Tag: <span>Mycocycle</span>

How mushrooms are upcycling construction debris

A sustainable approach to waste management.

Members of the Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) recently visited the headquarters of Mycocycle in the Chicago area, where they met with founder and CEO Joanne Rodriguez to explore an innovative solution to a major construction industry challenge: waste.

During the visit, Joanne explained that construction materials account for 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions, spanning the entire lifecycle from resource extraction to disposal. While traditional waste management often depends on landfill or resource-heavy recycling processes, Mycocycle is taking a radically different approach — using mushrooms, nature’s own recyclers, to break down construction debris and reduce its environmental impact.

“So why mushrooms?” asks Joanne. “There is a huge body of work around micro remediation as a form of bioremediation. We’re not the first to do it, we’re just the first to do it in an industrial application.”

Mushrooms are known for their remarkable ability to decompose organic matter, thanks to their network of mycelium — tiny thread-like structures that act as nature’s decomposers. Mycocycle taps into this biological power to upcycle debris that would otherwise be discarded.

How it started

After spending nearly 20 years in the commercial roofing industry and being tasked with leading a recycling program for the manufacturer, Joanne realized that recycling in the roofing industry was not even close. Once she turned 50, she realized she wanted to “do better” and do something about this issue so she set out on her own.

“When I went independent, I went on a quest for knowledge, as well as to beef up my skills,” explained Joanne. “I took a course from Oregon State University, and I learned about fungi and their remediative qualities.”

“When I learned about the heavy hydrocarbons that they could cycle through, just like those we find in petrochemicals and bitumens that are going into our products, I connected with a mycologist, which is a specialist in fungi, and we put a handful of spores on some off-the-shelf asphalt roof shingles, and it grew within seven days.”

Joanne formed a company and filed a patent for that process. After meeting our own Heidi J. Ellsworth in 2018, Joanne worked to secure funding and support from leading roofing industry players but was met with skepticism and doubt. Convinced that this process would work, Joanne incubated and accelerated the company in 2019 and launched through the National Renewable Energy Labs in March 2020. After receiving validation of the problem, the Covid pandemic shut everything down, slowing down her momentum.

“I started to try to find people,” said Joanne. “I’m not a scientist, I’m just curious, trying to solve a problem.” Within a year of leasing her first space, they had outgrown it. “Today we’re in over 10,000 square feet. We have another 10,000 square feet we’re expanding to in Georgia, and we have many installations via our Mycontainers. The whole goal for us is to upcycle waste from the built environment.”

Upcycling old carpets

The one industry where Mycocycle has gained traction is the carpet industry. “One thing I wanted to solve was how we could upcycle or reuse the waste more effectively and how we could get greener, cleaner chemicals to do that.”

The carpet industry is seeing a lot of emerging regulations, says Joanne. “They haven’t hit the roofing sector yet, but they are hitting the flooring sector very hard. Within the next three years. Things like commercial carpets must have at least 5% recycled content from their industry. It can’t come from PET water bottles.”

“We’re able to reduce the embodied carbon of materials by 98% for carpet specifically. We are coming from commercial carpet waste and producing a Nylon 6 replacement. Our products are competitively priced and outperform petrochemicals today. That’s one of my very big points of pride that we’re able to compete against virgin polymers and win. We are defining a new category of materials management.”

The process and result

The Mycocycle process begins with sorting and preparing construction waste. Materials are selected based on their compatibility with the fungi’s decomposition capabilities. Once prepared, the debris is inoculated with specific strains of fungi that thrive on the chosen substrates. Over time, the fungi metabolize the waste, breaking it down into simpler compounds.

The end result is a transformed material that can be used for various applications, such as bio-based building materials, insulation or soil amendments. This innovative process not only reduces the need for landfill disposal but also creates sustainable products that can re-enter the construction cycle.

