Check out our two upcoming Sustainability Series discussions on:
- New Composting Legislation - Join us THIS THURSDAY to hear from Councilmember Glass and Councilmember Friedson on how farms, small businesses, and the community can benefit from Montgomery County's new Zoning Text Amendment 20-04.
- Biking in Bethesda - Are you a cyclist in Montgomery County? Join us Thursday, February 4th for a discussion on the upgrades and improvements for cyclists in downtown Bethesda.
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Community Welcome Event Recap
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Thank you to all who joined us for the Innovation Lab Community Welcome Event last Thursday to hear from the newest additions of our growing community. These outstanding entrepreneurs continue to push the boundaries of innovation while building environmental sustainability and social impact into their business models.
Missed the session? Check out the recording below. We also invite you to learn more about our member companies here.
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Meet Our New Incubator Members
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We are excited to welcome two new members to our Incubator. The Bethesda Green Innovation Lab Incubator program guides new entrepreneurs through the hurdles of early stage business development. Learn more.
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Founded by Joseph Alfred and Michael O'Brien, Ally Power Inc. is a hydrogen production company that specializes in the design of the Hydrogen and Electric Gas Station. Their stations are capable of refueling or recharging both hydrogen fuel cell and electric battery vehicles as well as generating excess electricity for sale to the grid. Learn more.
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BigFoot for Good, founded by Kristi Tisdale, builds good food systems by increasing widespread access to healthy, environmentally preferable products. They partner with industry experts to provide comprehensive product innovation, ‘go to market’ planning, sales strategy, and supply chain services. They specialize in consumer behavior and market research, sales channel optimization studies, and supply chain diversity projects. And they have fun along the way! BigFoot for Good – Big Foot, Small Footprint. Learn more.
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Innovation Lab Member Updates
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Cinnamon Tree Organics, founded by Nadee Bandaranayake to provide fresh and potent spices directly from small farmers in Sri Lanka, was recently featured in Epicurious. In a recipe for Cashew Curry shared by Lauren Joseph, Joseph calls for the use of unroasted Sri Lankan curry powder, and spotlights Cinnamon Tree Organic’s blend.
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DGrid Energy, maker of solar-powered cold chain solutions, continues work on a wash station at the research farm for the University of the District of Columbia in Greenbelt, Maryland. This wash station attaches to the farm's existing Solar Cool Cube, a modular, expandable, solar-powered food-grade cold storage unit.
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Elysian Holdings, makers of compostable industrial hemp beverage containers and co-founder of the Mountain Maryland Hemp Alliance, announced that the Western Maryland Resource Conservation & Development Council, a member of the Alliance, was awarded $50,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission to conduct a feasibility study for the Industrial Hemp Processing Industry, the only grant awarded in Maryland. This study will determine the steps, conditions, and resources necessary to establish an industrial hemp processing facility that serves six counties in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Industrial hemp shows promise for improving farm income, sustainability, community tax bases, and soil health in an area that has a strong agricultural history.
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Liatris, a Maryland-based company that produces high performance non-toxic insulation that is easy-to-install, environmentally friendly, and non-flammable, was awarded a $225K SBIR Phase I grant from the National Science Foundation for the development of advanced insulation materials.
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Loop Closing, an on-site composting solutions company, has partnered with DC Central Kitchen and provided a mechanized composting machine at the THEARC Cafe to compost food waste.
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Innovation Lab Alumni Updates
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Sophia Maron, founder and CEO of Dress It Up Dressing, and her team were recognized for their outstanding work in 2020. Sophia was named a winner of the Stacy’s Rise Project by PepsiCo, and the company won their second SOFI award from the Specialty Food Association. And while you're here, check out their beautiful new website!
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The Grateful Gardeners team achieved a floriculture milestone, growing the first Dahlia bloom in an aquaponics system, and in late 2020, launched a Dahlia breeding project to expand their offerings. They tripled their available grow space and are now working with more than 40 designers and florists in the DMV.
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B Corp Book Discussion Tomorrow!
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This event date has been changed. Join us TOMORROW (Tuesday Jan 26th) at 4pm ET for a virtual book talk with Christopher Marquis, author of Better Business: How the B Corp Movement is Remaking Capitalism. Hosted by Best for DMV and B Local: Mid-Atlantic Region. Register here.
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Check out our upcoming B Corp Workshops:
- Student B Impact Assessment Live Demo: Students are invited to join us THIS THURSDAY January 28th to learn how businesses can become more socially and environmentally responsible. Learn about the B Corp Movement and different opportunities for students to get involved.
- B Corp Workshop Series for Businesses: Businesses learn tools to benchmark, express and improve their triple bottom line impact (People, Planet, Profit) through B Lab’s SDG Manager and B Impact Assessment (BIA). The workshop series begins February 10th!
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More Green Announcements from Our Network
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Thank You to Our Innovation Lab Sponsors & Partners
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