Two Climate CoLab teams were featured as Finalists in a 2016 Start-up Showcase at SXSW Eco in Austin, Texas this week: 1) A 2016 Waste Management Contest Judges' Special Commendation for Novelty, Tycycler; and 2) A 2015 Buildings contest Judges' and Popular Choice winner, Cornucopia Group, for their Hempcrete proposal. Tycycler, who's team originates from Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa, was presenting as a Finalist in the SXSW Eco Start-up Showcase Social Impact category. They were Finalists and recipients of the Judges' Special Commendation for Novelty in the 2016 Waste Management contest for their proposal "Tycycler: An intuitive, non-motorized & affordable tire recycling technology." Tycycler is the "first non-motorized waste tire recycling device and is helping informal workers to operate sustainably, safely and efficiently." Another team, Cornucopia Group and it's Co-Founder Chad Knutsen was selected as an alternate in the food/agriculture category of the SXSW Eco Startup Showcase. Chad was a 2015 Climate CoLab Winner for his proposal "3D Printing Hempcrete - The People will know what they want once they see it," which won the Judges & Popular Choice award for the Buildings contest in 2015. The Cornucopia group specializes in "identifying the most exciting advancements in industries ranging from nutrition, to agriculture, to green energy, to materials processing." SXSW Eco's mission is to create a space for leaders to come together to envision solutions that drive environmental, social, and economic change. The Startup Showcase is an important part of the SXSW event held in Austin, Texas, October 10 -12, and aimed to feature some of the most impactful and innovative ideas from around the world. Learn more about the SXSW Eco Finalists' Showcase here: http://sxsweco.com/2016-startup-showcase-finalists and about SXSW-Eco here. The Climate CoLab team was in Austin this week for the SXSW-Eco Conference, including hosting a workshop on open innovation and climate change. Learn more here, and see photos & live-tweets from the events, including meeting the CoLab teams above on Twitter @ClimateCoLab.
