Anya Freeman | Source | Founder and CEO at Kind Designs

Anya Freeman is a Ukrainian American with a passion for protecting both coastal communities and underwater ecosystems. Upon immigrating to the United States with her parents in her youth, Freeman lived in Kennebunkport, ME, and later moved to Miami, FL, where she has resided for over 15 years. Freeman graduated from Southern Methodist University and received a law degree from the University of Miami, which led her to work with the US Attorney’s Office and District Court before opening her own firm with a focus on environmental policy.
Freeman has always been driven by a desire to fulfill the American Dream in honor of her parents and to seize the opportunity of becoming American by building an incredibly impactful and scalable company. Frustrated with the long-time use of toxic materials and the lack of innovation around rising sea-levels and corrosion, which threatened Miami and 507 coastal cities globally, Freeman took on the challenge of finding the team and technological solution in 2021. One year later, Kind Designs was born, aiming to address the urgent need for coastal protection and marine biodiversity enhancement at scale. Freeman’s team produced and installed the world's first 3D-printed Living Seawall panel in September 2023.

Freeman’s work has been recognized by the South Florida Business Journal, Fast Company, Miami Made and Refresh Miami. Kind Designs has won multiple pitch competitions including SACC’s Power & Promise of the Blue Economy, Space Florida and the Florida Venture Forum, and has participated in Seaworthy, Tampa Bay Wave, Larta Ventures and Endeavor climate tech accelerator programs.