Ten Nature-Inspired Startups Solving Environmental and Social Problems

Biomimicry Institute announces new cohort of bioinspired startups participating in the Ray of Hope Prize® program. 

From inventing healable composites to reduce waste, to supporting agricultural yields from the soil to the pollinators, to the creation of sustainable and safe pigments that color our world, the 2023 Ray of Hope Prize® finalists offer inspiring solutions through their use of biomimicry (also referred to as nature-inspired or bioinspired design). Selected from hundreds of impressive submissions from companies around the world, the Biomimicry Institute is proud to announce the top 10 finalists selected to participate in this transformational program designed to help startups cross a critical threshold in scaling their sustainable solutions. The 10-week virtual accelerator program culminates in the chance to receive the $100,000 grand prize and additional equity-free funding. 

“Every year I am blown away by the diversity of sectors, individuals and countries represented in the top 10 finalists of the Ray of Hope Prize,” said Dr. Sarah McInerney, Program Manager at the Institute. “This year’s cohort represents 7 different countries, has an even split of female to male representation on their founding teams and are all working in different sectors. It is this type of diversity of action and thought that we need to tackle our current climate challenges to realize a more sustainable and biodiverse future.”

The 10 Participating Companies Include:

ACatechol, Inc. United States

ACatechol develops surface-coating technologies inspired by marine sessile organisms, such as mussels, for biomedical applications and to prevent hospital-acquired infections.

Anodyne Chemistries Canada

Anodyne Chemistries uses nature’s catalysts, enzymes, to solve the chemical industry’s addiction to fossil fuels, replacing high temperature petrochemistry with a sustainable bioelectric process.

BloomX Israel

BloomX’s technology couples predictive algorithms with advanced, crop-specific robotic tools replicating the way pollination is done in nature to sustainably increase crop yield and quality, while lowering the environmental footprint.

Cellugy Denmark

Cellugy is unleashing the potential of bio-fabricated cellulose to create consumer goods that enable a healthy planet, challenging the need for petrochemicals in our everyday products.

CompPair Technologies Switzerland

CompPair builds healable and sustainable composite materials to extend the lifetime of products while reducing waste.

 United States

Coral Vita grows climate change resilient coral up to 50x faster via a process known as micro-fragmentation, while deploying a commercial model to restore dying reefs at scale.

Ivu Biologics Inc United States

Ivu Biologics has developed a seed coating that reduces farmer reliance on fertilizer and pesticide. The coating uses technology inspired by the natural world to extend the life of delicate microbes that are beneficial for plants and soil.

Nyoka Design Corp Canada

Nyoka has developed a breakthrough in light – inspired by bioluminescence found in plants and animals such as jellyfish, their core technology generates stable, safe, sustainable light for over 48 hours and is positioned to replace millions of tons of single-use plastic and carcinogenic waste from the chemiluminescence industry.

Sparxell United Kingdom

Sparxell creates the next generation of colors and effects with vibrant, metal-like pigments, all from plant-based cellulose.

Vitiport Slovakia

Vitiport has developed a globally unique type of marking pheromones that prevent pests from laying eggs on crops, without using toxins, and bringing to life a new market category in crop protection.

The Ray of Hope Prize participants have begun their 10-week virtual program and will be delivering their pitches for the $100,000 top prize to an expert judging panel in November. During this program, the Institute will help these startups scale more quickly in order to compete in multi-billion dollar, extractive industries; avoid the common push to produce products cheaply, leading to further (unintentional) harm (such as the use of toxic chemicals); and help them to easily communicate their science and application of biomimicry. The program includes an immersive retreat in the awe inspiring Yosemite National Park for participants to reconnect with the natural world and form bonds with their fellow bioinspired innovators.