Harnessing Nature’s Wisdom
I recently shared some insights on nature-inspired innovation and our work at Bioratorium® and its lab, Labiotroium®.
Find a summary below, and the interview in full here.
Dr. Melissa Sterry on Nature-Inspired Innovation: Redesigning the Future with Lessons from Life
Dr. Melissa Sterry’s work fuses science, design, and sustainability to solve complex challenges by mimicking the natural world and its workings. Inspired as a teenager by Leonardo da Vinci’s groundbreaking studies of nature, Sterry has spent decades shaping a movement that applies 3.7 billion years of evolutionary knowledge to modern industries.
Her journey began with creating the seminal concept in biodegradable fashion in the 1990s — an early exploration of what went onto become known as cradle-to-cradle design. This passion later birthed projects like Bionic City® - the first project to explore how nature would design a city with resilience to natural hazards, and Panarchic Codex®, the seminal research exploration in developing architectural, urban, and peri-urban resilience to wildfire through mimicry of pyrophytes - plants that evolved to live with wildfire. Through her consultancy Bioratorium®, Sterry continues to lead at the intersection of bio-innovation and sustainability.
Nature as the Ultimate Design Blueprint
Leonardo da Vinci’s designs—flight mechanisms inspired by birds, tanks modeled on tortoise shells, and water systems derived from rivers—show how nature can inform human innovation. Sterry channels this same principle, proving that ecosystems and species offer powerful blueprints for solving today’s challenges in design, technology, and engineering.
What Is Bioratorium®?
Bioratorium® helps businesses unlock the potential of fields including biomimicry, biodesign, and bio-innovation to create sustainable, future-proof solutions. Its services empower industries to work with nature, integrating ecological systems thinking and circular economy strategies into their processes. Founded in 2019, the company supports clients with research, tailored advisories, and educational programs that combine cutting-edge science with actionable insights.
At the heart of Bioratorium® is Labioratorium®, a dedicated R&D hub where industries like architecture, manufacturing, and utilities collaborate on breakthrough bio-inspired projects. From prototyping biomaterials to developing biocomputing applications, the lab is a launchpad for sustainable innovation.
Services for the Bio-Economy
Bioratorium®’s Bio-enterprise program helps businesses navigate the growing bioeconomy — a space where biology meets commerce. The program addresses challenges such as integrating biological systems into design, adopting biomaterials, and tackling ethical considerations. Companies also gain insights into emerging startups, market trends, and government initiatives, enabling them to lead rather than follow in their industries.
Empowering Businesses with Bio-Education
A cornerstone of Bioratorium® is BIOstudium™, its educational platform offering masterclasses, workshops, and e-learning resources. These customisable programs teach businesses how to design with nature, embrace complexity, and apply circular principles. Whether in-person or online, BIOstudium™ equips teams to innovate sustainably at every level of expertise.
The Future of Nature-Inspired Design
Sterry envisions a future where cities function like ecosystems, buildings adapt to their environments, and products biodegrade like organic matter. From her early biodegradable fashion concepts to supporting projects like growing furniture from trees, her work exemplifies how nature-inspired design can reshape industries.
Innovation like this isn’t just sustainable — it’s regenerative. Sterry believes bio-innovation offers a roadmap to solving environmental challenges while driving profitability. With global awareness initiatives like her BIOfutures interview series, she showcases the extraordinary potential of biomimicry to transform businesses and society.
Why Work with Experts in Nature-Inspired Design?
The complexity of natural systems requires specialised knowledge. Businesses that partner with bio-innovation experts avoid common pitfalls and gain the tools to create solutions that are ethical, scalable, and resilient. Bioratorium®’s transdisciplinary approach ensures clients stay ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Join the Nature-Inspired Revolution
As industries increasingly turn to nature-inspired innovation for answers, Dr. Melissa Sterry and Bioratorium® stand at the forefront of this transformative movement. By blending science, sustainability, and creativity, they’re not just shaping the future they’re designing it to thrive.
Explore how nature’s lessons can revolutionize your business at Bioratorium®, where innovation meets evolution.”