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New Story

ServiceAustin, TX, USAFounded 2014· One of 1986 Service companies tracked by AMPulse

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
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

https://newstorycharity.org

Why this company matters

New Story occupies a distinct niche in additive construction as a non-profit focused exclusively on humanitarian housing in developing regions. Unlike commercial builders such as Apis Cor or Mighty Buildings, New Story targets underserved families and disaster-prone areas, deploying ruggedized material extrusion (MEX-3DCP) printers that can operate under unpredictable power and weather conditions.

The organization partners with ICON to deploy proprietary Vulcan II 3D printing technology, which prints concrete homes in 24-48 hours at roughly $10,000 per unit versus $50,000 or more for conventional construction. This speed and cost reduction enables rapid community-scale deployment in remote areas where traditional building methods are slow or impractical.

New Story has built 37 communities in Latin America, housing over 2,300 families, with projects in Nacajuca and Tabasco, Mexico. Its model blends philanthropic donations with impact investment and technical partnerships, including ÉCHALE, Yaskawa Electric, and Alchemy Builders. The organization aims to house 1 million individuals by 2030.

A key strategic question is whether New Story's reliance on ICON's proprietary technology creates dependency or limits its ability to scale independently. Its non-profit structure and 100% donation-to-home model differentiate it from for-profit competitors, but scaling to its 2030 goal will require sustained partnership funding and adaptation to diverse regional building codes.