UPDATE, June '23: Check out this feature about FUTUR in Upstate House magazine! Congratulations on the great coverage, Eliot!
Eliot Wilson (Wheaton ‘21) is a Social Venture Boot Camp grad, one of GCSEN’s first Social Venture Founder’s In Residence, who is doing inspiring work in the green housing development sector. He is CEO and Design Lead at FUTUR, a firm developing regenerative affordable housing solutions. Listen to Eliot on the podcast “Roots to Renewal” talking about their efforts to develop affordable housing that can help solve many problems- ecological, financial, and social - a true 4P Social Venture! “I founded FUTUR in 2019 and since then we have been working tirelessly to develop a Regenerative Building System starting at square one. We are so pleased to now be breaking ground this summer realizing the first manifestation of this world changing building system.”
Above: Eliot Wilson
In 2019 Eliot established FUTUR, developing partnerships with sustainable builders Hudson Valley Timberworks and Restoration and renowned permaculture experts Whole Systems Design. FUTUR recently partnered with the Wilhelm Reich Museum in Rangely, Maine for a long-term development project.
Eliot speaks about being “rooted in Place” as part of his overall outlook on regenerative development.FUTUR’s eco-vative, regenerative homes are crafted with the latest, most efficient technology from sustainable materials such as hemp lime, reclaimed lumber, and recycled metal. Check out their prototypes at Futur.earth. Eliot says “Nature, in her infinite intelligence, is my greatest source of inspiration.” You can really see this in the prototypes and their unusual, organic appearance.
Above: A digital imagining of a Futur home
“GCSEN provided invaluable training, coaching and wisdom through their Start-Up Bootcamp in which I had the pleasure to participate. Additionally GCSEN, and Mike (Professor Cas) in particular, have been a wonderful support providing us with helpful insights, work space and access to their network. I will forever be grateful for Mike's encouragement and gung-ho energy.”
“This year is our year! Our first Build will begin this summer,” says Eliot. ”We are also very excited to be in the midst of building valuable relationships with fabricators, bringing us closer to our goal of automated mass production and affordability. By 2030 FUTUR, [will make] it possible for 1 million regenerative homes to have been built and hence at least 16 million tons of CO2 will not have been released into our precious atmosphere.
GCSEN has been an invaluable stepping stone on my path to create a regenerative future which began nearly 20 years ago. GCSEN was like a lighthouse for me, a place of refuge and safety on a long journey. Their support in strengthening my abilities and giving me real tools to make this vision reality are a gift.”
Elliot has this advice for people getting started in social ventures: “Make sure whatever you want to do is deeply aligned, both with your most cherished values, as well as the real needs of your community -- strive to be of service to life and you will be rewarded. Tapping into my deeper purpose is the most effective way to overcome any hurdle I've encountered (and there have been many). It's magical how the cosmos mirrors our resolve. Once we step out, guided by our hearts, trusting in the process and the unknown, the universe mobilizes to meet us and bring us all that we need to succeed, some of which is really hard and some of which is effortless and all of which is deeply worth it.”
For more info on Eliot and FUTUR, be sure to follow them on social media:
Insta: welcome.to.futur
LinkedIn: FUTUR