Checkerspot Pollinator Kit

Checkerspot is a biotech company developing a new class of high-performance, sustainable oils—fermented from microalgae instead of derived from fossil fuels. Through my consultancy, I partnered with them to help chart product pathways and identify compelling, design-forward uses for their algal polyurethane.

The result was the Pollinator Kit—an experiment in seeding the maker community with a best-in-class, algae-based urethane casting system. I assembled a small design team and led the development of a novel packaging and dispensing format, rethinking every touchpoint from unboxing to cleanup to make the experience more intuitive, more sustainable, and more fun.

The Pollinator Kit was recognized with the 2023 Core77 Design Award in Sustainability and the 2023 SXSW Innovation Award in Design.