Code of Nature is headquartered in the Startup Incubation Center at Pusan University, Miryang Campus in South Korea.
What is Code of Nature?
Code of Nature, led by CEO Jae-Hong Park, is a company dedicated to restoring environments damaged by natural disasters or human activities by utilizing moss. The company has developed a forest and soil restoration moss spore cultivation kit, which artificially cultivates moss spores—similar to plant seeds. These dried spores are processed and combined with specialized nutrient solutions to enhance the growth components of collected moss. They are preserved in a dormant state and sprayed over deforested areas using drones and forest helicopters during disaster recovery. The preserved spores quickly grow using the nutrient mixture, halting soil desertification in wooded areas and capturing mist and dew to maintain soil moisture.
How Did the Startup Begin?
Founded in April 2021, Code of Nature started when CEO Jae-Hong Park developed environmental restoration technology through moss cultivation to fund his university education. He entered his project in a competition, gaining market attention. Following this, he formed a forest disaster restoration research team and participated in startup support programs, ultimately being selected for the Forest Service’s incubation program, ‘F-Startup,’ which allowed the project to advance to commercialization.
How Did Code of Nature Overcome Challenges?
In the early stages of the business, creating a performance system using the relatively uncommon moss was challenging, with failure being more familiar than success. However, thanks to the assistance of excellent team members and external support, they were able to overcome these difficulties. The help provided by the Startup Incubation Center at Busan University’s Miryang Campus was particularly significant when they faced challenges as college students.
Future Direction of Code of Nature
In addition to disaster restoration kits utilizing moss spore cultivation, Code of Nature offers various related services, including 3D mapping of restoration areas, predictive restoration solutions, and plant recommendation services. The company is currently collaborating with Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Amorepacific, and the Innisfree Foundation to restore various damaged sites and development areas nationwide.
Strengths of Code of Nature
The primary customers of Code of Nature are large corporations seeking to restore damaged soil through corporate social responsibility or business initiatives. This year, they have restored an area of 200,000 square meters, steadily gaining recognition for the stability and sustainability of their kits and solutions. A notable achievement is the increase of 'available phosphorus'—a key soil element—by up to 72 times compared to pre-spray conditions, improving soil quality from 'poor' to 'good'.
Plans for the Future
Despite the challenges, Code of Nature is committed to following nature's principles. The company aims to approach restoration without solely relying on human perspectives, prioritizing harmony and sustainability. In the short term, they plan to leverage their established domestic market to quickly enter international markets. The ultimate goal is to utilize moss spore cultivation kits in terraforming plans to restore barren environments on the Moon and Mars, allowing humans to live in these extraterrestrial habitats.