This summer an athletic field is being installed in South Carolina that will be the first carbon neutral athletic field. One of the largest suppliers of athletic turf is using MycoFILL, upcycled from old carpet, in the manufacture of their turf infill that not only keeps the field cooler and is safer for athletes, but eliminates the need for using rubber and microplastics in their manufacturing process.

Implications for the future

Mycocycle’s work represents a significant step forward in sustainable waste management. By harnessing the natural capabilities of mushrooms, the company is addressing one of the construction industry’s most pressing problems in an innovative and environmentally responsible way. As the technology gains traction, it has the potential to revolutionize how waste is handled across multiple industries, setting a precedent for bio-based solutions to global challenges.

In a world where sustainability is increasingly critical, Mycocycle stands as a shining example of how nature and technology can work hand in hand to create a better, greener future.

RT3 Member Mycocycle Raises $3.6 Million to Transform Waste into Sustainable Raw Materials with Fungi

Seed extension comes as company triples R&D footprint and raises production capacity to 40 metric tons of material treated per month.

CHICAGO, May 08, 2024 — Mycocycle, a nature-inspired, woman-owned biotechnology company that uses fungi to transform organic waste into reusable materials, today announced an oversubscribed $3.6 million Seed extension. Closed Loop Partners’ Ventures Group led the round with follow-on investment from the TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good and participation from U.S. Venture, Inc. and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity INVENT Fund.

The funding brings Mycocycle to $7.3 million raised to date and follows the company’s announcement of a $2.2 million Seed round one year ago.

Mycocycle will use the funding to deepen relationships with existing partners for waste materials, further scale its waste-to-value chain, and make key leadership hires for marketing, technology, and operations teams.

Compared to May 2023, Mycocycle now completes over 10 times as many mycelium-based treatments per month. The company’s bioremediation process blends the treatment with built environment waste (asphalt shingles, rubber, gypsum boards, insulation lining, and old textiles) and transforms it into non-toxic, high-quality raw materials.

This circular waste-to-value system diverts some of the roughly 145 million tons of construction debris sent annually to landfills and decarbonizes a sector responsible for nearly a third of annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Mycocycle also helps reduce emissions that are associated with a company’s value chain but outside of its direct control. These emissions, called Scope 3 emissions, come from upstream activity (like raw material production and transport) and downstream activity (like waste disposal). Scope 3 emission reduction is a critical piece of zero-waste corporate responsibility programs.

“Mycocycle helps decarbonize the construction material supply chain through a cost-effective, sustainable process that produces useful raw material for the building industry,” said Joanne Rodriguez, founder and CEO of Mycocycle. “Further, the unique characteristics of mycelium lead to materials that are lightweight, thermally insulating, fire-retardant, and water-repellent.”

There are two main parts of Mycocycle’s circular business model:

Mycelium treatment: Mycocycle helps its customers use fungi to break down and detoxify waste materials at their own demolition or construction sites. Some waste types, like carpet, are treated at the same cost of incineration and other environmentally harmful disposal methods.

Raw material production: Mycocycle produces harvestable raw materials that can go into products like industrial fillers, fibers, or foams. Because they require less energy to go to market, these materials are more sustainable than their counterparts made from plastic polymers or petroleum chemicals.

“Mycocycle embodies Closed Loop Partners’ advancement of a truly circular economy and paints the vision for how rapid decarbonization of the construction supply chain can be profitable for companies today,” said Aly Bryan, Investor at Closed Loop Partners’ Ventures Group. “We are excited to partner with the Mycocycle team in the next phase of growth for the business and to ultimately enable more circular and local processing and production technologies for materials in the built world.”

Treated gypsum waste sits ready for use in industrial fillers and foams. Image Credits: Mycocycle

About Mycocycle
Mycocycle, Inc. is a nature-inspired and woman-owned biotechnology startup that leverages fungi to transform industrial waste into reusable materials. Founded in 2018, the company drives circularity in the construction supply chain and divert wastes from landfills. Mycocycle blends lab-cultivated fungi with debris at the point of waste generation to transform waste into new raw materials. To learn more, visit http://www.mycocycle.com.

