I’ve been passionately puzzling since toddlerhood, so this project is my childhood dream come true.
About
I’m Kade Gouge, and I founded Puzzling Ecosystems in 2025 during my senior year at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) as a product design student. I started the project as the perfect combination between my lifelong love for puzzles and my passion for nature and conservation. In order to develop the business as an accurate and relevant educational tool, I have worked closely with the Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA) and various organizations that specialize in wetland restoration.
The first puzzle launched on Kickstarter on March 24, 2026 thanks to the help of MCAD’s Creative Entrepreneurship program, the Minnesota Valley Chapter of the IWLA, and countless other friends, family, and peers. The campaign was successfully funded, allowing us to begin the first production run in May.
Real Art
By Real People
As an artist and designer myself, I believe in supporting the creation of traditional and digital art made with care by fellow humans. For this reason, my team and I do not use generative AI at any point in our work. From our website graphics to the paintings on the puzzles, every mark is intentional and carries with it the importance of the craft.
Our Mission
Everything we create aims to encourage environmental education through play. It’s not just pretty pictures and fun facts – everything we produce is scientifically accurate and relevant to today’s conservation efforts.
Partnerships
Over the past 100 years, the Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA) has carved out a unique role, promoting community-based conservation and volunteer science while advocating for strong state and national policies to protect our air, water, and wildlife.
The Green Crew is a youth-led environmental leadership and conservation service program. They are an initiative of the Minnesota Valley Chapter of the IWLA.
Do you have an ecosystem you’d like us to turn into a puzzle? Are you an artist interested in working with us? Want to support our cause in some other way? Let’s chat!
To inquire about partnership opportunities or collaborations, please use the form below:
Join Our Ecosystem
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Contact Us for Wholesale Prices and Other Inquiries
- kadegouge@puzzlingeco.com
- 346-224-0090