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We invite you to join us in welcoming members of our Spring 2022 Accelerator Cohort to Bethesda Green’s Innovation Lab community.
From OLED manufacturing and energy storage to smart building technology and battery decommissioning, this year’s cohort includes some of the brightest minds seeking to tackle the climate crisis through innovative solutions that turn the status quo on its head.
These founders are challenging the way manufacturers source, design, and produce the items we buy, and are pushing the boundaries about how to keep it all out of the landfill. They are empowering all of us to become active participants in monitoring our natural and built environments by providing us with the tools and resources we need to do so. They are providing us with a path forward to not only respond to the rapidly changing climate but to actively create a more sustainable future.
Please read on to learn more about these incredible founders and the important work they’re doing.
We’re excited to welcome this diverse, talented group of founders to our growing community, and invite you meet them at our virtual Community Welcome Event on Thursday, January 27th from 3-5pm. Register for the Community Welcome Event here.
If you’d like to get involved, or want to learn more about our programs, I invite you to reach out to our team at innovationlab@bethesdagreen.org.
The Innovation Lab supports entrepreneurs who are building innovative, scalable solutions in the areas of Environmental Sustainability and Food Systems through a collection of programs designed to support companies from idea-stage through Series A. We continue to accept rolling applications for both our Incubator and Amplifier program. Partial scholarships are available to women founders pursuing STEM-based R&D innovations through Incubator program. Please contact us for more information.
Thank you all for your ongoing support of our work. The full press release for our Spring 2022 Accelerator Cohort can be found here.
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Welcome Our Spring 2022 Accelerator Cohort
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Founders of the following companies will participate in a rigorous five-month, virtual program. Learn more about the Accelerator program here.
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Dr. Sunny Sanwar is an immigrant, engineer, a published author, serial entrepreneur, and a deep learning technologist who founded Dynamhex in 2018 in order to make carbon emissions measurement, reporting, and reduction easier. Dynamhex helps reduce greenhouse gasses by using its Decarbonization as a Service (DaaS) software to empower citizens, businesses, governments, and utilities to easily understand their current carbon footprint, model the impact of different possible actions, and track their progress toward climate goals. Learn more.
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Dr. Dietrich Ruehlmann, MBA who has an extensive background in analytical technology development and experience launching laboratory instruments, medical devices, and IoT systems in start-up ventures and multinational companies, launched GaiaXus, LLC in 2021 to develop environmental monitors specifically designed for citizen scientists, students, and educators. GaiaXus’ IoT-connected devices combine the accuracy of laboratory instruments with the ease of use of consumer electronics. The first product will use next-generation sensor technology to acquire water quality data in a light, robust, and low-cost device. Learn more.
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Soner Haci, MBA worked at International energy companies like Siemens, E.ON, ISTA and was responsible for business development, strategy in emerging markets, and the MENA region before he launched INESS 360 in order to convert commercial spaces into data streaming sources to model human behavior and report how indoor circumstances affect that behavior. The I-NESS system has developed predictive models on usage trends and indoor circumstances to optimize space, energy usage, and operations without needing to invest in expensive BMS systems. Learn more.
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Dr. Margaret Kocherga is an award-winning early-stage entrepreneur, a trilingual, a TEDx speaker, and an educator. With a PhD in Nanoscale Science, and a specialty in organic and hybrid materials for organic electronic devices, and heavy metals’ reactivity and toxicity, Dr. Kochergo founded Margik to produce non-toxic materials for organic electronic devices, such as OLEDs, solar cells, and smart window tech to improve device stability, efficiency, and lifetime. Learn more.
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Megan Wakefield, JD, has been working in the sustainable agriculture space for over eight years, first as an attorney for urban agriculture projects in the City of Baltimore and then as a farmer, gardener, designer, and consultant. She co-founded Old Dominion Flower Co. as a streamlined wholesale local flower hub to make it easy for florists, event designers, and other floral businesses to purchase sustainably and locally grown flowers from farms throughout the region. Learn more.
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Kobby Osei-Kusi, MBA spent his career developing power plants at the AES Corporation. Before that, he was an investment banker at Credit Suisse. Kobby founded Pirl to help customers map out existing assets and operations, simulate how customers respond to climate events and accumulates environmental data. Pirl’s initial focus is on blackouts, which have doubled over the last five years due to an aging grid, increased demand from electric vehicles, extreme weather events, and cyber-attacks. Pirl’s software helps customers understand the impact of blackouts, and their hardware provides energy storage solutions when the power is out. Pirl provides resiliency-as-a-service to help customers prepare and respond to climate change. Learn more.
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Dr. Christina Calvin has been developing and prototyping cleantech for the energy, waste management, and transportation sectors for 15 years, including for Schlumberger and ExxonMobil’s Upstream Research. She founded Terran Material Resources to safely decommission and transport industrial-grade lithium-ion batteries to recycling facilities, using patent pending technology to address the root cause of the high cost of shipping hazardous waste by decreasing the hazards associated with shipment for public and private customers. Learn more.
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B Corp Mid-Atlantic Gathering: Save the Date
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College students, educators, and B Corp professionals from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region are are invited to join us for a virtual event to learn more about B Corp and how businesses can better balance purpose and profit. Hear from businesses like Ben and Jerry's that are working towards building a more equitable and inclusive economy. Hosted by B Local Mid-Atlantic, Bethesda Green, and the Business for Impact program at Georgetown University. Register here.
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The Innovation Lab Holiday Gift Guide
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Sustainably Roasted Coffee
Order coffee from veteran-owned Cosmos Roastery, Maryland’s first zero-emission specialty coffee roaster, which seeks to research and develop innovative roasting methodology designed to maximize coffee’s natural cognitive and health-boosting properties. Use promo code COSMONAUT20 for 20% off all online orders. Free shipping on all orders over $35. Order today!
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Single-Origin Spices
Cinnamon Tree Organics single-origin spices are source directly and equitably from small farmers in Sri Lanka. Perfect for anyone who loves to cook! Free shipping on orders over $55. Order today!
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A Beautiful Bouquet
Give a beautiful bouquets of local organic blooms! You can preorder from Grateful Gardeners for pick-up at the Falls Church and Pike and Rose farmers market. Pre-order your flowers here.
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Sinfully Delicious Clean Energy Snacks
BergBites is offering up to 30% off their plant protein, natural sugar, prebiotic fiber, and heart-healthy snacks! These are definitely the sort of snack you want on hand to get you through the winter. Check out their growing array of offerings here.
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LIving Canopy
This Living Umbrella is an easy, smart, and environmentally friendly way to grow fruits, vegetables, or beautiful flowering vines above your head, while reducing stormwater flows and reversing the urban heat island effect. Pre-order one this holiday season and you'll have something to look forward to all winter long! Order here.
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A pack of MāKā® Superfood Drinks
MāKā® superfood drinks are a delicious combination of wheatgrass, herbal tea, and fruit juices. Lightly carbonated and +Energized+ by yerba mate and guayusa. Perfect to bring to all your holiday parties! Free express shipping on all orders.
Order here.
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Gift Greener this Holiday Season!
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The amount of household waste in the U.S. increases an average of 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day (EPA). Celebrate the holiday season more sustainably this year by following these tips: shop local, gift experiences, give gifts that support a more sustainable lifestyle, donate to a cause in someone's name, and reduce, reuse, and recycle! For more ideas check out the Gift Greener Campaign.
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Thank You to Our Innovation Lab Sponsors & Partners
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