With green tech companies on the rise, we took a moment to poll some of our team on sustainable tech startups that are piquing their interest.
Today is a great day (Happy Earth Day!) to talk about our mission to bridge the gap in stormwater management opportunities and how we can transform water quality by mitigating water runoff. However, we talk about that every day, so to mix it up, we’re sharing other ways in which environmental entrepreneurs are taking off. From permeable concrete startups to environment-friendly technology, these ecologically-minded startups are introducing the world to sustainable tech.
All links go directly to the company’s FAQ page.
Living Carbon
Mission: To rebalance the Planet’s Carbon Cycle using the power of plants.
The quick cut: If you’ve ever wondered what plants absorb the most c02…this green tech company is for you. They’re using genes from pumpkin and green algae to help poplar trees use less energy and retain more carbon.
This genetic engineering startup is working on creating trees that would grow more quickly and capture more carbon than their previous family members. Photorespiration is turning carbon dioxide into byproducts that the plant breaks down over time. Still, this takes up a lot of plant energy which means they have to release some carbon. Living Carbon is taking genes from pumpkin and green algae and splicing them to get this process to use less energy-hence-trees retain more carbon.
ICON
Mission: to re-imagine the approach to homebuilding and construction to make affordable, dignified housing available to everyone worldwide.
The quick cut: Icon is a 3D printer and robotics company trying to solve the affordability, sustainability, and availability issues driving the rampant housing crisis.
Using 3D printers to build homes takes less time and resources and results in less waste. Note: homes still use traditional construction methods for the roof, windows, and other finishes. Homes built thus far are primarily in Austin, TX, and Mexico, but the new iteration of 3D printers is designed to be used in more extreme weather conditions.
AquiPor
Mission: help improve stormwater infrastructure and water quality in our cities with permeable hardscape technology.
The quick cut: An environmental tech company out of Spokane, Washington, developed a patent on permeable concrete with less clogging and to help return your rain into the soil instead of running off-site and polluting your neighborhood. (Internal studies found that it consistently filtered more suspended solids than the EPA required threshold.) AquiPor material takes less energy and emits less CO2 than traditional concrete, accounting for 8% of global carbon emissions.
Changeblock
Mission: The Changeblock Protocol promotes liquidity, transparency, and trust in the climate markets by homogenizing carbon offsets and allowances into fungible ‘climate-backed-tonnes’; tradeable on the Changeblock Exchange.
Make sense? If you didn’t, you’re not alone. Blockchain is complicated.
Let us break it down in simple terms.
The semi quick cut: Companies use emission credit trading to help offset any fines or fees from climate change regulations. So, for example, an airline company can buy credits from a tree farm promising to plant over 400+ trees in the next year, and they use those credits to offset their company’s carbon emissions. It’s all a system of giving and taking to try and equal out the effects, but climate markets are messy, messy, messy. It’s confusing, has limited transparency and oversight, and someone needs to clean up the mess and make sure people are accountable. This is what Changeblock is trying to do by creating blockchain tokens that are secure assets used in the buying and selling process. It creates transparency, financial security, and accessibility for all stakeholders involved in climate markets.
Still don’t understand? Well, they don’t have an FAQ, so here’s the link to their solution page.
Rainplan
OBVIOUSLY, we’re mentioning ourselves and not only out of marketing necessity. We firmly believe in our bold and unique approach to being the first stormwater marketplace for private property owners, and one space online for stormwater retrofit connections and resources.
Mission: Through our stormwater incentive database, financing, and Rainplan Builder, we knock down the barriers of cost and time management to make green infrastructure an accessible marketplace for anyone interested in green tech.
The quick cut: We’re the matchmaker making stormwater drainage infrastructure feasible for private property owners. Our Rainplan Builder helps establish your property project goals and educates you on benefits and incentive programs. We can help file incentive applications, find financing options, and connect you to vetted green infrastructure contractors. We’re streamlining stormwater management adoption.