Resting Reef

We are solving two seemingly unrelated problems. 

1. Traditional burial practices accelerate climate change by promoting deforestation, excess use of polluting materials and chemicals seeping into the groundwater. Just in the US every year, 100m acres of land are deforested, 1.6m tons of cement and steel are used and 20m litres of embalming fluid pollute the groundwater (NFDA).

2. Our nature-based solution also addresses the pressing need for marine restoration, which has undergone significant decline due to climate change and human activities. Globally, we've lost 85% of native oyster reefs, and 50% of coral reefs (NORA, 2022). These losses have resulted in detrimental impacts such as erosion, and ocean acidification, and contributed to a decline of 36% of the overall marine population (WWF). By placing multiple memorial reef structures next to each other on the seafloor, we create a stable foundation for an ecosystem to be restored.

On top of this, Resting Reef addresses the recurring underfunding of marine restoration, where limited resources are allocated for preserving and rebuilding marine habitats, despite the urgent need for ocean restoration. Our initiative uniquely leverages funds from the death care industry, channelling them into marine restoration efforts while fostering public interest and personal connections to marine conservation. A survey by Ipsos Mori reveals that only 10% of people in the UK alone have a personal connection to the ocean, emphasising the necessity to engage the public in marine restoration, a gap that Resting Reef aims to bridge by establishing meaningful connections between individuals and marine restoration projects.

Resting Reef is a meaningful death care service that transforms the ashes of those who have died into beautiful reefs to enhance marine life. We offer a sustainable alternative that combines human ashes with crushed shells, creating a formula rich in phosphorus and calcium carbonate, two components that when combined into reef structures, can nourish marine life. 

Through the establishment of reefs, we strengthen coastal and marine ecosystems and communities, contributing to the broader blue economy. Research has shown that reefs play a pivotal role in filtering water (NORA, 2022), acting as a foundation for carbon capture (McLeod, 2011), and aligning with the scope of biodiversity credits—a verifiable and quantifiable financial instrument that rewards biodiversity outcomes, including marine habitats (World Economic Forum).

Through design methodologies and science-based R&D, they’ve created Resting Reef with two core approaches that not only create a successful business but also serve as a novel framework for the overall death-care service and restoration industry:

1.  Resting Reef’s nature-centred approach: all sustainable related activities developed by Resting Reef take nature as inspiration. Our biomaterial/formula and our reef structures are modelled around biomimicry principles, creating something that truly honours and helps nature’s cycles of life. With both founders having an MSc from Imperial College London and a complementary team within the scientific and engineering field, our processes and decision-making are backed with research evidence. For every reef project developed, there’s a thorough understanding of the environmental, economic and social profile of each site, giving us the ability to design site-specific solutions.

2. Resting Reef’s human-centred approach: current practices often feel transactional and almost bureaucratic, instead of being a transitional process towards grief, healing, and acceptance. By providing a human-centred service, Resting Reef accompanies people throughout their grief process and supports them with rituals that focus on feeling connected with themselves, the person who passed away, and nature. With Resting Reef society changes its relationship with death and how it can be perceived as a new cycle of life instead of a loss.

Resting Reef is not only aiming to reduce the negative impacts but also generate positive ones. By developing our project, we are contributing to 6 of the 17 UN SDGs: Decent work and economic growth (8) by promoting fish growth in the area and providing new jobs for local communities. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (9) by transforming a polluting funeral industry. Sustainable Cities and Communities (11) with the creation of rich coastal landscapes and a circular economy. Responsible consumption and production (12) by sourcing all our materials locally and providing local solutions in the UK. Climate Action (13) and Life below Water (14) with a solution that provides overall cleaner water and increases marine biodiversity. Our business also meets the ‘UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration’ plan, beginning in 2021.

From an impact assessment report made by Vested Impact, Resting Reef scores 512% (43pts) higher in overall Net Impact than traditional Funeral Services (such as Co-op in the UK). Resting Reef is 5X more net positive impactful.

