Ready to revolutionize our food system?

Submit your best nature-inspired food system innovation to the 2015 Biomimicry Global Design Challenge.

Calling all designers, scientists, architects, biologists, engineers, students, makers, doers, and big thinkers! The 2015 Biomimicry Global Design Challenge is open and ready for your revolutionary food system innovations.

Visit our new website to learn more about the Challenge and register. You’ll also get access to tools and resources with information on biomimicry, our current food system, and how to apply nature’s ingenious design solutions to create change at each link along our food chain.

As a participant, you’ll have the chance to be featured in high-profile media, receive advice from experts and mentors, and have the opportunity to compete for the Ray C. Anderson Foundation’s $100,000 “Ray of Hope” Prize.

Visit challenge.biomimicry.org to learn more.

Check out our brand-new design challenge promo! Many thanks to Janine Benyus for providing the narration, and to Louie Schwartzberg and his team at Moving Art for generously donating their inspiring images and editing skills.

We’re hiring!

Love biomimicry, community-building and sharing really cool things like this? Then you just might be our new AskNature content coordinator. We’re looking for a junior-level design enthusiast with a passion for the natural world to join our team.

Learn more about the position and how to apply here. The deadline to apply is January 26, 2015.

AskNature Spotlight: A Nicer Needle

Have you ever noticed a mosquito bite (or two or three) that seemingly appeared out of nowhere? Early scientists assumed mosquitoes could sneak bites without our knowledge due to a very sharp, needle-like mouth. But modern microscopic techniques have shown something much more interesting: the tip of the mosquito’s mouth is composed of several moving parts that work into skin with the minimum of fuss–and the minimum of pain.

Read on to learn more about how scientists are applying this knowledge to create a “nicer needle.”
Case study written by Tom Benson
Image: Ramon Portellano, Flickr

News from the Network

Congratulations to Great Lakes Biomimicry, who captured two recent media mentions of their work with local schools.

“Who can tell me what biomimicry is?” – Read about a visit with the University of Akron’s president and some budding biomimicry experts from LeBron James Family Foundation’s Akron I PROMISE program.
STEM curriculum includes biomimicry – A teacher “train-the-trainer” program is helping to teach kids about biomimicry.

Image: LeBron James Family Foundation
Have news from your biomimicry network that you’d like to share? Email your news tips to erin.connelly(at)biomimicry.org.

Want an in-depth look at the key challenges and opportunities facing sustainable business today? Register for the GreenBiz Forum and save 10% when you use our discount code GBF15BIOM here.

Mark Dorfman from Biomimicry 3.8 will be presenting “One Great Idea: Leapfrogging the Missteps of the First Industrial Revolution.” Don’t miss out!

Thank you to our supporters

Many thanks to those of you who generously supported us during our end-of-year campaign and throughout 2014. Your contributions are supporting a major food systems design challenge and a robust AskNature upgrade, and ensuring that our community, via the Biomimicry Global Network, remains strong.

Here’s to a vibrant 2015!

Support us today!

Our mailing address is:

Biomimicry Institute

PO Box 9216

Missoula, MT 97229