November 2024
Welcome to the November edition of our newsletter!
As the year winds down, we’re ramping up our efforts to support innovators who are solving today’s most pressing challenges around climate resilience, adaptation, and health. This month, we’re excited to unveil From the Ground Up: Rooted Horizons One-Year Check-In. This article is the latest in our ‘Ideas, Energized’ series, a spotlight on expert voices and insights from across our ecosystem, designed to spark meaningful conversations and drive progress forward.
Looking ahead, don’t miss your chance to join us for ECO ’24, our multidisciplinary festival and ecosystem gathering designed to foster innovation for a sustainable planet. Our event in Los Angeles serves as a crucial platform for learning, collaboration, and practical solutions. Mark your calendars for December 9th & 10th and secure your spot today!
Rooted Horizons One-Year Check-In
| In this compelling follow-up to Larta Institute’s “Rooted Horizons: Growing Food By & For Angelenos” report, journalist Meka Boyle highlights the ongoing efforts of urban farmers in Los Angeles who are presenting real-world solutions to combat food insecurity and climate impacts. A year after the report’s release, these grassroots initiatives describe successes and challenges to overcome, with local communities leading the charge for a more sustainable and equitable food system. |
Read more about how these urban growers are making a lasting impact: From the Ground Up: Rooted Horizons One-Year Check-In
— Events & Opportunities —
ECO ’24 in LA:
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. For questions and partnerships, please reach out to us at eco@larta.org.
🗓️ Date: December 9–10
🕙 Time: 9:30AM–7:00PM
📍 Location: Larta HQ,
South Park Center City View Penthouse & SkyDeck
Register to attend here.
Other Events & Funding Opportunities
- Breakthrough Energy Fellows is designed to tackle early-stage barriers to climate technology innovation, accelerating discovery and increasing the number of projects and companies working toward commercialization. By providing innovators with research funding and hands-on support, our program ensures projects have the resources and community they need to advance to the next stages of development. Submit your application or nominate a founder by Monday, December 2. Apply now!
— Community Spotlights —
Program: NOAA Commercialization Assistance Program
Impact Area: Nature Preservation & Repair
Radmantis LLC. is an environmental engineering company that specializes in automated handling and processing of aquatic animals in the field and in commercial aquaculture facilities. The company offers solutions for invasive species control, for preventing the entrainment of fish into utility infrastructure, for early detection of diseased individuals in aquaculture management, and for harvesting of individuals for processing.
Program: Venture Fellows
Impact Area: Nature Preservation & Repair
Kadeya was featured as a portfolio company at COP29 through JLL Foundation!
Kadeya is a closed-loop water vending business that utilizes digitally connected reusable water bottles and tiny bottling equipment. 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. Gaining access to critical funding will allow Kadeya to advance aspects of their technology for the betterment of the built environment.
Program: USDA Commercialization Assistance Program
Impact Area: Nature Preservation & Repair
Blue Forest Conservation is a multidisciplinary team of scientists, financial experts and engineering professionals with extensive infrastructure, public sector and Wall Street experience. They are harnessing financial innovation and building partnerships with investors, non-profits, private companies and the public sector to design sustainable solutions to systemic climate resilience challenges faced by vulnerable communities.
— Community Showcase —
Our Companies in the News
- Terviva Named Next Big Thing in Tech by Fast Company
- Twelve Co-founder Dr. Etosha Cave Takes Center Stage at Web Summit
- Radmantis and Berkeley Marine Robotics Partner to Enhance Underwater Threat Detection and Drone Swarm Communication
- CFD Research announces the opening of its newest 19,000-square-foot expansion in Hollywood, Alabama
- ZeaKal’s PhotoSeed Technology Validated as First Sustainability-Embedded Trait
- CFD Research Awarded AFRL Contract to Develop Sensing Technologies for Military Applications
- Rodney Bell, the co-founder and CEO of Azadi Health, named finalist in the 2024 Black Ambition Prize Competition
- Pharus Diagnostics wins the Healthy Living Pitch Competition
- Gradible featured in Refresh Miami
- Blue Forest launches ‘watershed resilience bond’ to finance conservation projects on private lands
— 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.