For the past five years, the Innovation team at the Biomimicry Institute has been steadily and purposefully supporting nature-inspired entrepreneurs worldwide as they address some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. Now, with the release of our 5-Year Impact Report, we’re excited to pull back the curtain to share the outcomes of that work and celebrate the remarkable startups that have been part of the journey.
The Ray of Hope Accelerator: a catalyst for nature-inspired innovation
The Ray of Hope Accelerator (formerly Prize) was launched in 2020 with the support of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation and the vision of Jared Yarnall-Schane, our former Director of Innovation. This annual program fast-tracks the growth of early-stage startups inspired by nature’s 3.8 billion years of R&D.
Over five years, the program has evolved significantly, and shapeshifted again in 2024. Every year, we work with ten startups, and since last year, we’re offering each startup: $15,000 in non-dilutive funding, over $50,000 of in-kind services, including tailored coaching, investor introductions, and specialized training for 6 months. We also address the human side of entrepreneurship with topics like mental health, team culture, DEI and reconnection to nature. For these startups, it is a unique opportunity to join a global community of founders, alumni, and mentors who share a passion for advancing nature-inspired solutions.
Since its inception, we’ve supported 49 early-stage startups from 15 countries, 35% of which are women-led ventures, and deployed $750K in non-dilutive catalytic funding. Our inaugural Ray of Hope Accelerator Impact Report outlines what a nature-inspired future could look like – and the incredible work being done to get us there.
A transformative journey towards impact
When the program started, it was a prize competition paired with a short, 10-week schedule. Today, it has transformed into a six-month accelerator, allowing us to spend meaningful time with each cohort of ten companies. This evolution enables us to:
- Deliver targeted training, such as an Impact Sprint, helping startups articulate their environmental and social impact.
- Host weekly guest expert sessions on topics like sustainable supply chains, emissions reductions, manufacturing, and the climate capital stack.
- Pair each startup with a dedicated mentor, known as Catalyst, chosen specifically to address their challenges.
- Facilitate investor connections, culminating in our first-ever Demo Day on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at 5pm ET, mark your calendars and register now to attend!
This expanded format has allowed us to provide deeper support for startups, and we’re excited to see the long-term results.
Explore nature-inspired innovation stories
Our alumni’s achievements continue to inspire us. Here are just a few recent highlights:
- spotLESS Materials (cohort 2020, USA): In the summer of 2024, Penn State engineers Birgitt Boschitsch and Tak-Sing Wong raised $1.56M despite a tough fundraising environment. They are commercializing a surface coating for bathrooms inspired by the pitcher plant’s bulb, which was featured in a hilarious New York Times article.
- Seprify (cohort 2021, Switzerland): After raising an oversubscribed funding round in 2023, Seprify secured CHF 2M from Innosuisse in 2021 alongside additional private investments. Under CEO Lukas Schertel’s leadership, the team expanded from 8 to 19 employees and built a pilot facility to produce cellulose-based materials. This includes their sustainable white pigment poised to replace traditional additives like mined titanium dioxide, recently flagged as unsafe for human consumption by European food safety regulators. The company is now gearing up for commercial-scale production.
- Strong By Form (cohort 2022, Chile): Led by CEO Andrés Mitnik, Strong By Form is reshaping infrastructure with WoodFlow, a wood-based composite material for lightweight, high-performance applications. A recent collaboration with Deutsche Bahn produced stunning weather cabins made almost entirely of sustainably sourced wood, reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 70% compared to steel and glass alternatives. Additional applications include for example lightweight constructions, maritime structures, vehicle body parts.
- Lux Bio (cohort 2023, Canada): CEO Paige Whitehead and her team are lighting the way – literally. Following an appearance on the Canadian Dragon’s Den and securing $622,000 from Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) program in partnership with the Canadian Coast Guard, they’re scaling production of compostable bioluminescent solutions. Their Bioluminescent Sea Dye Marker, a life-saving marine device designed to improve rescue operations is among their standout innovations.
- Soarce (cohort 2024, USA): Soarce has partnered with the University of Maine, a global leader in nanocellulose research, to explore applications for their seaweed nanocellulose, in biomedical scaffolds, construction materials, catalysts, and more. Just before the holidays, the company also launched the Dyers’ Child Ink Kit, featuring their innovative TeraSolv™ chemistry, which offers safe, high-performing, and eco-friendly solutions for natural color technology.
In addition to these success stories, I am also proud of announcing that our alumni often work together, forming exciting partnerships that highlight the power of the Ray of Hope Accelerator community, where shared missions and connections spark groundbreaking innovations. Last quarter, we sat down with Jun Kamei, CEO and founder of Amphico (2022 cohort), and Tim Kunze, CEO and co-founder of Fusion Bionic (2022 cohort), to learn about their new collaboration, LaserTex, combining their nature-inspired solutions to drive the development of PFAS-free functional textiles. It all started in the Redwoods, during our 2022 Ray of Hope Nature Retreat. Read more about the technology, the collaboration, and what it means for Amphico and Fusion Bionic.
These are just a few examples. With 98% of our portfolio companies still growing, our Impact Report showcases many more!
Embark with us for a nature-inspired future
The past five years have shown us that nature-inspired innovation isn’t just possible – it’s essential. My team and I are grateful for everyone who has made this journey possible. A special thank you goes to those who laid the foundation for this program, including Jared Yarnall-Schane, who helped shape it until recently moving on to pursue his own path. To the partners, supporters, and volunteers who contributed their insights, mentorship, and connections: thank you. It truly takes a village.
Looking ahead, we’re committed to:
- Empowering founders with the tools and resources to elevate their ventures.
- Amplifying the impact of our alumni and sharing their stories.
- Building partnerships to accelerate nature-inspired solutions across industries.
- Growing our network of impact and climate investors to support transformative innovations.
- And more!
Mark your calendars! In February, we’re hosting our first-ever Demo Day – don’t miss it!
And in March, we’ll be opening applications to recruit the top ten nature-inspired startups for our 2025 cohort. Stay tuned for more details!
If you’d like to help bring nature-inspired solutions to the world, contact us at maelys.renaud@biomimicry.org, we’d love to hear from you!
