By Riley Kaminer
There’s something captivating about 3D printing: the process of an idea becoming a digital creation before coming to life bit by bit by each swipe of a robot’s arm. But don’t kid yourself into thinking that this is simply a novelty. Much to the contrary, 3D printing might just be one of the most exciting ways to help South Florida combat climate change.
Case in point: Broward-based 1Print. The company is making a name for itself by commercializing technologies to support coastal resilience and restore marine habitats through 3D concrete printing.
The University of Miami has developed a technology called SEAHIVE to do just that, and they have chosen 1Print as the partner to help develop, market, and scale this innovative solution.
“The University of Miami is excited about our collaboration, as this is the first licensed UM technology in the field of Blue Tech,” Dr. Norma Kenyon, Vice Provost for Innovation at University of Miami, said in a statement.
“Blue Tech represents the cutting-edge technology sector in the maritime industry, fostering sustainable innovation across emerging markets within the Blue Economy,” Kenyon continued. “This encompasses a diverse range of industries and innovative technologies dedicated to advancing sustainable ocean activities and business practices.”
SEAHIVE has two purposes: 1) dissipating wave energy to minimize coastal flooding and erosion, and 2) providing a conducive environment for marine life such as corals, mangroves, seagrass, and oysters.
1Print is also part of Miami-Dade County’s ClimateReady Tech Hub, which focuses on scaling climate resilient infrastructure built in South Florida. The program’s leader, Francesca de Quesada Covey, expressed her excitement about 1Print joining forces with UM: “This partnership signifies a notable advancement in our endeavors toward sustainable climate technologies. Together, we are effectively transforming hope into measurable outcomes, underscoring the power of collective action and innovation in shaping a more sustainable and equitable future.”
1Print co-founder Fredrik Wannius told Refresh Miami that the origins of 1Print stem from the real estate space. “We were going to develop housing. One thing led to another, and that first housing project didn’t go as smoothly as we thought.”
A contact put Wannius and his co-founders, Francis Greenburger and Adam Friedman, in touch with UM. The 1Print team was able to develop some prototypes to show the UM researchers in a matter of minutes. “They were very impressed by the quickness and the possibility with 3D printing,” recalled Wannius. And the rest is history.
“The power of 3D printing comes with scale,” said Wannius. “Our technology cuts manufacturing and deployment costs – crucial for water-based projects where time equals money. For large-scale operations, we plan to move production to ports or waterfront areas, enabling direct shipment of massive modules into the water, further streamlining the process.”
Wannius explained that one of the ways in which 1Print stands out from the pack is the approach it takes towards growth. “We are trying to build a sustainable business that is self-sufficient with organic growth. We want to nail it before we scale it, meaning that we want to be profitable with one machine and one team before we expand. I think that approach is important.”
READ MORE IN REFRESH MIAMI:
- Federal government designates South Florida as one of 31 Tech Hubs, with focus on climate
- Seaworthy Collective launches its fourth BlueTech cohort. Let’s meet them.
- With a fresh $16.9M injection of capital, Blue Frontier is leading the eco air revolution – from Boca Raton to the world
- ClimateTrade has already offset more than 5.5M tons of carbon emissions – with millions more to come
- Kind Designs raises $5M in seed funding to deploy 3D-printed seawalls
- For Urban Vision 3D’s smart city technology, not even the sky’s the limit
