6 Things That Biomimicry is Calling For

Have you ever wondered: What does biomimicry need to scale? Instead of asking what can biomimicry do for me, we're going to reverse that and ask, what can we do for biomimicry? 

We've surveyed over a thousand plus individuals who've taken our short courses and mentored programs, and we've found a few recurring answers pertaining to what would help biomimicry grow. There are a few things that would help the movement expand, reach more people and make an (even bigger) change in the world. 

None of us can do all of these, but most of us can do some of these. Here are six things that biomimicry is calling for. 

1. Biomimicry is Calling For Better Marketing

I used to think that if you had a really really big idea, you don’t need marketing - because the big idea would sell itself.

But the opposite is true. A big idea requires a lot of behavioral change which creates a lot of psychological friction. 

A good example was the invention of the smallpox vaccine in 1796. From the time when Dr Edward Jenner came up with the idea until the time it was being used, it took 50 years to get full acceptance. Before the implementation of something that would save thousands of lives, Jenner faced massive psychological and institutional resistance, as well as religious opposition.

REALLY big ideas require a lot of marketing, because it requires a lot of people to change their minds. 

It’s not a revolutionary idea – in fact, nature has known it since the dawn of life on the planet – if you want to attract a mate, it pays to show off.

Interestingly, if you speak to an evolutionary biologist, they understand marketing, because they know that animals and plants need to advertise themselves. The "Costly Signalling" theory proposes that animals (including humans) and plants may put a lot of effort into showcasing their desirable characteristics and access to resources.

“The meaning and significance we attach to something is felt in direct proportion to the expense with which it is communicated” - Rory Sutherland.

2. Biomimicry is Calling for Evolution  

Biomimicry urgently needs an evolution from shallow to deep innovation. Biomimicry is on a spectrum. Therefore, biomimicry can mean different things to different people. 

Established biomimicry is mimicking what others have already figured out. It's the meta version of biomimicry. The best innovators know when it's time to invent and when it's time to innovate... and as any biomimic worth their salt will tell you - there's no point in re-inventing the wheel. 

Pioneering biomimicry is right on the cutting edge of innovation, and it's useful for solving complex and critical challenges. Most of the note-worthy biomimicry case studies and biomimicry examples are examples of pioneering biomimicry.

Are you a leader? Read: 10 Leadership Lessons We Can Learn From Nature

3. Biomimicry is Calling for Biology

Our understanding of biology is nascent. Science has been around for thousands of years, and yet, there's still a magnitude of knowledge that humans don't have about the world around us and all its living organisms. 

A 2021 study found that only 41% of publications on bio-inspired or biomimetic research included an author from a biology-related department or organisation. 

The lack of biological knowledge and literacy also means that there is a lack of biodiversity in the life forms that are mimicked. We need biologists who have the deep understanding, the DNA blueprints, that could potentially unlock the path towards transformative innovation.

If you're a biologist starting out on your biomimicry journey, download this free eBook: A Biologist's Guide to Biomimicry

4. Biomimicry is Calling for AI

Biomimicry does not need more barriers. It needs automation, accessibility and all the help it can get. Generative AI can dramatically expand nature-inspired innovations and scientific breakthroughs. It can assist biomimics as research assistants, thought partners, and designers.

The greatest potential: to further help humanity decode the laws of nature and apply them to our designs, our cities and our systems. 

But we need natural intelligence alongside artificial intelligence. What the ChatGPTs of the world lack is an integrated Ethos. It’s just a tool - and as with any tool - it can be used for both good and bad. Biomimicry offers a unique and timeless approach to how we should think, through using the Biomimicry Life’s Principles.

5. Biomimicry is Calling for Practical Application

Biomimicry is not calling for more frameworks, textbooks, or lectures. The world wants and loves things that are deterministic. We want predictable outcomes.

But biomimicry and innovation is non-deterministic. There’s no guaranteed path and you cannot take a specific course that ensures your success. Biomimics, like entrepreneurs, take different routes, face unpredictable challenges, and even with the same efforts, outcomes can vary widely depending on market conditions, luck, and timing.

And so, biomimicry can not rely on formal structure alone. It must grow through experimentations, trial and error, learning by doing and absorbing advice, ideas and guidance from others. This is best expressed through accelerators and programs that encourage the practical application of biomimicry, like the Ray of Hope Accelerator at the Biomimicry Institute, or the Biomimicry Practitioner Programme at Learn Biomimicry. 

Are you ready to start applying biomimicry? Read: 6 Questions to Ask Before Starting Your Biomimicry Project

6. Biomimicry is Calling for a Simple Language

We know that biomimicry is interdisciplinary. We need architects to talk to biologists, and scientists to talk to engineers. We need entrepreneurs to talk to sustainability consultants. We need doctors to talk to bio-technicians. The list goes on.  

But everyone is speaking a different language. Take academia for example. Reading a PhD thesis is like eating glass. Biomimicry needs us to simplify our language, and craft it for the other's ear.

Biomimicry does not have to be exclusive and esoteric. It can (and should) be discovered, understood and applied by anyone who has the interest and passion, even children. 

Closing thoughts

Biomimicry is flourishing under the care of brilliant thinkers, doers, inventors and innovators, educators and practitioners. But we need more biomimics, more growth and more awareness. And we need to act now, more than ever. Let's take hands and be part of the growth of this beautiful movement. 

Are you interested in learning more about biomimicry? Start where you are, no experience needed. Get a solid understanding of what biomimicry is and how it can be applied through in-depth videos and handbooks. Promote your career, upskill yourself and get a certificate endorsed by the Biomimicry Institute through the Biomimicry Foundational Short Course Set.