Close up of a 3D printer nozzle pouring concrete. PHOTO: ICON
Can innovation truly deliver affordable housing to those who need it most?
Updated
November 27, 2025 3:26 PM
Close up of a 3D printer nozzle pouring concrete. PHOTO: ICON
The affordable housing crisis has become one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Across the globe, millions of people are struggling to secure a roof over their heads. In cities like San Francisco, housing prices are so high that even middle-income families find themselves shut out of the market.
The root of this crisis lies in a persistent imbalance: the supply of housing has failed to keep pace with growing demand. Factors such as high construction costs, bureaucratic hurdles, and limited available land in urban areas have made it increasingly difficult to build enough homes quickly and affordably. The result is a market where housing remains inaccessible to millions, even as the need becomes more urgent.
Technology is now stepping in to address these challenges in ways that were unimaginable just a decade ago. From streamlining construction processes to introducing new financing models and data-driven tools, tech innovations are rethinking how homes are built, financed, and accessed. But while these advancements offer hope, they also raise important questions: can they truly address the root causes of the housing crisis, or are they simply patching up a fractured system?
The housing crisis begins with supply shortage: we simply aren’t building enough homes. Traditional construction methods are expensive, slow, and reliant on labor that is increasingly hard to find. This is where technology is making its most significant impact. Startups likeICON and Veev are leading the charge, using cutting-edge solutions to make housing more efficient and affordable.
ICON, for instance, uses 3D printing to build homes faster and at a lower cost. By printing the structure of a house directly on-site, ICON reduces waste, labor requirements, and construction time. Entire neighborhoods of 3D-printed homes are already being built, showcasing how this technology can scale.
Veev, on the other hand, focuses on prefabricated construction. By manufacturing high-quality components like walls and steel frames in a controlled factory environment, Veev eliminates inefficiencies associated with on-site building. These components are then assembled on location, drastically reducing construction time and costs. This approach mirrors the principles of mass production seen in industries like automotive manufacturing, where efficiency and scalability are key.
While building more homes is essential, access to housing often depend son financing. For many people, especially those with low or irregular incomes, the traditional mortgage system presents insurmountable barriers. Fintech innovations are stepping in to make housing financing more inclusive and flexible.
Access to affordable housing often hinges on financing, and innovative financial technology (fintech) solutions are beginning to change the landscape. Some platforms are offering new ways for individuals to transition from renting to owning, while others are introducing shared equity models that reduce the traditional barriers of large down payments and strict credit requirements. For example, companies like Point use shared-equity financing, where homeowners receive funds in exchange for a percentage of their home’s future value instead of taking on traditional debt. Meanwhile, startups are building tools that automate and simplify and revolutionizing the mortgage process, making it easier for underserved populations to access loans tailored to their needs.
Blockchain technology is also changing the game. By digitizing land titles and creating secure records of financial transactions, blockchain reduces the complexity and difficulty of accessing credit, especially for those with limited traditional credit. This is particularly impactful in regions where informal economies dominate and traditional proof of income is scarce. These tools create a pathway to homeownership for individuals who would otherwise be excluded from the system.
Beyond building and financing, technology is transforming how we understand and address housing needs. Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing risk assessment in the mortgage industry by analyzing a broader range of financial behaviors, such as rent and utility payments, to provide a more inclusive picture of creditworthiness.
At the same time, AI and big data are helping policymakers and developers make smarter decisions about where and how to build. By analyzing population trends, commuting patterns, and infrastructure needs, these tools ensure that new housing developments are built in the right places, reducing wasteful construction and improving urban planning.
For example, startups are using 3D scanning and machine learning to map informal settlements and identify buildings at risk of collapse. These insights not only improve safety but also guide investment toward areas where housing is most desperately needed.
The housing crisis is one of the most complex challenges of our time, and technology alone cannot solve it. But it can provide powerful tools to address specific pain points, from streamlining construction to expanding access to financing. Startups like ICON, Veev, and Landis are proving that innovation can lower costs, improve efficiency, and make housing more inclusive.
However, the ultimate solution lies in a combination of technology, policy reform, and community engagement. Governments must work alongside tech innovators to create urban environments that prioritize affordability, sustainability, and accessibility.
The future of housing isn’t just about building more homes; it’s about building smarter, greener, and fairer cities where everyone has a place to call home. By integrating cutting-edge technologies with forward-thinking policies, we can move closer to a world where affordable housing is not an aspiration but a reality.
The question is no longer whether technology can solve the housing crisis—it’s how we will use it wisely to create lasting change.
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Updated
November 28, 2025 4:18 PM
A group of entrepreneurs coming up with different ideas. PHOTO: FREEPIK
If startup success stories usually make you picture cutting-edge tech, you might be missing a big part of the picture. Sometimes, the weirdest ideas shine the brightest, making real money and delighting both founders and customers. From ordinary rocks turned into pets to renting live chickens, these unusual startups show how far creativity and a pinch of humor can go.
If you think the business world is all suits and serious pitches, think again—welcome to the wonderfully weird side of entrepreneurship.
Owning a pet is a joy, but let’s be honest—it’s also a handful. Between shedding fur, endless feeding schedules, surprise messes and finding a sitter when you’re away, pet parenting is not exactly effortless.
Back in 1975, an advertising executive named Gary Dahl found himself joking about this very problem over drinks with friends. His solution for the “perfect” pet: a rock. No feeding, no walking, no grooming and absolutely no accidents on the carpet.