Our solution serves multiple stakeholders, each benefiting in various ways.

Firstly, our customers consist of individuals choosing our memorial service. Resting Reef provides them with a sustainable alternative that resonates with their beliefs offering them profound meaning in connection with nature. We prioritise the emotional and psychological needs of individuals who are coping with death, promoting healing and supporting their mental and emotional well-being. The opportunity to contribute to marine conservation and restoration efforts can bring a sense of comfort, purpose and healing. This social benefit can have a significant positive impact on the emotional and psychological well-being of individuals and communities. 

Climate change has significantly affected coastal communities worldwide, often leaving them underserved. With Resting Reef, nearby communities can expect significant social, economic and environmental benefits. By installing our reefs along their coastlines, we contribute to biodiversity and marine habitat restoration efforts. A healthy reef is a foundation for ripple effects to occur such as the potential to increase fish stock by 38-50Kg/10m2 (Peterson, C., 2003), and the prevention of billions of pounds worth of storm protection to be spent annually to protect only superficially against floods, wave surges, and coastal erosion (Borja G. Reguero, 2018). Our memorial reefs not only will enhance the ecological health of marine areas but will also create new job opportunities and an increase in the number of visitors in the area, leading to revenue generated from eco-tourism. Resting Reef also serves as a platform for raising environmental awareness and educating the public about the importance of marine conservation. Increased environmental awareness and marine literacy can lead to positive behavioural changes and a greater sense of responsibility towards the environment, providing a long-term impact.

Furthermore, our solution helps local authorities, particularly in towns and cities struggling with limited land for burials. By offering an alternative method in the sea, which emphasizes sustainability, we help alleviate pressure on land resources while supporting environmental conservation goals. Resting Reef aligns with legislation such as the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in the UK, which obliges developers to deliver a BNG of 10%, meaning every new development must result in more or better quality of natural habitat than there was before development. On top of that, with the creation of blue credits product of our monitoring activities, we also allow a wide range of businesses to contribute to our cause and our restoration efforts. 

Resting Reef's team brings together a combination of multidisciplinary approaches including human-centred design, science, sustainability, and business among others. Louise and Aura started as co-founders when meeting during a dual Masters at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. To date, we have conducted over 250 interactions with potential customers and performed several research field trips in the UK to facilitate encounters with local communities and stakeholders who will benefit from our business. We also actively participate in marine policy-making encounters to represent a voice for marine conservation and the blue economy.

Louise Skajem: Louise's concern about climate change and its potential risks to everything she holds dear, motivated her design practice to create nature-based solutions. This positioned her at the forefront of biomaterial research and development, where she implemented biomimicry methodologies and demonstrated a capacity to support unconventional ideas with rigorously tested scientific processes. She is currently the 2023 Bio Design Fellow from the prestigious Arts Foundation in the UK.

Dr Zach Boakes: Zach is a marine biologist, Head of Conservation of Resting Reef, and co-founder of NBRC, a non-profit NGO working with local fishermen and volunteers to restore a previously degraded coral reef by constructing artificial reefs. In January 2024, Zach completed his PhD which aimed to assess the ecological and social benefits of coral reef restoration in Indonesia. From his PhD, Zach has gained extensive experience in ecological monitoring and qualitative data collection (specifically from focus group discussions and one-to-one interviews with local community members) and has subsequently published multiple peer-reviewed scientific papers using this data.

Wei Zhang: Wei has an MA from the RCA and an MSc from Imperial College London. His work explores the endless potential of fabrication techniques when combined with unique materials and the consideration of craftsmanship. Through studying material innovation, he has gained insight into how to design, prototype and produce with non-traditional materials. 

