July 2024
We are delighted to bring you the latest edition of our monthly newsletter! Each month, we aim to keep you informed and inspired with the most recent updates, stories, and insights from our community and beyond.
In this issue, you’ll find a diverse array of content tailored to your interests. From the latest industry news and funding to success stories and upcoming events, we strive to provide valuable and engaging information that you can use.
This month, Larta Institute was please to host the Prime Health Challenge Final Pitch. The 3-round, multi-month program concluded with a live pitch competition featuring the top digital health solutions vying for the chance to win a portion of the prize funding and the chance to pilot their solution with a safety net healthcare partner.
As a valuable member of our ecosystem, we look forward to sharing the many opportunities ahead with you. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for our Road to ECO – Nature Preservation & Repair Mixer on July 30 — and keep reading to explore the latest advancements, initiatives, and groundbreaking ideas driving progress and redefining what it means to build a sustainable planet.
— Events & Opportunities —
Road to ECO: Nature Preservation & Repair Mixer
Join Larta Institute for our upcoming ecosystem mixer to explore interdependent initiatives and groundbreaking solutions dedicated to sustaining and improving life on our planet.
🗓️ Date: Tuesday, July 30
🕙 Time: 5:00 – 7:00 PM PST
📍 Location: Larta HQ, DTLA
Register to attend here.
Meet Our Team at These Upcoming Gatherings
- LA Climate Week (September 8-15, Los Angeles) – Events for the LA community to collaborate, exchange ideas, and foster local climate solutions. Get involved here.
- VERGE 24 (October 29-31, San Jose) — A leading climate tech event. Register here.
- ECO 2024 (December 9–10, Los Angeles) — ECO, hosted by Larta Institute, is a multidisciplinary festival and ecosystem gathering designed to foster innovation for a sustainable planet. By engaging with communities on the frontlines of today’s most urgent climate change and environmental challenges, we aim to identify and accelerate groundbreaking innovations that can make a real impact. Check out our 2023 festival recap and stay tuned to learn more.
Funding Opportunities
Explore the resources available and apply directly through the links below.
- NSF SBIR/STTR Fast-Track programs provide non-dilutive, fixed-amount cooperative agreements for the development of science and engineering technologies with the potential for societal and economic impacts. The next deadline for full submission is November 5th. Learn more here.
- Larta Institute and TurboSBIR are partnering to help you take advantage of federal funding opportunities, from Phase I SBIRs to Phase II SBIRs and beyond. Find and apply for new SBIR opportunities here.
— Community Spotlights —
Program: Venture Fellows
Impact Area: Food, Water & Energy Systems
Congratulations to Kadeya for Receiving Pre-Seed Funding from Evergreen Climate Innovations!
Kadeya’s patented beverage kiosk washes, sanitizes, inspects, and refills bottles to hydrate frontline workers with lower logistics, costs, and safety risks, a $30B market opportunity just in the US. By decentralizing and automating the beverage supply chain, they eliminate 99.9% of plastic waste and 75% of GHGs versus single use beverage containers. Kadeya has global scalability potential and stands to eliminate the need for single use beverage packaging forever, for everyone everywhere.
Program: USDA – SBIR Commercialization Assistance – Phase I
Impact Area: Nature Preservation & Repair
Congratulations to Ecovative for partnering with AGI Denim to transform post-consumer waste denim!
Ecovative uses biology to solve fundamental human needs at industrial scales and in consumer applications. Ecovative uses mycelium to grow category defining products ranging from leather like textiles to sustainable packaging to high performance foams for apparel and beauty. Ecovative has been widely recognized for its technical and environmental contributions by organizations like the World Economic Forum and in the media including Wired Magazine, Forbes, and Time.
Program: Heal.LA
Impact Area: Equitable, Healthy & Resilient Communities
Congrats to Welfie for winning Bronze in Bronze for Health Special Projects in the Anthem Awards!
Welfie is a health equity platform that is designed specifically to enable community health workers to better connect with and engage with underserved families. Focused on K-12 school districts, Welfie’s HERO Academy is a program designed specifically for underserved communities. This initiative focuses on mental health education and workforce development in the healthcare sector, targeting high school students. By providing these students with mentorship, health education, and career preparation, the HERO Academy equips them with essential skills and opportunities, bridging the gap in the healthcare workforce and addressing mental health issues.
— Community Showcase —
Our Companies in the News
- Kadeya gets featured in CBS News for its reusable water bottle kiosk to combat plastic pollution
- Regrow Ag and Conservation Technology Information Center Announce Expanded Partnership
- Kind Designs Wins Grand Prize at 2023 Florida Aerospace+EmergingTech Forum; Secures $100,000 Investment from DeepWork Capital
- Welfie wins Bronze for Health Special Projects in the Anthem Awards
- Twelve’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel made from CO2 purchased by BCG in a new agreement from 2026 to 2029
- Mango Materials Innovates with Methane-Eating Microorganisms to Create Biodegradable Plastics
- Ecovative partners with AGI Denim to transform post-consumer waste denim into sustainable architectural and interior design materials
- Nike and Living Ink partner on footwear packaging
- Kadeya Receives Pre-Seed Funding from Evergreen Climate Innovations
— Our Impact —
and Other Resources
Larta Institute’s 2023 Impact Report
On Larta Institute’s 30th year anniversary, we are proud to share a glimpse into our transformative journey through the lens of our 2023 Impact Report.
Did you know that Los Angeles is on the cusp of a major food justice revolution? Read our Rooted Horizons Report, a groundbreaking research collaboration between Larta Institute and Los Angeles Food Policy Council, funded by California Community Foundation.
— Our Growing Team —
Join our Team
Visit our Careers page to learn more.
Partner with us to support or sponsor Larta’s programs and initiatives!
Contact Carlos Gutierrez, Chief Development Officer, at cgutierrez@larta.org.
Our mission is to foster science & technology innovation for a sustainable planet.
Let’s feed, fuel, and heal the world.
Connect with us.