Unreasonable

Naked Energy — an Unreasonable company, has secured £17 million of new equity in a Series B first close, led by  E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions and supported by Barclays (Sustainable Impact Capital). This funding will accelerate Naked Energy’s global expansion and the adoption of its cutting-edge solutions to decarbonize heat. The strategic partnership with E.ON EIS, supported by Barclays, is a powerful endorsement of Naked Energy’s growth plans, enabling the international distribution of their award-winning Virtu solar collectors, which are up to four times more impactful at offsetting CO2 emissions than conventional solar PV panels. Naked Energy is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for renewable heat technologies, as highlighted in the IEA Renewables Report 2023. With manufacturing bases in the UK and Europe, and plans to start manufacturing in Dallas, Texas, Naked Energy is set to make a significant impact globally. Congratulations to Christophe Williams and the entire team at Naked Energy Ltd! Learn more about this exciting partnership and Naked Energy's innovative approach to sustainable energy: https://lnkd.in/eVVXwJma

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina's devastation in 2005, Lisa Dyson, PhD stood in New Orleans, deeply moved by the environmental and human tragedy. Amidst the wreckage, a profound realization struck her: our environment is crucial for survival, and we are pushing it to its limits. This led Lisa to rethink her carbon footprint and explore solutions to mitigate environmental damage. "Nature has no carbon waste," Lisa reflects. "There’s just the carbon cycle." Determined to harness nature's efficiency, Lisa co-founded Air Protein, aiming to tackle our carbon footprint by turning elements of the air into protein. Drawing inspiration from NASA’s research on feeding astronauts during long space journeys, Lisa and her team adapted the concept to make food in hours using carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen, along with water and energy, to grow protein-rich microbes. "We’re essentially reimagining fermentation," Lisa explains. "Instead of producing CO2, our process consumes it." Air Protein's technology is groundbreaking, with a carbon-negative process from cradle to gate that removes more CO2 from the atmosphere than it emits. This method uses significantly less land and water compared to traditional agriculture, offering a sustainable solution to food production. Notable milestones for Air Protein include: ▪ Raising $107 million from investors like Google Ventures, ADM, Barclays, and the Ford Foundation. ▪Commissioning a demonstration pilot in 2023. ▪Developing a commercial process for producing sustainable protein through carbon-negative fermentation. Lisa's vision extends beyond creating a new food source; she aims to transform food production, ensuring global food security while combating climate change. “Our goal is to deliver nutritious food without taxing the planet’s resources,” Lisa states. Recently, she was selected as a Fellow for the Unreasonable Food program (https://lnkd.in/gTm7bJUd), a collaboration between Unreasonable and Mars. This program is committed to empowering entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and network they need to scale their impact. Together, we're fostering a thriving ecosystem of food system innovators You can learn more about Air Protein here - https://lnkd.in/eyRCtGFM And you can read more about Lisa’s bio here - https://lnkd.in/e7Vq5X2X

The main problem with plastic is it's not going anywhere. It accumulates in landfills, pollutes our oceans, and fragments into microplastics that infiltrate our ecosystems. TIPA® Compostable Packaging , founded in 2010, offers a radical solution to this persistent challenge. Their fully compostable packaging solutions are designed to mimic the lifecycle of organic matter. Just like an apple core or banana peel, TIPA's packaging naturally breaks down, leaving behind nutrients, not pollutants. TIPA's packaging meets the same performance standards as traditional plastics, proving that sustainability doesn't have to mean sacrificing functionality. From food wrappers to fashion bags, their solutions are already making waves in multiple industries. TIPA is at the forefront of a packaging revolution, demonstrating that we can protect our products and our planet simultaneously. We commend Daphna Nissenbaum, Co-Founder & CEO of TIPA, and the entire team for their dedication to a plastic-free future. Visit https://lnkd.in/eQAYVhVC to learn more about their pioneering work and how TIPA is reshaping the packaging industry.

Exciting news from Sea Forest - an Unreasonable Company, as they partner with Morrisons to fast track lower methane beef! Sea Forest, an Earthshot finalist and innovative environmental technology company, has partnered with Morrisons to introduce their seaweed-based livestock feed, SeaFeed™, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from beef cattle. This partnership aims to support Morrisons' goal of achieving net zero agriculture emissions from its directly supplied farms by 2030. SeaFeed™ has been scientifically proven to reduce methane production by up to 90% when included as a small fraction of the animals’ diet. This collaboration with Morrisons marks a significant milestone in promoting sustainable agricultural practices on an international scale. Sam Elsom, CEO of Sea Forest, shared, “Distributing our methane-busting solution to one of the most respected retailers and food producers in the UK is a tremendous milestone for Sea Forest. Our trials have shown excellent results, and we are thrilled to partner with Morrisons to make a meaningful impact on climate change globally.” A huge congratulations to Sam Elsom and the entire team at Sea Forest for this incredible achievement! Learn more about this partnership and Sea Forest's innovative approach to sustainable agriculture: https://lnkd.in/gKVsU2wC

