SUPPLY CHAIN -
The three-year-old maker of snacks, coffee and other ethically sourced foods is aiming to show that brands can source from regenerative ag systems; but it will require a real commitment to
working with rural communities who, for too long, have been left behind by the modern food system.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
The pandemic has laid bare not only the many flaws in our global systems but also our capacity for resilience and ingenuity in the face of complex, immediate
challenges — if we apply that thinking to those that lay ahead, we may yet save ourselves from ‘business as usual.’
CLEANTECH -
Sunlit Sea’s prefabricated, floating solar panels optimize longevity, power production and safety, whilst taking a fraction of the time and cost to install.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
Apple, Netflix, Xylem and others are putting corporate cash to work in financially underserved communities by moving money to CDFIs, LID credit unions and MDIs throughout the US.
WASTE NOT -
The microdistiller not only sources grains, fruit and materials from local suppliers — it repurposes as many byproducts of the distilling process as possible, in what’s likely one of the most scalable examples of circularity so far in the spirits business.
CLEANTECH -
Thanks to a unique, interdisciplinary approach to addressing ‘range anxiety’ due to limited battery life, the Israeli startup has reinvented the EV battery with a breakthrough that could finally leapfrog EVs into the mainstream.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
The Innovation Connections accelerator program aims to fast-track vital food system innovations; Tesco is also calling on the UK government to help accelerate scale-up of late-stage innovations in food supply chains.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Focusing resources beyond popular attractions, and a personal sense of pride and care for a place and its people, creates the conditions for well-supported communities. Because of this, regionally focused travel companies are uniquely situated to ensure tourism creates positive ripple effects where they operate.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Two of the UK’s most iconic names in luxury cars — Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover — are building on their efforts to ensure they’re soon known as much for being sustainable as they are sleek and stylish.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Washington-based startup Tidal Vision upcycles discarded crab shells to produce chitosan — a positively charged biopolymer with myriad applications in
sustainable water treatment, textile production, agriculture and more.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
The first national Black farmer co-op since the Reconstruction era is on a mission to revive and support Black farmers — which have dwindled to a mere 1.4% of farmers in the US — and cultivate a national network of growers of regeneratively farmed hemp.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
In January, Maker’s Mark became the world’s largest distillery to earn B Corp certification — a significant milestone for the broader industry, as well as a sustainability benchmark for Kentucky’s thriving 'Bourbon Country.'
WASTE NOT -
Who knew that overused fry oil represented such an untapped health and sustainability market opportunity? FreshFry CEO Jeremiah Chapman breaks it down.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Singapore-based Karana and Montreal-based Opalia both have the potential to lead the growing markets for lower-impact, cruelty-free food options.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Bringing to market cell-cultured collagen is the company's next step in a system-based approach to providing a sustainable alternative to complex animal agriculture.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Traceability is the foundation upon which we can truly revolutionize the fashion industry, revealing the actual costs of products and ensuring that the wealth generated from production gets redistributed more fairly.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
MDIs are trusted providers for communities of color and include some of the oldest minority-owned US banks; they play a unique role in increasing access to
financial services for underserved populations.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
In partnering with NotCo, Kraft Heinz aims to leverage its manufacturing and commercial capabilities, with the scale of some of its beloved global food brands, to reshape the food landscape and set a new standard for plant-based innovation.
WALKING THE TALK -
Bringing new gravitas to the term, ‘purpose-driven,’ the team behind Colive is using their uniquely delicious olive oil to help end the civil unrest that has divided their native Cyprus since the 1970s — and exemplify the benefits of social entrepreneurship and peace through cooperation.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
Through a series of multi-year partnerships with business-focused nonprofits, Umpqua aims to close the opportunity gap in access to capital, resources, and expertise for traditionally underserved innovators.