Keeps cool in summer and warm in winter.
There are no cubic shapes in nature. So why would you put bees in it?
Offers a perfect micro-climate, just like in a tree-cave.
A home for old friends like the Bookscorpion.
All material are recycled or natural such as hemp wool, clay, wood or bark.
HIIVE is made by easy exchangeable components and fully modular.
Additional sensors offer monitoring of all relevant data.
Our App will inform you when to expect a swarm. So you will have the time to place the HIIVE swarm catcher in front of it. Via our App you will be able to receive or offer swarms through the HIIVE Community.
• No insultation, bees loose a lot of energy to keep desired temperature
• Mold, because of humidity
• No living space for useful creatures
• Bad geometry to save energy
Above circumstances lead to weaker colonies, helps varroa mite (biggest enemy of bee) to spread
HIIVE has re-invented the traditional beehive. Finally beekeepers are able to offer a natural, species adequate home to the most important animal on the planet. HIIVE is the first bee home, which completely replicates the specifications of a wild bee home (tree cave). With its stable microclimate HIIVE keeps the bees healthy and happy, so you don‘t need to spoil them with chemicals. Hiive is also made exclusively from sustainable raw materials.
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It all started with a thesis in the Industrial Design studies. At first we just wanted to design a more ergonomic beehive. During the first design studies we accompanied several beekeepers during their work.
The first time we saw the treatment against the Varroa Mite, it was an shocking experience. The chemical treatment had a direct effect on the bees‘ behaviour. We found that there is a more serious problem to be solved than the ergonomics in beekeeping.
Therefore we have asked scientists for advice, they repeatedly pointed out the problem with the wrong microclimate in conventional bee-boxes.
Philip Potthast and Fabian Wischmann got to know each other in the Startup Centre of the University of Applied Sciences in Berlin. With Fabian, Philip quickly found an ardent supporter for his idea. Fabian brings a background in Startups and Business Administration to team HIIVE and Philip brings years of experience in ID design. Since the beginning of 2020, they have been working together to drive development forward.
Yes, it is. But don’t expect the same amount of honey compared to magazine hives. Our main goal is to keep bees happy and healthy – not to get as much honey out of them as possible.
No, there is no need to harvest honey if you don’t want to. Honey is the food stock of bees. If you take it, you should always be mindful and not „steal“ too much of it. If you don’t want to take any honey at all out of your HIIVE – that’s totally fine and even better for bees!
HIIVE is supportet by
Project HIIVE is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and the European Social Fund as part of the EXIST programme
