The Southern California coast at golden hour

Holden Forrest

Founder and CEO of HiberTec Homes. A songwriter, real estate broker, builder and clean-fuel founder who has been building things since 1981.

On April 15, 2026, reached a deal with Barbara Corcoran on ABC’s Shark Tank.

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On April 15, 2026, reached a deal with Barbara Corcoran on ABC’s Shark Tank.

Founder and CEO of HiberTec Homes, which designs homes that lower into their own underground vault when wildfire or tornado danger approaches.

In California real estate since 1988 and a licensed broker since 2018.

Holds three issued U.S. utility patents for a home that lowers into its own vault.

Building things since 1981: music, homes, clean fuel and now HiberTec.

Holden Forrest and Mikke Pierson on the Shark Tank stage beside a HiberTec scale model and a screen showing the home lowering — **The deal.** Holden Forrest and Mikke Pierson reached a deal with Barbara Corcoran on the show. ABC · Shark Tank · Season 17, Episode 17 · aired April 15, 2026

Homes that protect themselves

When wildfire or tornado danger approaches, a HiberTec home lowers into its own underground vault and a protective cover seals above it. New concept homes are planned for Pacific Palisades.

HiberTec Homes illustration: a modern home above its vault as wildfire approaches, then five steps. At ground level; automatic lowering on hydraulic pistons in about 15 minutes; protected underground under sealed ceiling panels; danger passes; back to ground level after the threat — HiberTec Homes · how the home protects itself, in five steps · illustration · Open the full-size graphic

Concept rendering of a single-story modern HiberTec home with floor-to-ceiling glass, set in coastal planting above the ocean — Concept rendering · HiberTec beachfront home planned for Pacific Palisades

Concept rendering of a white modern HiberTec home with a garage and glass walls at sunset, palms and the ocean behind — Concept rendering · HiberTec home at golden hour, Pacific Palisades

Concept rendering of a sunlit open-plan living room with glass walls looking out over coastal grasses to the ocean — Concept rendering · HiberTec home interior, Pacific Palisades

Explore HiberTec Homes

As seen in

Television, newspapers and magazines, from a 1981 profile in Honolulu to a national audience in 2026.

Season 17, Episode 17 · 2026

Rich on Tech · 2025

Environment newsletter · 2026

“Take Cover” · 2025

Problem Solvers · 2023

Profile · August 27, 1981

Honolulu Advertiser · August 27, 1981 · Photo: David Yamada

Take Cover tile from The Acorn website, showing a HiberTec cutaway illustration — The Acorn · “Take Cover” · March 14, 2025

HiberTec advertisement with an underground-home illustration and company information — Campaign · HiberTec advertisement · Palisadian-Post · February 2025

Browse interviews and clippings

Watch-party guests posing together beneath a terrace — HiberTec Homes · Shark Tank watch party · 2026

Holden Forrest in a GeoGreen Biofuels shirt holding a framed Certificate of Appreciation, with three other people beside him — Sustainable Entrepreneur of the Year, Greater Los Angeles · 2010

Holden Forrest speaking with Rich DeMuro in the KTLA studio — KTLA · Rich on Tech · February 2025

Five HiberTec Homes team members in HiberTec shirts at the company booth, under a hibertec.com banner — The HiberTec Homes team at a wildfire-resilience expo in Malibu · 2026

I’ve spent my career building companies in technology, real estate, construction and clean fuel. Everything I learned along the way goes into HiberTec.

Broker: I’ve worked in California real estate since 1988 and earned my broker’s license in 2018.
Founder: I founded Academy Computer Inc. and served as CEO from 1995 to 2002, refurbishing computers for schools.
Operator: I was founder and CEO of GeoGreen Biofuels Inc. from 2005 to 2011, making biodiesel from used cooking oil in Vernon.
Builder: I served as Chief Operating Officer of Focus Craft, Inc. from 2018 to 2019.
Inventor: I hold three issued U.S. utility patents for HiberTec Homes.

Explore my experience

Rows of green steel processing frames, pumps and flow meters inside the GeoGreen Biofuels plant — GeoGreen Biofuels · biodiesel plant, Vernon, California

Modern three-story duplex with large windows, dark vertical cladding and a gated frontage — West Adams, Los Angeles · after · duplex co-designed by Holden · sold 2018 · West Adams duplex

Since 1981

A songwriter profiled in Honolulu at 24. A broker, a builder and a biofuel founder in Los Angeles. An inventor with three patents and a deal on national television.

1981Hawaii