Kind Designs secures $5M to scale sustainable seawalls
By Riley Kaminer
A few years ago, Anya Freeman set out to prove that seawalls could do more than just hold back rising tides – they could help restore marine ecosystems. Now, Kind Designs, the Miami-based startup she founded, has secured another $5 million in funding to accelerate that vision.
Freeman confirmed to Refresh Miami that the company recently closed what she’s calling a “Seed 1” round, following its initial seed raise. The latest round, which values Kind Designs at $30 million, was led by Overlay Capital, an investment firm specializing in construction technology. So far, Kind Designs has raised a total of $11.5 million.
“The point of this round was to bring in more strategic investors, particularly in Miami and New York City, where we now have a strong pipeline,” Freeman said. “Overlay is especially strategic because they work with hotel groups and developers who build on the water.”
With this fresh capital, Kind Designs is ramping up production to meet soaring demand. The company is currently pursuing $180 million in government contracts while also expanding its residential and commercial projects.
“We started with residential seawalls, but now we’re doing commercial deployments as well,” Freeman explained. “We’ve won two government contracts already, and now much of our focus is on securing larger municipal projects.”
Kind Designs’ innovative approach involves 3D-printing seawalls that protect properties while functioning as artificial reefs, attracting marine life and improving water quality. The impact is already visible at its first installation site on Pine Tree Drive in Miami Beach.
“FIU has been diving and studying the site, and the rate of marine attachment has been much quicker than expected,” Freeman said. “In just nine months, over 1,000 oysters have attached to the wall, filtering 50,000 gallons of water per day.”
By comparison, a neighboring traditional seawall installed in 1993 has attracted zero oysters over three decades. “We didn’t seed the oysters or do anything special, they just showed up,” Freeman said.
To further enhance the ecological benefits, Kind Designs is partnering with the Everglades Oyster Foundation, which recycles oyster shells from local restaurants. The goal is to incorporate finely ground oyster shells into its concrete mix, encouraging even faster marine life growth.
Scaling up production has been a major priority. Kind Designs now operates out of a 50,000-square-foot facility on the Miami River, equipped with three industrial 3D-printing robots that can produce up to $15 million worth of seawalls annually. “We have space to bring in 10 robots, which will allow us to scale even further,” Freeman asserted.
The company’s model enables local seawall contractors to outsource panel production, allowing them to take on more projects while offering an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional seawalls. “Our panels actively improve water quality and support marine habitats,” Freeman added.
Freeman credits Miami’s local government with supporting Kind Designs’ growth. The company’s seawalls have been specified in city plans, and recent legislation has expanded the width limit for living seawalls, allowing for more effective marine habitat designs. Additional pending legislation could further streamline permitting and provide incentives for choosing living seawalls over traditional options.
While Miami remains the company’s primary focus, Kind Designs is expanding into New York, with eight projects now in the pipeline. “I’m obsessed with Miami and South Florida, but New York is shaping up to be our second major market,” Freeman said.
The latest round of funding also saw Mark Cuban doubling down on his initial investment. “Mark is really excited about our new premium seawall option,” Freeman noted. The company is developing colored seawalls that mimic natural mangrove roots, offering a visually striking, high-end alternative.
Beyond private and municipal projects, Kind Designs has gained recognition from the U.S. government. The startup recently won Phase 1 of both the Army and Navy innovation grants, paving the way for installations at Tampa’s MacDill Air Force Base and a Navy research facility. “It’s an incredible honor to be building living seawalls for the Department of Defense and contributing to our country’s coastal resilience,” Freeman said.