Alloysius Attah knows the land intimately. Growing up in a farming community in Ghana, he witnessed firsthand the daily challenges smallholder farmers face. Despite their tireless efforts, they were always at the mercy of limited resources and unpredictable weather. This early experience instilled in him a deep understanding of their struggles and a fierce determination to drive change. After completing his studies in Kumasi, Alloysius realized that many solutions to his community's problems existed over 100 years ago for most farmers in developed countries but had yet to reach all small-scale farmers everywhere. He understood that to solve the issue holistically and create lasting profit for all farmers; one must support farmers in growing quality food while collaborating with the world's food companies and governments to provide relevant and actionable information in the languages farmers understand, bridge the $190 billion financing gap, and provide consistent market access. He and his co-founder launched Farmerline with this insight, starting with just $600. Their mission was to connect farmers to essential resources and information through digital technology. Small-scale farmers feed one-third of humanity and will need to produce 70% more food to feed the future. They are an integral part of the global food system. Farmerline Group, with its subscription-based tech platform Mergdata, has grown exponentially to support these crucial farmers. Today, Mergdata and its partners have supported 2.2 million farmers in 50 countries. Its platform monitors 3.2 million acres of farmland with 94% compliance with EUDR. Collaborating with 3,000 partners, Farmerline boosts productivity and profitability globally. The results speak for themselves: an 89% increase in crop yields and a 203% increase in profits per acre. Over the past ten years, Farmerline has tracked commodities worth over $160 million. For Alloysius, the mission extends beyond agricultural productivity. He envisions creating generational wealth for farmers, ensuring food security, and leveraging technology to transform lives. Recently, he was selected as a Fellow for the Unreasonable Food program, a collaboration between Unreasonable and Mars. This program is committed to empowering entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and network they need to scale their impact. Together, we're fostering a thriving ecosystem of food system innovators. You can learn more about Farmerline here - https://lnkd.in/etSznE5w And you can read more about Alloysius’ bio here - https://lnkd.in/egw_5Z2w 

CLUBZERØ, led by CEO Safia Qureshi, is driving change with their award-winning returnable packaging system for food and beverage brands, aiming to end the “take-make-dispose” culture. With an impressive 95% return rate, they partner with brands across various sectors to support this transition. This year, CLUBZERØ is making a notable impact at Wimbledon by deploying reusable, returnable food containers, with the goal of making the tournament zero-waste by 2025. Fans can easily return food and drink packaging to designated points, promoting sustainability on a large scale. Since 2018, CLUBZERØ has saved over 2.6 million items of single-use plastics from landfills and prevented 39 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Their efforts span across the UK and the US, partnering with universities, offices, sporting arenas, events, and restaurants to reduce waste and emissions. Learn more about their innovative approach and the Wimbledon initiative in the full news article: https://lnkd.in/e8G43YJz

It is with deep sadness that our team shares the news of the passing of Nick Imudia. We mourn Nick’s passing not because he is gone, but because we will forever miss him. Nick was the CEO of d.light, which has brought solar to over 100 million individuals across the developing world. He was an Unreasonable Fellow and he was a truly remarkable leader and entrepreneur. Most notably, Nick will be remembered for being a father, a husband, and a dear friend to so many. Our hearts go out to Nick, his family, his friends, his teammates, and all those who he gifted with his presence in this life. Nick, and his family, remain in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. 

Congratulations to GOTERRA – an Unreasonable company, on their impactful new partnership with the City of Sydney! Goterra envisions a world where cutting-edge automation and the power of nature work together to tackle our most pressing challenges. They've turned that vision into reality by creating robotic systems that utilize black soldier fly larvae (maggots!) to transform food waste into valuable resources. This 12-month trial, the first of its kind in NSW, is scheduled to process up to 600 tonnes of food scraps collected through the city's food scraps recycling service, producing: - High-protein animal feed: A sustainable alternative to traditional, resource-intensive sources. - Natural fertilizer: Nourishing soil and closing the loop on food production. This solution addresses the limitations of traditional waste management, which often struggles to scale efficiently and incurs high transportation costs. Goterra's modular units can be deployed locally, reducing emissions and allowing waste to be processed where it's generated. A huge congratulations to Olympia Yarger, CEO of Goterra, and the dedicated Goterra team for their pioneering work in redefining waste management. Read the full news article to learn more about this incredible project: https://lnkd.in/eYhF2HcZ

unspun™, co-founded by Walden Lam in 2017, is reshaping the fashion industry with its innovative 3D weaving technology. This method creates garments directly from yarn, significantly reducing waste and emissions. Their custom-fit denim jeans, tailored through a mobile scanning app, ensure perfect fits for every customer and address the issue of overproduction. With a mission to reduce the global carbon footprint by 1%, unspun operates with zero waste, zero inventory, and zero lead time. Their proprietary technology allows for the fastest, cleanest, and most cost-competitive production of woven apparel. unspun has established a micro-factory in Oakland, California, and is expanding into Europe. By partnering with some of the most forward-thinking brands globally, the company is bringing manufacturing closer to home, significantly shortening supply chains and effectively reducing waste and overproduction. You can learn more about unspun here — https://lnkd.in/ezfpsxgb

Doing our part to keep our planet healthy is an absolute non-negotiable for us at Mars. But we know we can’t do it alone and that new thinking is required. This is why I was delighted to spend last week with our inaugural #UnreasonableFood cohort—a fantastic group of entrepreneurs from across five continents, with operations in nearly 40 countries. These disruptors and forward-thinking minds are pioneering solutions for the most complex problems facing our planet. I left inspired, energized, and full of belief in our new approach to sustainability: The Unreasonable Model. #ProudlyMars