RT3 Member Mycocycle Featured on RE:TV as Inspiring Innovation

RE:TV highlights inspiring innovations and ideas that are emerging in response to the climate and biodiversity crisis.

Mycocycle, Inc., a leader in using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste was featured in an episode on RE:TV, an initiative founded by His Majesty King Charles III in 2020 at the World Economic Forum (then HRH the Prince of Wales) to spotlight change makers around the world. The platform seeks innovations that are inspired by nature to address the challenges of the climate crisis.

Mycocycle’s process of using fungi to transform waste materials into a reusable resource captured the attention of RE:TV because of its ability to dramatically reduce the negative impact that the construction industry has on the environment. The resulting biomaterial that is produced is both fire- and water-resistant and can be used in the manufacture of many new products, including building materials, resulting in a true closed-loop ecosystem.

“The waste generated in the construction industry takes up space in landfills and can leach toxins into the air, water and soil,” Mycocyle CEO and Founder Joanne Rodriguez explained in the episode. “For every ton of waste that we treat, we are able to reduce CO2 emissions by almost three metric tons.” The Mycocycle spotlight can be watched on RE:TV’s website.

About Mycocycle

Mycocycle, Inc. is a nature-inspired and woman-owned biotechnology startup that leverages fungi to transform industrial waste into reusable materials. Founded in 2018, the company is on a mission to drive circularity in the construction supply chain and divert waste from landfills with its innovative solution. Mycocycle blends lab-cultivated fungi with debris at the point of waste generation to detoxify hard-to-recycle building materials and turn them into new raw materials. Its customers include companies across the waste management, recycling, and manufacturing industries, as well as companies focused on reducing Scope 3 emissions.

In 2023, Mycocycle was issued a Declare label for its “MycoFILL© G” materials through the International Living Futures Institute, which recognized its products as Red List Chemical Free. Mycocycle is a FastCompany World Changing Ideas finalist and its CEO has been honored as a Environment + Energy Leader Top 100 Leader, Crain’s Chicago Top 50 Sustainability Executive and named to the inaugural Forbes Next 1000 list. To learn more visit www.mycocycle.com.

RT3 Member Mycocycle Joins Chicago H1-B Connect to Support Displaced Tech Workers

The member companies have come together to reinforce that Chicago is a welcoming city for all.

(Bolingbrook, Illinois) January 30, 2023 – Mycocycle, Inc., a leader in using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste, announced that it has joined Chicago H1-B Connect, a coalition of Chicagoland companies who are willing to sponsor the H1-B visas for technology workers who have been displaced in the nationwide technology industry layoffs.

According to the website Layoffs.fyi, over 157,000 tech workers lost their jobs in 2022, and the tech layoff rate isn’t slowing down. Over 50,000 workers at U.S.-based tech companies have been laid off this year alone. When an H1-B technology worker loses their job, they are left with 60 days to find a new one and the company must be willing to sponsor their visa.

“We are proud to be a member of this coalition and demonstrate our commitment to support and attract H-1B visa holders to the Chicago area,” stated Joanne Rodriguez, Mycocycle founder and CEO. “For foreign workers on H-1B status, losing their job jeopardizes their ability to stay in the U.S. Being part of this program is a win for all parties involved as companies benefit from the skills these workers bring to our businesses and the workers benefit by being able to continue living and working in this country.”

About Mycocycle

Mycocycle, Inc. was founded in October 2018. It is a woman-owned, early stage cleantech company using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste. Mycocycle was one-of-seventeen companies worldwide selected to The Circulars Accelerator in 2022 through the World Economic Forum and Accenture, was the winner of the 2021 1871 Momentum Awards as an Industry Disrupter and Chicago Innovation “Up and Comer” Award, recognized as a Finalist in FastCompany’s “2021 World Changing Ideas” Awards issue, recognized as a Forbes “Next1000” Entrepreneur and Energy+Environment Top 100 Leader, selected as a Top 100 Global Deeptech Pioneer by Hello Tomorrow, and a 2020 Innovation selection in the EPA’s Innovation and America Recycle’s Fair. For more information visit www.mycocycle.com.