Aura Murillo: With first-hand experience of going through the traumatic situation of dealing with the sudden death of a father and a funeral, Aura felt motivated to centre her design practice on the topic of death to create compassionate ways to cope with it. She honours his life with her practice by creating a service that celebrates people's lives. This involves interviewing experts and collaborating with funeral directors, getting training on the grief process, learning and analysing the diverse traditions and rituals around death, collecting testimonies from around the world to understand social perceptions, and being a death-positive advocate. All this input shapes Resting Reef's values and its current service offering. Aura's inclusion in Forbes' 2024 "30 Under 30" list in the social impact category solidifies her experience and potential.

Shannon Larkin: Shannon has a Master’s degree in Design for Social Innovation and Sustainable Futures from UAL and a professional background in participatory research and stakeholder engagement. She has extensive experience leading community engagement efforts and an approach to addressing communities on sensitive topics. Her expertise will ensure our reefs resonate with local communities.

So far, Resting Reef has been developed with significant achievements. We've secured four Innovate UK grants, providing us with a good amount of funding for the company to progress. We've placed samples of our unique formula in the London Aquarium and also in a real marine environment in Norway for 18 months. Assessment and microimaging technology in a lab have shown promising results in our samples attracting both benthic and mobile species. We've also 3D printed five 1:1 prototypes of our reef structures that incorporated a mixture of ashes and crushed shells. This has enabled us to visualise and refine our designs. 

We have conducted a customer discovery process with a professional consultancy agency. Our research involved 250 participants to test the market and gather customer preferences on green alternatives. We have also conducted A/B testing in Google Ads to test demand. We've now proceeded to a second phase of research to engage with coastal communities and understand their demands and needs. This research will be conducted with a prestigious academic institution in the UK through a grant provided by the government. 

We have over 190 signups on our website showing a growing interest and demand for our services. In October 2023, we successfully ran a crowdfunding campaign, reaching our goal and demonstrating strong support towards the business. 

Resting Reef has received media attention from over 16 recognised publications and we've received several awards such as the Bio Design Fellowship from the Arts Foundation UK and the D&AD Pencil in the Future Impact/Design/Emerging Talent category.

We are preparing to deploy our pilot reef in May 2024. This research-based pilot will consist of 10 reef structures (both control and with our formula) that will be submerged, anchored and monitored in intervals of 3 months for 1 year. We anticipate gaining operational experience in the whole process and collecting quantitative data on the impact of our reefs on marine ecosystems.

We are applying because of Solve's extensive offering and support in different areas. We require further support in business development to refine our strategies for scaling and expanding our operations. We believe that the coaching and tailored capacity workshops can benefit us in structuring our operations and ensure a smooth and efficient process as we expand the team and our activities. We would appreciate the support to maximise and act upon the results we get from our pilot reef, leveraging data-driven insights to inform our decision-making process and strengthening the blue economy. We are also very interested in connecting with a network of impact-minded leaders to explore collaboration opportunities and learn from them.

• Our Formulation nourishes marine life: We consciously incorporate ashes, rich in phosphorus (calcium phosphate), into our formula. Phosphorus serves as a vital fertiliser in nature, and research indicates that the addition of bone ash to artificial reefs significantly enhances growth (Veeger, 2021).
• Resting Reef develops designs that are both desirable for nature and humans: Our reef designs are crafted to harmonise with biodiversity while remaining aesthetically pleasing. We integrate features such as surfaces with varying textures to support colonisation, a mix of dead-end holes and multi-exit tunnels preferred by different species, and a range of features like balconies, walls (both vertical and horizontal), and varying heights. 
• We focus on building a 'Community Reef': Resting Reef recognises the significance of local engagement, and we prioritise community involvement to foster ownership and ensure the success of our conservation efforts. By engaging all stakeholders, including reef members and nearby locals, we aim to create a mutually beneficial relationship. Placing multiple memorial reefs together on the seabed facilitates the establishment of a stable foundation for biodiversity, further enhancing the ecological impact of our project. We are not "only" focusing on corals, but rather focusing on the local species that we can support in each region we establish our reefs. In the UK for example, we are looking at native oysters, seagrass, spiny lobsters, pink sea fan, etc. We understand each reef site will have its own environmental conditions and local culture that has to be taken into consideration. It is important to acknowledge there is no "one solution fits/solves all" in both conservation and death care services, for this reason, our "alternative" is carefully developed and available for a sustainable outcome.
• It creates a novel model that supports the blue economy: From the creation of blue and biodiversity credits to the introduction of a novel business model that supports marine restoration and conservation, Resting Reef strengthens coastal and marine ecosystems and communities including the sustainable fishing industry and monitoring.