What started as a joke quickly snowballed into a real business. Smooth stones were sourced from Rosarito Beach in Mexico, then packed in playful cardboard “pet carrier” boxes with little air holes and a bed of straw. To make the experience even more cheeky, every Pet Rock came with a care manual that instructed owners to give their new companion sunlight, affection and, of course, a name.
It was absurd and hilarious, but it worked. Selling at US$3.95 apiece in the ’70s, Pet Rocks became a cultural phenomenon. Today, you can still find them on Amazon, but they will now set you back around US$29.99 or more. Would you bring home a Pet Rock? People in the ’70s sure did.
Back in 2013, Phil and Jenn Tompkins a couple duo, launched the company "Rent The Chicken" with one straightforward goal: give people a chance to try raising backyard hens and enjoy fresh eggs without the long-term commitment.
Through partnerships with local farmers across the U.S. and Canada, this backyard chicken rental startup brings egg-laying hens straight to people’s yards. It offers different rental packages, but a standard six-month rental costs around US$500. This usually includes two hens ready to lay within days, a portable coop, feed, food and water dishes and expert support for any chicken-related questions.
The chickens arrive in spring and stay until fall. When the season ends, families can choose to return the hens, extend the rental or even buy them for about US$40 each at the end of the contract.
Today, the company works with partners in 29 states, from Oregon to Texas, and in parts of Canadain p. For people outside those areas, an out-of-area purchase package that comes with three hens can be shipped anywhere in the 48 contiguous states in the U.S. for about US$1,550.
In a way, it’s a fun and hands-on path to food security — giving families the joy of collecting their own eggs and knowing exactly where their breakfast comes from.
By day, Gadlin worked as a full-time web developer for a television broadcasting company. Outside of work, he poured his energy into comedy and writing. That creative streak took him back to high school days, when he had drawn silly cats for a comic series called Silly Cats Comic.
With those doodles as his foundation and a bit of basic design know-how, Gadlin launched his website, “I Want to Draw a Cat For You” in 2011. The concept was as simple as it was funny: visitors would describe the cat of their dreams and Gadlin would personally hand-draw it, then send it their way.
This quirky startup idea landed him on Shark Tank, where he secured an offer of US$25,000 from investor Mark Cuban for a 33% stake in the business. Not bad for stick-figure cats.
When the site first launched, customers could pay extra US$5 for colour. Shipping cost US$1 if they didn’t mind the drawing arriving in a folded envelope, or US$5 for a flat mailer. For delivery within 48 hours, there was a US$19.95 rush fee that many customers were happy to pay.
These days, Gadlin leans more on digital delivery and limited runs of his cat drawings at US$50, rather than mailing every single piece of his art. What he once described as “mediocre cat drawings” has become proof that a simple, original idea can claw its way into the startup world.
Imagine arriving in a new city with no one to show you around. That is exactly the kind of situation where RentAFriend can help.
Launched in 2009 by Scott Rosenbaum, the unusual business was inspired by Japan’s “rental family” services, where people can hire a friend, a date or even a parent for a short period. Rosenbaum saw an opportunity to adapt that concept for North America, but with a focus strictly on platonic friendship.
Here’s how it works: Anyone can sign up as a “friend” for free by creating a profile, listing their interests and setting an hourly rate. People who want to hire pay a membership fee, typically around US$24.95 a month, to connect with friends across the platform.
With a rented friend, you can do pretty much anything platonic. Go sightseeing, hit a museum, catch a game, work out together or even bring them along to a party or family event. At its heart, RentAFriend connects people who need company with those happy to earn a little extra simply by being one.
Back in 2014, in the small town of Norwood, Ontario, Canada, three brothers—Jarrod, Darren and Ryan Goldin, set out to do something that sounded downright bizarre at the time: farm crickets for people to eat.
The idea first struck Jarrod after he saw a cricket-based nutrition bar on television. Around the same time, the UN released a report on edible insects as a sustainable food source. Suddenly, the “weird” idea didn’t seem so weird after all.
At Entomo Farms, crickets are raised in cage-free “cricket condos”, where they live in warm, dark spaces that mimic their natural habitat. They’re fed and cared for until they reach about six or seven weeks old, then humanely harvested using a CO₂ method. From there, they’re rinsed, roasted and ground into a fine powder—no additives, just pure cricket protein.
The appeal goes beyond novelty. Crickets are packed with nutrients and need far less land, feed and water than beef, making them both healthy and eco-friendly.
While their approach may seem unconventional, what drives Entomo Farms is simple: making sustainable, responsible food accessible to everyone.
These startups prove that innovation doesn’t always wear a serious face. Sometimes, it turns up wrapped in humor, curiosity or even a touch of absurdity, yet still manages to spark real change. From crickets turned into protein to chickens rented out by the season, each weird startup idea shows that entrepreneurship thrives when people dare to think differently.
While some of these unusual business ideas burned bright then faded, others are still evolving in the background, shifting from fads to niche services or steady, quiet companies. What they share is a willingness to test an idea most people would dismiss at first glance.
That is the real takeaway for founders. Weird startup ideas will not always scale into unicorns, yet they can test new consumer habits, open up fresh markets and shape culture in surprising ways. If you are building something new, there is space for products that make people laugh, think or raise an eyebrow before they reach for their wallet.