINALISTS ARE INVITED TO JOIN THE BIOMIMICRY LAUNCHPAD, WHERE THEY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THEIR DESIGNS AND BUSINESS MODELS. THE PROGRAM ACCELERATES THE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF BIOMIMICRY STARTUP INNOVATIONS AND HELPS SUPPORT THE NEXT GENERATION OF SUSTAINABILITY ENTREPRENEURS.IN 2019, THE BIOMIMICRY LAUNCHPAD HAD A COHORT OF 12 TEAMS, WITH 46 PARTICIPANTS FROM 13 COUNTRIES. IN 2019 WE PILOTED A NEW 10-WEEK VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT COMBINED BIOMIMICRY WITH STARTUP BASICS TRAINING. TEAMS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND SECTORS TACKLED A RANGE OF ISSUES, INCLUDING OCEAN PLASTIC POLLUTION, FLOODING AND WATER MANAGEMENT, FOOD WASTE, AGRICULTURE, AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. THEY VALUED LEARNING STARTUP SKILLS SUCH AS CUSTOMER DISCOVERY, TESTING ASSUMPTIONS, DEVELOPING VALUE PROPOSITIONS, AND HOW TO BUILD A STRONG AND DIVERSE TEAM.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 2019 WINNER WAS WATCHTOWER ROBOTIC FROM BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. WATCHTOWER USES A NEXT-GENERATION, FLEXIBLE ROBOT TO INSPECT WATER PIPES, LOCATING LEAKS FOR UTILITIES TO EASILY FIX. THE ROBOT MIMICS A SQUID OR GECKO, AND LEAVES BEHIND A PIECE AT EVERY LEAK IT FINDS IN AN UNDERGROUND WATER PIPE. THIS PIECE HAS A BEACON EFFECT THAT ALLOWS MAINTENANCE CREWS TO LOCATE IT WITH WIRELESS SCANNERS FROM ABOVE GROUND, PINPOINT THE LOCATION OF THE LEAKS, AND KNOW WHERE TO DIG AND FIX THEM. THEIR OBJECTIVE IS TO ADDRESS THE 20% OF POTABLE WATER LOST TO LEAKY PIPES AND IMPROVE GLOBAL ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER.ARUGA TECHNOLOGIES' PLATFORM FOR KEEPING SURFACES CLEAN TOOK HOME THE $25,000 SECOND-PLACE PRIZE. OTHER STARTUPS THAT MADE IT THROUGH TO THE PITCH ROUND OF THE COMPETITION INCLUDED TEAMS FROM INDIA, NEW YORK, THE NETHERLANDS, AND CALIFORNIA. AMONG THE SOLUTIONS WERE ECOSTP'S ZERO-POWER SMALL-SCALE SEWAGE TREATMENT UNIT, INSPIRED BY THE COW'S STOMACH; UPOD, A MECHANICAL MOSQUITO CONTROL DEVICE INSPIRED BY BLADDERWORT PLANTS; AND AN ARCHITECTURAL COOLING SOLUTION INSPIRED BY CACTI, SAHARAN CAMELS, AND WHEAT.

ASKNATURE: AS THE ONLY 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 NEARLY 2,000 ARTICLES DESCRIBING BIOLOGICAL STRATEGIES (A CHARACTERISTIC, MECHANISM, OR PROCESS THAT PERFORMS A FUNCTION FOR AN ORGANISM OR OTHER TYPE OF LIVING SYSTEM) AND INSPIRED IDEAS (STORIES BEHIND REALIZED AND CONCEPTUAL PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND SYSTEM COMPONENTS THAT ARE INSPIRED BY BIOLOGY), ALONG WITH OVER 230 INDEXED RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS OF BIOMIMICRY. ASKNATURE IS THE WORLD'S MOST CONCENTRATED, ONLY FREE SOURCE OF BIOMIMICRY EDUCATION RESOURCES FOR PRIMARY, SECONDARY, POST-SECONDARY, AND PROFESSIONAL AUDIENCES AND WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE FUNCTIONALITY AND ADD CONTENT TO THIS SERVICE ON A WEEKLY BASIS.IN 2019, APPROXIMATELY 700,000 PEOPLE VISITED THE SITE AND ACCESSED FREE RESOURCES AND CONTENT. OUR USERS COME FROM 120 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. ASKNATURE SOLUTIONSTHE BIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE ALSO PROVIDES RESEARCH AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP ON LARGER QUESTIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY AND SYSTEMS CHANGE. PROJECTS IN 2019 FOCUSED ON LAND-USE, FASHION AND AGRICULTURE, AND CLIMATE CHANGE. THIS INCLUDES BEGINNING WORK ON A REPORT (RELEASED IN 2020) ON HOW THE FASHION INDUSTRY WOULD LOOK IF IT FUNCTIONED LIKE A NATURAL ECOSYSTEM. THE NATURE OF FASHION: MOVING TOWARDS A REGENERATIVE SYSTEM OFFERS RECOMMENDATIONS TO INVESTORS AND INDUSTRY THAT WILL ENABLE A NEW FASHION ECOSYSTEM TO THRIVE AND FLOURISH WITHIN OUR PLANETARY BOUNDARIES.

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