Our goal:

Resting Reef aims to enhance marine ecosystems and improve overall well-being through the establishment of memorial reefs.

To reach our goal, we develop the following main activities:

• The production of our memorial reef structures using a unique formula rich in nutrients.
• The planning and placement of our memorial reef structures in relevant marine sites.
• The monitoring and assessment of our reefs to measure marine enhancement and impact in the area.
• The coordination and delivery of a compassionate death care service to our customers in collaboration with funeral homes.
• Community engagement and awareness activities to promote marine conservation and well-being.
• Continuous research and development to improve all the above.

By developing these activities, we have the following outputs:

• The establishment of memorial reef sites in coastal areas.
• Quantitative and qualitative data on marine enhancement because of the reef's presence (reduction in coastal erosion and wave energy, increased fish and marine species diversity, among others).
• Quantitative and qualitative data regarding emotional well-being, derived from the guidance provided through our supportive death-care service.
• Increased awareness and engagement in marine conservation efforts, together with job creation and opportunities for local communities.

As a result of those outputs, relevant outcomes include:

• Strengthened marine ecosystems and habitats due to the presence of memorial reefs for long-term preservation.
• Contribution to global efforts to address environmental challenges and promote sustainable development.
• Emotional satisfaction and well-being for families commemorating loved ones, with a potential for a gradual change of the death care service industry to more sustainable and compassionate ways of dealing and coping with death.
• Enhanced community resilience, stewardship and connection to the marine environment.

To support the existence and strength of those links, we've based our R&D efforts, on third-party scientific research, in-house know-how and technical expertise. To collect precise data and assess our impact effectively, our pilot reef serves as a cornerstone for testing our potential impact, logistics, operations, and marine impact. Additionally, the viability of our service and product offerings has been thoroughly validated through extensive market research (with over 250 potential customers and beneficiaries).

• Marine habitat enhancement: Quantifying the extent to which we contribute to the restoration and biological enhancement of marine habitats, with regard to biodiversity and ecosystem health. Indicators include improvements to water quality as a result of the project, the number of marine species identified and quantified in specific quadrats, and the amount of carbon sequestrated in sediments in a targeted area within a specific period.
• Long-term durability of reef structures: Assessing the long-term durability of Resting Reef structures to act as a stable foundation for marine habits to grow, while seemingly integrating into the marine environment. Indicators of durability and resilience will include observations of the artificial reef units after exposure to environmental stressors (such as storms), as well as erosion and abrasion over time. Strength tests of the structures will also be conducted after the deployment period has finished. 
• Socioeconomic benefits: Quantify the economic benefits generated by Resting Reef, such as job creation, eco-tourism revenue, and fish stock increase. To measure the progress we can identify the number of new jobs promoted or created, the household sizes directly supported through those jobs, the number of visitors and average spending in the specific coastal region per year, and the difference in fisheries yield as a result of the artificial reefs. 
• Community Engagement: Evaluating the level of community involvement in Resting Reef initiatives, including partnerships with local stakeholders and engagement in conservation activities. Indicators include the number of local ambassadors, the number of local individuals involved in operating/monitoring the reef, and local traction (number of publications).
• Wellbeing through our service: The improvement in wellbeing from people using Resting Reef's services to memorialise a loved one or plan their legacy. Resting Reef’s services will lead to an improvement in people’s mental health because they’ll find comfort in knowing that their loved ones' ashes are contributing to an important cause Key indicators involve an overall number of customers, positive reviews and service referrals.
• Global impact: Expanding our impact by establishing new sites worldwide or placing additional memorial reef structures in the ocean. Offering Resting Reef as a locally accessible choice on a global scale. To measure progress we consider the number of sites opened, the number of memorial reefs successfully placed per site and the geographical distribution of our memorial reef sites.

