Annual and Financial Reports

Mission:

The purpose of the Biomimicry Institute is to naturalize biomimicry in the culture by promoting the transfer of ideas, designs, and strategies from biology to sustainable human systems design.

2022 Year in Review

Biomimicry has always been a hopeful moment—and now it’s a growing one. Surround yourself with nature’s genius. This is our moment, when more people than ever before are Asking Nature for advice.

Read the Annual Report.

2021 Year in Review

Nature adapts, doesn’t it? And just like all of you, that’s what we at the Biomimicry Institute found ourselves doing in 2021. What we’re seeing is the early manifestation of the “arc” in our work: AskNature is being used by more students and educators; those students are growing up to become the university lab innovators that will one day join our Biomimicry Launchpad; and those students will shape the radically-new sustainability companies that get to be honored with the Ray of Hope Prize recognition. And some of their innovations—or they themselves—will help transform entire sectors of industry, like the work we are doing with fashion around Design for Decomposition.

Read more here. | Thank you to our volunteers.

2018-2019 Annual Report

In 2019, we saw amazing growth of all three elements of our mission — emulation, ethos, and (re)connection — as we supported the movement to bring nature-inspired design to students, educators, and innovators throughout the world.

Read the report.

2017-2018 Annual Report

We’re equipping a new generation of innovators to address the most critical issues of our time by looking to nature to design solutions that give more than they take.

Read the report.

2015-2016 Annual Report

How different would our world be if every student graduated high school “bio-lingual”? If budding entrepreneurs knew how to ask nature for design guidance and had wide-ranging support to bring their innovations to market? If industry changed because employees had a shared vision of a circular economy that functions like a healthy forest?

This is the future that we’re working towards.

2013-2014 Annual Report

Now is the time when vision must combine with venture, and when aspiration must be paired with action. In these pages, you’ll learn how we are empowering big thinkers from business, government, and academia to not only listen to and learn from nature, but to build, prototype, and deliver tangible biomimetic creations to market.

There’s no time to waste. Let’s build a beautiful world together.

2011-2012 Annual Report

It starts with one. One brilliant idea. One voice that sparks the imagination and feeds the soul. But to transform into a movement, and idea needs pollination. Together, we are building a movement.

2006-2009 Annual Report

The Biomimicry Institute inspires, educates, and connects biomimics throughout the world.

Financials

Since our founding in 2006, Biomimicry Institute has introduced a powerful way of design thinking to individuals and organizations around the world. This has been made possible by the generous support and shared commitment of our dedicated donors. Our careful stewardship of contributions and our emphasis on programmatic impact have allowed us to consistently earn the highest ratings from watchdog groups such as Guidestar and Great Nonprofits.

990 Forms

FY 2022 Form 990 (PDF – 0.5 MB)

FY 2021 Form 990 (PDF – 0.5 MB)

FY 2020 Form 990 (PDF – 0.5 MB)

FY 2019 Form 990 (PDF – 0.5 MB)

FY 2018 Form 990 (PDF – 0.5 MB)

FY 2017 Form 990 (PDF – 0.4 MB)

FY 2016 Form 990 (PDF – 0.5 MB)

FY 2015 Form 990 (PDF – 0.4 MB)

FY 2014 Form 990 (PDF – 0.5 MB)

FY 2013 Form 990 (PDF – 0.7 MB)

FY 2012 Form 990 (PDF – 1.1 MB)

FY 2011 Form 990 (PDF – 0.5 MB)

FY 2010 Form 990 (PDF – 0.4 MB)

We will use the information to be in touch with you via email. You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any message you receive from us. Learn more about our privacy practices here.

Support the Next Generation
of Nature-Inspired Innovators

Imagine a world where everything we make is inspired by the natural world. By supporting the Biomimicry Institute you:

  • Help bring biomimicry education to more students and educators
  • Accelerate the growth of more nature-inspired startups and entrepreneurs
  • Increase the number of biological strategies and resources on AskNature.org and across our entire organization.

Tap into nature: