What Bamboo U does

Bamboo U (legal entity PT Earth Friendly Living) is an Indonesia-based education enterprise founded in 2015 and headquartered at its bamboo campus on Kul Kul Farm in Sibang Kaja, Bali. The company was created in collaboration with IBUKU, the design firm founded by Elora Hardy, to commercialize more than 15 years of bamboo architecture knowledge generated within the Green School Bali ecosystem. Its product portfolio spans in-person immersive programs — a flagship 11-Day Build & Design Course priced at US$2,775 all-inclusive (with two scheduled cohorts for August and October 2026), a 3-Day Essentials Workshop for groups of 10+, and a Rp 500,000 1-Day Architecture Tour — and a suite of self-paced online courses covering bamboo design principles ($400), digital/parametric design ($497), carpentry ($250), boron-based treatment ($69), harvesting ($79), and a free structural-engineering course produced with the Base Bahay Foundation and funded by The Hilti Foundation. All in-person delivery takes place on the Kul Kul Farm campus, which hosts 25+ bamboo structures used as a living classroom.

The underlying curriculum rests on proprietary technical content: boron-based preservation techniques (VSD, Boucher, Hot & Cold Soaking, Modified Boucher), three documented bamboo structural systems, traditional Balinese joinery, and digital-design workflows adapted for bamboo. The company makes money exclusively through one-time course fees and ancillary tour/workshop revenue, with payment plans, early-bird discounts, group pricing, and limited scholarships for Indonesian nationals. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the company's own website e-commerce, WhatsApp booking for experiences, and on-campus check-in; lead generation is driven by the Bamboo U Podcast (15,000+ downloads), a multilingual blog, and an active social presence across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Facebook. Customers are individual architects, designers, builders, sustainability enthusiasts, and structural engineers in more than a dozen countries; cumulative lifetime students total 1,429 with 500+ alumni forming the referral base.

Name

Bamboo U

Legal name

PT Earth Friendly Living

Website

https://bamboou.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bamboo U is a Bali-based education enterprise that teaches bamboo eco-architecture, design, treatment, and construction to architects, builders, and sustainability enthusiasts worldwide through in-person courses at its Bali campus and a portfolio of self-paced online courses developed with IBUKU.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bamboo Architecture Education

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Core Digital Curriculum & Courseware (Full Programs & Units) (EDAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD)

Keywords

• Bamboo architecture education
• Sustainable construction training
• Eco-architecture courses
• Bamboo design programs
• Green building workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Bali

HQ country

Indonesia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. In-Person Course Fees: 11-Day Bamboo Build & Design Course at US$2,775 per participant (all-inclusive: workshops, materials, tours, lectures, meals, shared accommodation). 3-month installment plan available at US$971.25 × 3. 3-Day Bamboo Essentials Workshop pricing not publicly disclosed. Custom workshops for groups of 10+ available.
2. Experience Tours: 1-Day Bamboo Architecture Experience Tour at Rp 500,000/person (approximately US$30-35) including guided campus tour and organic lunch. Optional add-on workshops at Rp 750,000 for model-making.
3. Principles of Bamboo Design Online Course: Self-paced online course at US$400 with 40+ video lessons, 15+ downloadable guides, community access, and 1-year content access. Certificate upon completion.
4. Digital Design for Bamboo Online Course: Premium online course at US$497 with 25+ lessons, step-by-step tutorials for Rhino, Grasshopper, V-Ray, and Adobe Creative Cloud. Lifetime access, downloadable files, and certificate included.
5. Bamboo Carpentry & Construction Online Course: Online course at US$250 with 5 modules covering traditional carpentry and joinery, site preparation, and full-scale building. 1-year access included.
6. Bamboo Treatment Online Course: Mini-course at US$69 covering boron-based preservation techniques with lifetime access. Actual value stated as US$139.
7. Bamboo Harvesting Online Course: Bite-sized course at US$79 covering sustainable harvesting and clump care. Actual value stated as US$159.
8. Introduction to Bamboo Engineering Online Course: Free course created in collaboration with Base Bahay Foundation, available at no cost. Focuses on structural engineering applications for bamboo.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Bamboo U is an educational enterprise that delivers online and in-person courses on bamboo eco-architecture, covering bamboo harvesting, treatment, model-making, design principles, structural systems, carpentry, and full-scale bamboo construction. The portfolio includes a flagship 11-day immersive course at the Bali campus plus multiple self-paced online courses on digital design, principles of bamboo design, carpentry, treatment, harvesting, and engineering. All offerings are developed in collaboration with design firm IBUKU and taught by practitioners with 15+ years of bamboo building experience.

Product overview

Bamboo U is an educational enterprise offering bamboo eco-architecture courses for creatives, designers, and architects. The portfolio consists of in-person programs (the flagship 11-Day Bamboo Build & Design Course and 1-Day Architecture Tours at the Bali campus) and online courses (Digital Design for Bamboo, Principles of Bamboo Design, Bamboo Carpentry & Construction, Bamboo Treatment, Bamboo Harvesting, and Introduction to Bamboo Engineering). The company also produces The Bamboo U Podcast as supplementary content. All offerings are developed in collaboration with IBUKU, a renowned bamboo architecture design firm, and leverage 15+ years of bamboo construction expertise from the Green School Bali ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 11-Day Bamboo Build & Design Course An 11-day immersive in-person course at the Bamboo U campus in Bali covering bamboo harvesting, treatment, model-making, design, carpentry, furniture, and full-scale construction. Includes accommodation, meals, tours, lectures, and certification. Priced at US$2,775 per participant all-inclusive.
• Digital Design for Bamboo Online Course An online course teaching digital design tools including Rhinoceros 3D, Grasshopper, V-Ray, and Adobe Creative Cloud for bamboo architectural design, with 25+ video-based lessons and lifetime access. Priced at US$497.
• Principles of Bamboo Design Online Course A self-paced online course covering bamboo basics, structural systems, and 3D model-making with 40+ video lessons, 15+ downloadable guides, community access, and 1-year access. Priced at US$400.
• Bamboo Carpentry and Construction Online Course A step-by-step online course teaching bamboo carpentry, joinery, foundations, and structural assembly for full-scale bamboo buildings. Priced at US$250 with 1-year access and certificate of completion.
• Bamboo Treatment Online Course A course on borax-based bamboo preservation techniques including VSD, Boucher, Hot & Cold Soaking, and Modified Boucher methods for small and medium-scale treatment facilities. Priced at US$69 with lifetime access and certificate.
• Bamboo Harvesting Online Course A course covering sustainable bamboo harvesting practices, clump care, species identification, and bamboo propagation methods. Priced at US$79 with bonus propagation module and certificate.
• Introduction to Bamboo Engineering Online Course A free online course developed in collaboration with Base Bahay Foundation and funded by The Hilti Foundation for structural engineers covering bamboo properties, element design, connections, and composite shear walls.
• 1-Day Bamboo Architecture Experience Tour A one-day immersive experience at the Bamboo U campus featuring guided tours of 25+ bamboo structures, organic lunch at Taani restaurant, and optional add-on workshops including model-making. Priced at Rp 500,000/person (~US$30-35).
• 3-Day Bamboo Essentials Workshop An in-person condensed workshop for groups of 10+ people providing an introduction to bamboo architecture and construction at the Bali campus. Custom pricing per group.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15+ years of bamboo architecture expertise with 25 unique bamboo structures built by students
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• IBUKUflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBUKU is the renowned Bali-based design firm that pioneered bamboo architecture. They collaborate with Bamboo U on all courses, providing design expertise, expert facilitators (including Elora Hardy), access to IBUKU projects and design processes, and co-branding. IBUKU has built 100+ bamboo structures globally and their work has been featured by major international media.
• Base Bahay FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilippines-based foundation specializing in bamboo construction for social housing. Collaborated with Bamboo U to create the Introduction to Bamboo Engineering online course, providing technical expertise from extensive research and full-scale testing at the Base Innovation Center in Makati City.
• Green School BalicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld-renowned sustainable school campus in Bali where the bamboo building movement began. Bamboo U is located just down the road from Green School's bamboo campus. Students tour Green School as part of the 11-day course curriculum.
• Kul Kul FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPermaculture farm owned by the Green family (Orin and Maria Hardy) next door to Green School. Home to the Bamboo U Campus with 25+ bamboo structures. Founded as a center for sustainable living education before evolving into the bamboo building education enterprise.
• PT Bamboo PureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBamboo construction company in Bali associated with the Green family. Operates the bamboo factory where students learn about sorting, processing, and building with bamboo during campus tours.
• Green Village BaliminorOthersLuxury bamboo villa resort and residential community in Bali developed by the Green family. Students may visit as part of their learning experience. Related entity through shared founders.
• Bambu IndahminorOthersBamboo boutique hotel in Bali founded by John and Cynthia Hardy. Related through the Green family founders who also created Bamboo U and Green School.
• University of Hong KongminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA/Prof. Dr. Ir. Arch. Kristof Crolla from HKU serves as a course facilitator for the Digital Design for Bamboo course, bringing expertise from his practice 'Laboratory for Explorative Architecture & Design' (LEAD) and experience with projects like the ZCB Pavilion and Golden Moon installation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Skillshare: Online learning community with thousands of creator-led courses across creative, design, and business categories. Comparable to Bamboo U as a marketplace for creative and design education, though with a subscription model and broader category coverage.
• Domestika: Online creative learning platform offering courses in design, illustration, architecture, and crafts, taught by working professionals. Comparable to Bamboo U as a premium specialist-focused online learning platform with course-format pricing and certificate mechanics.
• MasterClass: Streaming education platform offering premium creator-led courses on creative and professional topics. Comparable to Bamboo U at the business-model level (premium video courses taught by named experts, one-time payment, global reach), though much broader in subject matter.

