Adaptation10: Coastal Protection

💡 Each month Climate Proof and DSR & Partners spotlight ten adaptation companies organized around a specific theme. Browse through previous editions HERE. Become a Climate Proof member to access all company profiles, plus much more adaptation finance, tech, and policy content.

A coastline rarely collapses all at once. More often, it erodes piece by piece, its defenses steadily whittled away year by year, until what once served as a bulwark against the force of the sea crumbles away.

One of our researchers at DSR & Partners recently traveled through Bali, Indonesia, and spoke with local marine biologists studying tidal pools and beach ecosystems in the Uluwatu area, at the southwestern tip of the island. Their fear was not a single, mammoth calamity like those depicted in Hollywood movies. Instead, they worried about a slower-moving disaster: higher ocean temperatures leading to coral colors fading, reefs dying, and biodiversity wasting away.

This steady erosion would undermine the natural infrastructure supporting the region’s tourist economy and local patterns of life — while stripping away powerful protections against worsening climate shocks.

By no means is this threat isolated to Indonesia. Around the world, coral reefs and other coastal defenses — from mangroves to natural wetlands — are in danger, and with them the communities that rely on them for flood protection. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that healthy coral reefs can absorb up to 97% of wave energy before it reaches shore. Remove that protective barrier, and the economics of coastal communities are transformed for the worse.

Uluwatu is fortunate in one respect. Its cliffs provide a durable natural shield against the pounding ocean waters and storm surges. Many other regions are not so lucky. Ports, coastal industrial zones, tourist hubs, and rapidly urbanizing shoreside cities often sit only meters above sea level, and rely on natural protection systems that are much more susceptible to climate hazards.

These systems are already fraying. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that rising sea levels will dramatically increase the frequency of extreme coastal flooding events over coming decades. What were previously considered one-in-a-century storms are estimated to become much more common. These in turn are upping the frequency of flash floods and coastline-eroding storm surges that are colliding with aging infrastructure and overly-developed coastal residential areas.

Private industry has much to lose from the collapse of coastal defenses.

A hotel chain that sees its beaches washed away is not just witness to an environmental calamity. It also faces direct financial hardship, via revenue loss as tourists abandon its properties for those that still have beaches, as well as from rising insurance costs because of their greater susceptibility to flood damage. Similarly, a port operator contending with stormier conditions could see its P&L deteriorate because of more frequent operational disruptions and the diversion of freight to calmer seas.

Examples like these highlight the importance of re-framing the relationship between private enterprise and natural coastal assets. For hundreds — if not thousands — of years, coastal economies have been underpinned by natural assets that have long gone underappreciated and unprotected. Now the value of those assets is being revealed and governments and private companies alike are scrambling to conserve them.

Hence why coastal protection is a growing niche in climate adaptation technology. Companies are emerging that monitor shoreline erosion in real time, model storm impacts, restore reef systems, reinforce vulnerable coastlines, and dispense predictive intelligence for flood-prone infrastructure.

The unifying theme is bringing a broader understanding of coastal protection benefits to capital allocators, while opening avenues for investment in new forms of infrastructure to buttress — and in some cases replace — protections that are under siege. There is no one-size-fits-all solution here. Technologies and infrastructure that make sense for a tourism-heavy island economy may not work for an industrial port. A nature-based solution that works for a shoreline in a tropical climate may be impossible for another in a more temperate one. Geography matters — as much if not more so than the economics.

The companies featured in this month’s Adaptation10 exist to mitigate coastal risks and adapt the communities and economies operating along the water’s edge. We hope you appreciate the selection.

Adaptation10 company profiles are compiled by DSR & Partners and reviewed by Climate Proof. Company funding and FTE data are extracted from public sources.

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❓Know a coastal protection company we missed? Let us know by replying to this email

SkyWind Solutions provides AI-powered weather risk intelligence for high-stakes coastal and infrastructure decision-making. Its platform focuses on hyperlocal tide predictions, addressing gaps in public tide forecasts that often miss local drivers such as wind, weather, and sea-level rise. Through customized location-based forecasting, SkyWind Solutions helps coastal operators, infrastructure owners, and renewable energy stakeholders better anticipate flooding, storm surge, and weather-driven operational risks.

| HQ: Boca Raton, Florida, US | Theme: Infrastructure | Sector: Maritime Transportation | Hazards: 🌊 Flood / 🌧️ Precipitation / ⛈️ Storm | Last Raise: N/A | FTE: 2-10 | Contact: www.skywindsolutions.com

RCOAST is a technology company that delivers continuously updated coastal intelligence to vulnerable communities. Its platform combines geospatial mapping, environmental monitoring, and data analytics to help stakeholders better understand erosion, storm impacts, and long-term coastal changes. This data supports local governments and coastal inhabitants in identifying vulnerable areas and improving long-term adaptation planning.

| HQ: New Orleans, Louisiana, US | Theme: Ecosystems / Cities & Settlements / Social Systems | Sector: Marine Ecosystems / Urban & Community Planning / Disaster Risk Reduction | Hazards: 🌊 Flood / ⛈️ Storm | Last Raise: Undisclosed (Pre-seed — Jul 2025) | FTE: 2-10 | Contact: www.r-coast.com/contact-us

ECOncrete manufactures ecological concrete additives designed to improve the environmental performance of marine and coastal infrastructure. Its solutions modify conventional concrete structures to support biodiversity and habitat regeneration while maintaining engineering durability for seawalls, breakwaters, ports, and offshore infrastructure. The company reflects a broader shift toward nature-inclusive infrastructure, where ecological functionality is increasingly considered alongside long-term engineering performance and coastal resilience requirements.

| HQ: New York, New York, US | Theme: Ecosystems / Industry & Commerce / Social Systems | Sector: Construction / Disaster Risk Reduction / Marine Ecosystems | Hazards: Various | Last Raise: $14mn (Venture Round — May 2026) | FTE: 2-10 | Contact: www.econcretetech.com/contact/

BACA is a UK-based design firm specializing in flood-resilient and amphibious architecture. The company is known for projects that explore how buildings and urban environments can adapt to rising flood risks and changing water conditions associated with climate change. Through amphibious housing concepts and waterfront masterplanning, BACA promotes adaptive urban development strategies aimed at improving long-term resilience in flood-prone areas.

| HQ: London, UK | Theme: Ecosystems / Cities & Settlements / Infrastructure | Sector: Freshwater Ecosystems / Marine Ecosystems / Maritime Transportation / Urban & Community Planning | Hazards: 🌊 Flood | Last Raise: N/A | FTE: 11-50 | Contact: [email protected]

ShoreLock is a provider of shoreline stabilization technologies designed to reduce coastal erosion while supporting more natural waterfront environments. It leverages engineered stabilization approaches that aim to preserve coastal integrity without relying exclusively on traditional hard-armoring methods. Their recycled seaweed-based technology creates gentle slopes to protect infrastructure and support beach nourishment, while ensuring safe public access and offering habitats for sea turtles.

| HQ: Miami, Florida, US | Theme: Ecosystems | Sector: Marine Ecosystems | Hazards: Various | Last Raise: Undisclosed (Non-equity Assistance — Jun 2021) | FTE: 2-10 | Contact: [email protected]