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$40,000 Total funding received

WHAT IF FOOD WASTE WAS THE SOLUTION TO POLLUTION?

Years ago, I spent a lot of time in disaster response, where I witnessed a huge amount of polluted water, deforested areas, and plastic waste. This inspired me to develop a solution to material pollution.

At MakeGrowLab we use unique technology to turn local food waste into natural, home compostable and 100% plastic-free materials. It functions in a similar way to a banana peel but can be used as an alternative to plastic packaging, leather, paper and more. What makes this technology so impressive is that it uses a fully circular process with the help of super microorganisms. The material only takes a few days to grow, doesn’t require much space and can be used as a fertilizer to grow food. It’s the perfect packaging.

FUNDING WOULD ALLOW US TO…

MakeGrowLab needs support to lower the cost of production to make these materials widely available, resulting in a larger impact. With the proper funding we would be able to drastically reduce prices and increase efficiency. By doing so, we would be able to share the technology through licensing with small and large companies all around the world. This would enable companies to produce their own packaging, using their local waste.

With our technology we can turn every tonne of food waste into the equivalent of 36,000 (200g) plastic packages. In our region, nine million tonnes of food are wasted every year. This means we have the potential to replace 324,000,000,000 plastic packages annually. Funding will give us the opportunity to apply our efficient production systems worldwide and deliver competitive prices.

MY MOTHER INSPIRED ME

As a refugee from Mexico, my mother fled to the US in pursuit of a better life. Due to her legal status, she wasn’t able to apply for a job. She cleaned homes, took care of children, stood on the streets for hours in the sun giving out business cards, and much more. Those times were very tough for her. She taught me the importance of discipline, how to survive and to never give up – and this inspired me to start my own business.

WHAT’S YOUR BLEND FOR SUCCESS?

When we started this journey, we were college graduates on a mission to start a bio revolution. We knew an important place to start was by reinventing the materials industry. Everywhere we went we could see and feel the presence of material pollution. We spent a lot time working on a solution and with support from people all over the world before we opened MakeGrowLab. We all push each other to be better than the day before. We’re a family of creative individuals, blending science with design.