In keeping with its ambitious mission to put an end to food waste, Ryp Labs, (www.ryplabs.com ), a Seattle-based company, continues to receive notable global awards recognition, including winning the Top Global Startup Award at the recent UN Climate Conference, COP27, for the impact its innovative technology will have on climate change.
Frequently overlooked in the debate about the climate crisis is the sobering fact that food waste is one of the largest contributors to climate change. If food waste was a country, it would have the third-largest carbon footprint behind China and the U.S.
Ryp Labs' scientific approach has been focused on extending the shelf life of fresh produce. Founded in 2017, Ryp Labs' original technology, StixFresh, is a food label sticker coated with a safe, all-natural, patent-pending formulation that works in the vapor phase to create a protective layer around produce, slowing down over-ripening and spoilage.
COP hosted its first Top Global Startup pitch competition at the UN's Climate conference, which took place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt late last year, inviting the top climate tech startups from around the world. Leading up to the event, the ClimaTech Run group organizing the competition received over 422 applications from 77 countries. Ryp Labs was awarded first place, which included a grand prize of $100,000.
This past year, Ryp Labs also received the "Solar Impulse Efficient Solution" Label, proof of high standards in profitability and sustainability, and was selected as one of the top 50 companies on Cleantech Group's 50 to watch list for 2022.
"This recognition serves as added validation to the impact our solution will have on people's lives economically, environmentally, and socially," said Ryp Labs, Inc. CEO Moody Soliman. "It adds credibility to the great work our team is doing."
Soliman added that the expert panels and judges of these awards typically look at three factors:
- The size of the problem the company/technology/solution is tackling
- The innovation of the solution and its meaningful impact on that problem
- The experience and track record of the team behind the solution
To receive the "Solar Impulse Efficient Solution" Label, Ryp Labs was thoroughly assessed by a pool of independent experts according to five criteria covering the three main topics of feasibility, environmental, and profitability. All labeled solutions are part of the #1000solutions portfolio that will be presented to decision-makers in business and government by Bertrand Piccard, Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation. This initiative aims to encourage the adoption of more ambitious environmental targets and to fast track the implementation of these solutions on a large scale.
In Cleantech's 50 to Watch report, Nisa Mirza's interview with Soliman and case study explored Ryp Labs' origin story, how the technology works, and what made them a #50toWatch company. Read more here: https://bit.ly/3Fu2AcD.
The annual Cleantech 50 to Watch list spotlights innovative companies with the dedication, technologies, and business models that make it possible to fight the climate crisis and make a fair profit.
Looking ahead, Soliman said Ryp Labs is completing its pilot studies with global retailers and distributors, showing an impressive 50% - 100% shelf-life extension for strawberries, blueberries, nectarines, grapes, citrus, and more, and the company is on the cusp of commercial launch with some of the largest household names in the industry.
The recent economic downturn, inflation, and lingering supply chain effects from COVID-19, have put more stress than ever before on the global food system highlighting the necessity for a solution such as Ryp Labs will offer.
"Consequently, consumers' and businesses' sensitivity and sense of urgency to reduce food waste, has increased, emphasizing the importance of our technology," Soliman added. "Driven by that need, we have continued to grow the company and have doubled our team size over the last three months. Naturally, as we've continued to grow, so has our product development portfolio. Soon, we'll also be offering coated sheets, sachets, and other formulation-carrier formats."
Ryp Labs' product line currently targets the fruits and vegetable segment. However, the company is on track to expand its waste reduction solutions throughout the food and agriculture industries, including meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy, cut flowers, and plants.
"Given the simplicity and scalability of our solution for both developed and developing regions, fruits and vegetables are just the beginning," Soliman said. "We've already been approached by meat, seafood, alternative protein companies, and more. As we continue to grow and expand our product offerings, we will be able to serve these industries as well."
In 2021, Ryp Labs received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Phase I grant and this year Soliman said they are going to apply for Phase II USDA and NSF grants. A couple of years ago, Ryp Labs got accepted for a USDA SBIR Phase I grant.
"It's always been our long-term goal to positively affect the entire food value chain by offering alternative solutions that are natural, safe, effective, and easy to adopt," Soliman explained. "But we won't stop there. Part of our company's vision is to offer the benefits of our unique technologies to other industries as well, like healthcare."
RELATED ARTICLE : Reduce Your Food Waste To Ease Global Warming
