New Story
Develops and deploys 3D-printed affordable housing communities in developing regions through partnerships with construction technology firms like ICON.
- CEO / Founder
- Brett Hagler
- Team Size
- 51-200
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- $50M+
- Latest Round
- Seed - $150K - August 2015
- Key Investors
- Y Combinator; Individual donors; Philanthropic foundations
Technology & Products
Key Products
3D-printed housing communities; Vulcan printer development partnership; Casa NEXT housing prototype
Technological Advantage
Partnership with ICON provides access to proprietary Vulcan II 3D printing technology optimized for remote construction; model blends philanthropy, impact investment, and technical expertise for scalability.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Reduces housing construction costs by 60-80% ($10,000 per home vs. $50,000+ conventional) and cuts build time from months to 24-48 hours, enabling rapid deployment of disaster-resistant homes in remote areas.
How They Differentiate
Focuses exclusively on humanitarian/developing world applications with ruggedized printers (vs. Apis Cor's commercial focus), uses ICON's Vulcan technology for faster print speeds (24-48 hours per home vs. Mighty Buildings' modular approach), and operates as a non-profit with 100% donation-to-home model.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Underserved families in developing countries, humanitarian organizations, government housing agencies
Industry Verticals
Construction; Humanitarian Aid; Affordable Housing
Competitors
Apis Cor; Mighty Buildings; WASP
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Built 37 communities (100-150 homes per project) in Latin America since founding, housing over 2,300 families; named Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies four times.
Major Milestones
2018: First permitted 3D-printed home with ICON; 2020: First 3D-printed community in Mexico; Goal to house 1M individuals by 2030
Notable Customers
Families in Nacajuca, Mexico; Local governments in Tabasco, Mexico