Our solution is powered by a blend of technologies and traditional knowledge systems.

• Unique biomaterial/formula: The development of our biomaterial/formula involves leveraging scientific knowledge to enhance its natural elements and components (phosphorous and calcium carbonate) to promote marine fertilisation. Our continuous R&D efforts are taking us step by step to create the most sustainable formula in the industry.
• Biomimicry design principles: Our reef structures are designed and engineered using biomimicry principles, making sure they are both beautiful and highly functional. We craft intricate surface textures to promote the colonisation of benthic species while incorporating features such as tunnels, multiple heights and dead-end holes to provide shelter and exploration spaces for marine species life like fish, lobsters, and crabs.
• Monitoring Technology: We use cutting-edge technologies such as Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis during reef monitoring. This technique allows us to quantify impacts on marine ecosystems accurately and in-depth. Additionally, it provides us with robust data to feed open-source platforms, contributing with scientific knowledge and helping us ensure alignment with biodiversity credit schemes.
• Integration of traditional knowledge: We collaborate closely with local communities to establish and monitor our memorial reefs, drawing upon their traditional knowledge of the marine environment. These partnerships help us identify optimal locations for reef placements and local marine conditions. Additionally, by collaborating with coastal communities, we prioritise sustainability and minimise emissions throughout the production and transportation process.
• Scientific and technological know-how: We have established an internal team comprising marine biology, design and engineering. This multidisciplinary team brings expertise in key areas crucial to the evolvement of our solution. We also collaborate with subcontractors who are experts in specialised fields. This collaborative approach strengthens our scientific know-how and ensures that we are equipped with the necessary expertise to refine our technology.

4 Full-time staff:

1. Louise Skajem, Co-founder and Head of Sustainability and Product
2. Aura Murillo, Co-founder and Head of Experience and Service Design
3. Wei Zhang, Head of Design and Production
4. Shannon Larkin, Research Associate

2 Part-time staff:

1. Zach Boakes, Head of Conservation

Contractors:

1. EXO Engineering: Marine Engineering, Monitoring and Licencing Strategy
2. Blue Cube Marine: Manufacturing and large-scale formula development
3. Studio Miltos Bottis: Graphic Design and Brand Identity

Current Academic Collaborators:

1. Bournemouth University, Biodiversity Conservation
2. Royal College of Art, School of Design

2 years

As a woman-led business, we are deeply committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion at every stage.

Resting Reef is a multidisciplinary team with members from different nationalities. We are committed to promoting diversity within our project team and continue to be a business that empowers underrepresented individuals in senior leadership and decision-making positions to have a direct impact on the outcomes of the business and its overall development. 

We also ensure that we create an equitable and inclusive work environment as a fundamental principle of our organisation. This is why we have established EDI policies and a detailed staff handbook that guides our operations and principles in every task and decision we make. These policies include zero tolerance for discrimination and harassment, reduction of biases, and proactive measures to foster diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We also aim to provide training to ensure that our team and partners understand and embrace our principles, as well as only engaging with organisations and other businesses that share EDI values and that have proven an active commitment to them.

Our commitment to EDI extends beyond our business itself; it is ingrained in our organisational culture. We view EDI as an ongoing process that requires continuous attention and improvement. A testament to this is how our founders continuously serve as representatives in recognised forums such as UN Women and the Unlocking Potential program from Innovate UK, which empowers underrepresented business owners and trains them to become role models for future generations.

