Anya, originally from Ukraine, has lived in Israel, South Africa, and China before settling in Miami for law school. She gained experience at the U.S. Attorney's Office and the United States District Court before launching her own litigation-focused law firm. Frustrated by the lack of innovation and the fear-driven messaging surrounding Miami’s rising sea levels, she set out to create a solution herself—one that would both safeguard coastal communities and preserve marine ecosystems. This vision led her to found Kind Designs, bringing groundbreaking technology to the world.

Kind Designs is a climate-tech and construction-tech startup revolutionizing coastal protection with 3D-printed living seawalls. These innovative structures safeguard communities from rising sea levels and flooding while doubling as marine habitats, dissipating waves, and improving water quality. Designed with biomimicry, they replicate local ecosystems—mimicking mangrove roots in Miami and oyster clusters in New York—to attract native species and provide shelter from predators. As marine life attaches, their shells naturally reinforce the seawalls, strengthening coastal infrastructure and sequestering carbon, making our coastlines more resilient and sustainable.

When I first arrived in the U.S., we moved to a small coastal town in Maine called Kennebunkport. I showed up with a long braid down my back, unable to speak English, and unfamiliar with American culture. Everything changed the day I was invited to join the local kids at the beach. From that moment on, the ocean gave me my first community.

Many incredible people are tackling daily challenges, but as the founder of Kind Designs, my role is to think big—building something that will protect our oceans and impact tens of millions in coastal communities worldwide. My mission is to create lasting change on a scale that safeguards our shores for generations to come.