Others

• Green School Bali: Bamboo-built K-12 school in Bali founded by John and Cynthia Hardy that pioneered the bamboo campus concept. Comparable to Bamboo U as a sibling entity in the Hardy family ecosystem that shares the bamboo campus and provides student tour content, even though it operates as a primary school rather than an adult education business.
• The Natural Building Colloquium: Annual natural building education gathering focused on earthen, straw bale, bamboo, and other low-impact construction methods. Comparable to Bamboo U as a node in the natural building education ecosystem, though operating as a periodic event rather than a year-round course business.

Direct peers

• Vo Trong Nghia Architects: Vietnam-based architecture firm renowned for bamboo architecture internationally, with a portfolio of award-winning bamboo and green buildings. Comparable to Bamboo U as a pioneer in bamboo architecture with a strong educational and brand presence, although it operates primarily as a design firm rather than a dedicated education business.
• Bamboo Build: Costa Rica-based bamboo construction education and build services provider offering workshops and immersive programs. Comparable to Bamboo U as a destination-location bamboo construction education enterprise with practitioner-led curriculum.
• Yestermorrow Design/Build School: Vermont-based sustainable design/build education school offering hands-on courses in woodworking, natural building, and sustainable construction. Comparable to Bamboo U as a premium in-person sustainable-building education provider serving professionals and enthusiasts with immersive coursework.
• Bamboo Living: Hawaii-based bamboo home design and construction company offering pre-engineered bamboo structures, design services, and educational content. Comparable to Bamboo U as a bamboo-construction-focused enterprise that combines practitioner expertise with educational offerings for architects and builders.

Regional players

• Aprovecho: Oregon-based sustainability education non-profit offering hands-on workshops in natural building, permaculture, and appropriate technology. Comparable to Bamboo U in combining immersive in-person sustainability education with practitioner-led curriculum, though focused on the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPR-YAWSmu_BDYhuuViQjbA
• Facebookfacebook.com/bambooubali
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bamboou
• Instagraminstagram.com/bambooubali
• Pinterestpinterest.com/bambooubali
• TikToktiktok.com/@bambooubali

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bamboo U