Our market discovery shows that our main target customers, both for impact and revenue generation, are within five main groups,

1. Firstly, individuals who are in possession of a loved one’s ashes and want to do something meaningful to commemorate them. Cremation/Aquamation are a crucial step in our process, as they are the primary methods necessary for our service. In the UK, cremation has become the preferred method of death care service, with 80.89% of all deaths in 2020 selecting this option (Office for National Statistics, 2020). There has also been a sustained rise in direct cremations from 2% of all funerals in 2018 to 18% in 2022. This trend can be attributed to a decline in traditional and religious death services and rising funeral costs (Sunlife, 2023).
2. Other target customers include climate-conscious individuals looking for alternatives to traditional funeral practices. Studies suggest an increasing number of individuals expressing a lack of belief in organised religion (Jones, 2021; Smith et al., 2022), indicating a shifting mindset more open to alternative burial methods. In the UK, there has been a steady rise in environmental awareness with 18% of the death care service market showing explicit interest in eco-burials, and a third of them already commemorating loved ones at the sea or a beach (Sunlife, 2023). 
3. We are also targeting people who have a connection to the ocean, either through their living location or recreation/lifestyle. 
   
   To reach our customers, we will mainly engage in B2B activities with funeral homes across the countries we operate, based on commission agreements per customer referred. These agreements with funeral homes are essential, as they have proven to be the main source of influence for people commemorating a loved one. Our sources of revenue come from two main service channels: Services provided to our target customers through a one-off payment with price tiers ranging from £4,000 to £8,000 based on personalization, or pre-payment plans with flexible monthly instalments until the service cost is covered.
   
4. Local coastal communities are a key target demographic for our impact-driven vision. This includes individuals who are directly or indirectly connected with the ocean, such as fishermen, divers, NGOs, local councils, and beachgoers, who have a vested interest in the health and preservation of marine ecosystems. We will engage with these stakeholders to promote collaborative efforts towards the preservation of local marine environments, ensuring mutual benefit in revenue generation and sustainable coastal development.
5. Businesses who want to contribute to our restoration efforts through the blue economy credit scheme. Our model allows businesses to provide financial support for Resting Reef's restoration efforts, enabling the organization to undertake more extensive and impactful marine restoration projects.

Our plan for achieving financial sustainability involves having a multifaceted approach with both operating and resource strategies. 

Internally, Resting Reef has evolved to build a robust business development team with members with extensive experience in developing and growing startups and impact-focused initiatives, together with a group of mentors renowned for their expertise in business development, finance, and strategic planning. We believe that by continuously forging academic partnerships and leveraging grant programs we can advance our progress. 

Externally, we are securing grant funding to support our initial operations, with milestones focused on scale-up grants totalling over £2 million. In the medium term, we aim to secure external investment funding through angel and institutional investors, while also initiating sales of our products and services to generate revenue. As we continue streamlining our operations and enhancing our margins, we anticipate transitioning towards self-sustainability driven by the revenue from our sales and growth trajectory. Through this strategic blend of funding sources and revenue streams, we aim to cover our expected expenses and ensure long-term viability.

We've demonstrated significant growth and achievement of our ambitious goals, securing so far £318,694.00 in equity-free funding. Our track record includes receiving five UK government grants, involving collaborative projects with academia, as well as a successful crowdfunding campaign, demonstrating traction for our service. Additionally, we've gained recognition through almost 10 prizes/features in international exhibitions and keynotes (Finalists of Terra Carta Design Lab (2022), Winner of The Arts Foundations Fellowship Award (2023), Awarded a D&AD Pencil for Creative Excellence in the Future Impact/Design/Emerging Talent category & recipient of their Impact Fund grant (2023), Selected for the Global Grad Show in Dubai (2022), Showcased at London Design Biennale and Dutch Design Week (2023), Main speakers at What Design Can Do Festival Mexico (2023), Recipients of a Seoul Design Award (2023), Finalists in the Smiley Charity Film Awards (2024)), and have been selected for 3 prestigious accelerator programmes in the UK and Europe.