Hong Kong-based Archireef is using 3D printing technology and terracotta to restore coral reefs degraded by climate change. The startup’s founder, Vriko Yu, was deeply alarmed in 2014 when a coral reef community in Hong Kong died in just two months. Together with marine biology professor David Baker and other researchers at the University of Hong Kong, they developed tiles made of terracotta with designs incorporating folds and crevices that enable coral fragments to attach to the seabed, resulting in survival rates of up to 98%.
Profitable subscription model
Archireef operates on a subscription model where corporate clients and government agencies pay regular fees to cover the maintenance and monitoring costs of its coral restoration projects for at least three years. In return, Archireef provides them with a report detailing the ecological impact of their investment that they can use for their ESG reports and marketing materials. Yu says the startup is already profitable, with clients including Hong Kong firms such as jewelry chain Chow Sang Sang and real estate company Sino Group.
Overseas expansion to the UAE
Archireef has laid the foundations for growth in Hong Kong and is now expanding overseas. It is working with sovereign wealth fund ADQ to restore an area of 40 square meters of waters near the United Arab Emirates capital, Abu Dhabi, which will become the nurturing ground of around 1,200 coral fragments. Archireef has also established a 400 square-meter facility in Abu Dhabi to mass-produce its reef tiles. The UAE government aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, making UAE the first in the region to set such a target.
Expanding product line
Archireef’s ambition does not limit to just restoring coral reefs. The startup is expanding its product line so that it can also help regrow species that create natural habitats for other organisms, including mangroves and oysters, according to Yu. The company’s CEO is in a hurry to expand Archireef and deploy its reef tiles around the world, including in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, to safeguard coral reefs, because if nothing changes, up to 90% of the world’s coral reefs could be lost by 2050, having already lost 50% since 1950.
Archireef’s innovative approach to coral reef restoration positions it as a promising player in climate tech and provides a glimmer of hope for the future of our oceans.
