Artveoli Wins First Startup Pitch Competition for Women-Led Cleantech and Sustainability Companies in the United States
Artveoli Inc.’s breathable art takes home the prize at 5th Annual Women in Cleantech & Sustainability’s WCS Talks for its ability to filter indoor air
Sunnyvale, CA – November 13, 2018 – California-based non-profit Women in Cleantech and Sustainability (WCS) announced Silicon Valley-based Artveoli as the winner of the first cleantech and sustainability-focused startup pitch competition for women founders in the United States. Artveoli outlined its offering at the fifth annual WCS Talks to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen in indoor environments by harnessing the photosynthetic properties of algae. Housed behind pieces of art, the core technology contains biochips and is based on photosynthesis, which is how plants naturally convert carbon dioxide (CO2) to oxygen. The algae within the biochips are powered via energy from an LED panel, mimicking the sun.
“Typical air filtration systems mostly draw air in from outside, which is often times polluted,” said Artveoli co-founder and CEO Alina Adams. “Artveoli changes the actual composition of the air by reducing harmful carbon dioxide inside buildings, and by increasing the oxygen available, thus creating a healthier indoor environment. It was a thrill to present and win the top seat at the WCS pitch competition, as we are working hard to bring our product to full commercialization.”
Silicon Valley-based Artveoli will enjoy a large prize pool, including a guaranteed spot to pitch at SV Forum’s 2019 Women in Tech Festival, entry as a guest to Cleantech Forum San Francisco (and preferential consideration for a presentation slot) and advisory services from 12 companies across funding, coaching communications and marketing.
As a part of the larger TED-style conference, a total of six female entrepreneurs from the cleantech and sustainability industry earned a finalist spot to pitch their innovative business idea to a panel of Silicon Valley venture capitalists and an audience of 200+ industry professionals. At the end of the conference, the panel of three judges from Centrica Business Solutions, G2VP, and Urban Innovation Fund awarded additional honors to the other companies:
- Deep Isolation was named the company with the Highest Potential Impact for its innovative take on storing spent nuclear waste.
- Nuleaf Tech was awarded the designation of Best Pitch that covered their wastewater treatment vertical farming system in an inspirational and approachable format. Nuleaf was also deemed the crowd favorite through the utilization of a live streaming polling portal Pigeonhole.
- SimuSolar was named the company with the Most Traction for its platform that provides and finances accessible, affordable, and energy-efficient equipment designed for off-grid businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Sinai Tech was named Best Business Model for its platform that uses artificial intelligence to price and evaluate carbon risk.
- Total Ctrl was named the Most Venture Backable Business Potential for its platform to help restaurants and grocery stores reduce food waste.
“While people of both genders are focused on mitigating the most devastating effects of climate change, we still see women entrepreneurs woefully underrepresented in this space. Our aim with the competition is to highlight the great work these women are doing and encourage others to found startups themselves,” said Lisa Ann Pinkerton, founder, and chairwoman of Women in Cleantech & Sustainability. “Congratulations to each of these companies as they continue to reshape the world in a more sustainable light regardless of what investment challenges may lay ahead.”
“There is a lack of C-Suite women in the cleantech and sustainability space,” said Cassie Bowe, Associate Vice President at Energy Impact Partners. “The women leading these startups are tackling some of the big challenges the green economy faces in the coming years.”
“Our panel of investor judges felt that The Artveoli team has created a technology that has the potential to disrupt the HVAC industry while creating a new category within smart buildings. We are delighted to have them as part of our sustainably driven community, and we look forward to watching them grow,” added Pinkerton
About Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
Founded in 2011, Women in Cleantech and Sustainability (WCS) fosters an influential network of professionals to further the roles of women in growing the green economy and making a positive impact on the environment. The nonprofit leads a community of over 2,500 professional women and men working to drive sustainable change. Members range from the students and entry-level professionals to founders, C-suite executives, and investors. The organization hosts monthly events focused on trends in the green industry, professional and personal development, and networking. The 501(c)6 organization is supported primarily by volunteers, member donations and sponsorship support. For more information please visit WomenCleantechSustainability.org.
Media Contact:
Caitlan Caviness
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