When I was about to retire from the submarine force, one of the new nukes at my command was a lieutenant named Nathan Toothman. He worked in the main building on Subase while my office was out on Ford Island. We chatted a few times before I went on terminal leave, but we never worked together.
Fast forward 13 years.
He got out of the Navy in 2004 but stayed in Hawaii. (Because, surfing.) He put his civil engineering degree to work in a couple of firms, and then began specializing in foundation design. Last year we ran into each other at an investor's lunch and talked about his entrepreneurial startup Bear Engineering.
Now he's really elevated his designs:
http://www.elevatestructure.com/purchase-optionsEnjoy their Kickstarter video of "a typical day in Hawaii nei", and the drone shots of the prototype. (It's in an industrial yard near Kailua off Kapaa Quarry Road.) The next round of funds goes toward a commercial version for small businesses in tiny parking lots and other refinements. Best of all, a residential structure in Hawaii for under $60K is the cheapest I've seen in 25 years.
I'm intrigued by the rental-property possibilities...
