Natrx is a technology company that develops nature-based solutions for coastal resilience, restoration and protection. Through geospatial technology, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and engineering expertise, the company identifies erosion and other resilience risks, designs site-specific infrastructure, and measures the performance and ecological value of completed projects. Natrx Assess, Natrx Address and Natrx Appraise bring these capabilities together across risk assessment, infrastructure development and project measurement.

The need for new resilience infrastructure is substantial. More than half of the world's population and $100 trillion in assets are directly exposed to risks associated with erosion, storm surge and sea-level rise. Conventional mitigation methods can require significant spending while also creating ecological drawbacks. Natrx takes a different view of resilience, using the adaptive power of nature alongside technology, engineering and manufacturing to create purpose-built solutions that can be deployed at large scale.

Natrx Assess begins the process with remote sensing and artificial intelligence. The technology examines individual sites as well as large areas and asset holdings to identify specific erosion risks and risk areas. This can reduce the need for physical inspection across extensive locations while giving project owners information for planning nature-based solutions. With resolution down to 3 meters, the system provides detailed site information that can help identify vulnerable areas, prioritize spending and develop plans before erosion and other resilience concerns become more difficult to address.

From Risk Identification to Infrastructure

Natrx Address brings assessment data into project development and installation. Flexible nature-based infrastructure is designed around the requirements of individual projects, with digital design and manufacturing capabilities allowing solutions to be developed for specific site conditions. Digital prototypes can be created rapidly, enabling different configurations to be examined before installation and helping determine how a project can deliver both resilience and habitat benefits.

The infrastructure is backed by years of coastal engineering and field deployment experience, together with a network of engineers and contractors involved in project delivery. The systems are designed to reduce material and equipment requirements, shorten installation times and improve safety while creating opportunities for habitat growth. This work reflects a vision of greater balance between built infrastructure and natural systems, with purpose-built technologies and manufacturing methods enabling nature-based solutions to be produced and deployed at large scale.

Measuring Resilience and Ecological Value

Natrx Appraise extends the platform beyond installation by providing ongoing monitoring, measurement and reporting. Remote sensing and data science generate high-resolution information about project sites and allow owners to examine how installed solutions perform over time. The system can also identify opportunities for further improvement and provide data-based recommendations based on measured project results.

Physical performance is only one part of the measurement process. Natrx Appraise can quantify ecosystem value through metrics covering erosion, biodiversity, nutrient loading and blue carbon. Such data can help project owners determine whether completed work is meeting its intended objectives and quantify the value generated by shoreline solutions. The information can also contribute to nutrient and carbon credit development activities, giving projects a way to document ecological value alongside resilience outcomes.

From Deployment to Storm Testing

Natrx has deployed more than 115,000 ExoForm units across more than 85 projects, creating a substantial base of field experience in nature-based coastal protection. Its technical foundation includes more than 20 publications and five issued patents related to advanced, nature-based coastal protection. Together, these developments reflect a focus on engineering infrastructure that can address erosion and storm threats while incorporating ecological considerations into project design.

Storm events provide an important test for coastal resilience infrastructure. Hurricane Laura, a Category 4 hurricane that reached the Louisiana coast, provided one such test for Natrx Adaptive Infrastructure. Comparisons following the hurricane illustrate differences between the Natrx system and traditional methods. Across its three-part platform, Natrx connects risk identification, infrastructure development, and performance measurement, creating a technology-based system for applying nature-based solutions and documenting their results over time.

ABOUT | TAD SCHWENDLER

Tad Schwendler is chief operating officer and a corporate development leader at Natrx, where he is involved in finance, strategy, capital raising and operations. He joined Natrx in 2020 after initially working with the company as a strategic adviser during its early development. His career spans corporate development, strategic finance, mergers and acquisitions, business development and investment, with previous roles at CACI International, Dex One, MaxPoint and Valassis Digital.

Schwendler holds an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, with a focus on finance and general management, and a bachelor's degree in economics and history from Tulane University. At Natrx, he works across business strategy and operations as the company develops nature-based infrastructure and manufacturing technologies for coastal resilience and restoration.