The folks at Collaborative Fund certainly like a challenge. They don’t specialize in venture capital’s favorite business model, SaaS, preferring instead to invest in sectors like climate, health and food. What’s more, they like companies that focus on consumers, whose fickle attitudes can add another layer of complexity to any business plan. Oh, and they […]
Climate change might be the most significant environmental disaster facing humanity, but it’s not the only one. In fact, humanity already faces five others out of a total of nine possible doomsday scenarios. With each line we cross, we jeopardize the planet’s ability to self regulate. This concept of planetary boundaries is helpful for scientists,
How many Earths does your lifestyle require? Read More »
Brendan Smith didn’t intend to be in the critical minerals business. He initially thought his high-tech filters would be good at desalination. But it was hard to beat existing systems, so he and his advisor, MIT professor Jeffrey Grossman, quickly ruled it out. After a few years “where we sort of intentionally meandered,” they found
SiTration uses silicon wafers to reclaim critical minerals from mining waste Read More »
There is estimated to be 40 million acres of lawn or turf grass in the U.S., making the grass in people’s backyards one of the largest crops in the U.S.. And, yet, when Coulter Lewis went to find products to take care of the lawn at his new house, he didn’t like his options. Lewis,
DTC lawn care that’s good for the planet Read More »
Conner Galloway and Alexander Valys have followed developments in nuclear fusion research since they were roommates at MIT some 20 years ago. For much of that time, it wasn’t the most exciting pastime: breakthroughs were few and far between, and commercial fusion remained perpetually on the horizon, always 20 years away from providing inexpensive, inexhaustible,
Since the shock of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, solar energy has been having a moment in Europe. Electricity prices have been going up while the investment required to get solar panels installed on your roof has been going down. This is due to new subsidies, better technology and several European startups that are working
Samara is accelerating the energy transition in Spain one solar panel at a time Read More »
When someone says a product is “new and improved,” it’s wise to take it with a grain of salt. But with Mill’s redesigned food waste bin, you can believe it. As before, the bin accepts a wide variety of food waste — only a handful of items like oyster shells are off limits — and
Mill’s redesigned food waste bin really is faster and quieter than before Read More »
2023 was the hottest year on record, it doesn’t look like we’re cooling down anytime soon. Rising temperatures have made farming increasingly difficult in areas that were once prime agricultural resources where heat and drought have severely impacted crops. For most farmers who rely on traditional methods and lack access to high-tech greenhouses, the need
Iyris makes fresh produce easier to grow in difficult climates, raises $16M Read More »
Thrift shopping is always a gamble. That cool shirt could wash out sooner than later, and there’s no knowing where those rugged jeans have been. Sure, some stores or websites try to filter out the bad apples, but it’s hard to get a good deal on the internet when there are so many options. Berlin-based
Faircado raises $3M to nudge people to buy pre-owned goods Read More »
Where Aytac Yilmaz lives in the Netherlands, the sun might not appear for days on end, which can really crimp the output of the country’s solar panels. Wind turbines might make up some of the shortfall, but what if the wind disappears at the same time? Enter long-duration energy storage, or massive batteries tailored to