About Chicago H-1B ConnectLed by P33 and World Business Chicago, the coalition brings together the city’s leading civic organizations including the Commercial Club of Chicago, 1871, the Executives’ Club of Chicago, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, the Corporate Coalition of Chicago, and MATTER, along with Fortune 500 corporations and rapidly scaling, well-funded startups to help support and to retain highly skilled and valuable international talent. For more information, visit gotechchicago.com/h1b/

Industry Partnerships Achieve Positive Results in Pilot Project Using Mushrooms to Decarbonize Construction Waste

Lendlease, Rubicon Technologies, Mycocycle, and Rockwood Sustainable Solutions applied mycology to roofing shingles in what is believed to be a first-of-its kind sustainability study, emphasizing the importance of recycling, reuse, and carbon reduction

Lendlease, Rubicon Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: RBT), Mycocycle, and Rockwood Sustainable Solutions, today announced the completion of a successfully partnered pilot involving used asphalt shingles, mushrooms, and mycoremediation technology to reduce construction and demolition waste in order to produce a sustainable and reusable product to further create a more circular economy.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 11 to 13 million tons of asphalt shingles end up in landfills each year, where they take upwards of 300 years to break down. After seeing the large percentage of waste that was generated by used asphalt roofing shingles from a recent re-roofing project at their Fort Campbell Army installation in Kentucky, Lendlease, Rubicon, Mycocycle, and Rockwood Sustainable Solutions proposed a solution to reuse the material in a new capacity.

“Every asphalt shingle from those 214 homes would have gone to a landfill,” said Sara Neff, Head of Sustainability at Lendlease Americas. “There was simply no viable use for them. We understand the importance of reducing our Scope 3 carbon by diverting waste streams from the landfill. After teaming up with Rubicon, Mycocycle, and Rockwood Sustainable Solutions, we came up with an innovative idea using mycoremediation technology; combining mushrooms and shingles to break down waste materials and create a new by-product that could ideally be reintroduced for reuse, furthering a circular economy.”

Shingle samples were gathered and transported to Rockwood Sustainable Solutions’ facility in Lebanon, Tennessee where Mycocycle, an environmental remediation company that uses fungi to decarbonize waste streams, performed what is believed to be a first-of-its-kind pilot study, mixing the sample with three strains of fungi, a process called mycoremediation.

“The successful completion of this pilot is a fantastic example of environmental innovation in action,” said Nate Morris, Chairman and CEO of Rubicon. “Rubicon’s mission is to end waste, and it is innovations such as these that find second life circular solutions for hard-to-recycle materials. Partnerships, like this one between Rubicon, Lendlease, Mycocycle, and Rockwood Sustainable Solutions are possible when environmental innovation and the circular economy meet.”

“Using mycoremediation to process waste so as to be further recycled and form part of the circular economy is its highest use,” said Joanne Rodriguez, Founder and CEO of Mycocycle. “Our mycelium recycling pilots continue to see excellent results among a wide range of materials, and I’m excited to see where our work, in partnership with Lendlease, Rubicon, and Rockwood Sustainable Solutions, takes us.”

“This partnership has the potential to be a template for the future,” continued Neff. “Of those 11 to 13 million tons of asphalt shingles dumped in landfills each year, only 5-10 percent are being recycled. Taking a product that is no longer viable and combining it with a natural renewable source that results in a new product is a phenomenal outcome that is both beneficial to the environment and bolsters the economy. We are proud of this pilot and our future partnerships with Rubicon, Rockwood Sustainable Solutions, and Mycocycle.”

Alexandra Ewing of Lendlease, Chris Batterson of Rubicon, Lincoln Young of Rockwood Sustainable Solutions, and Joanne Rodriguez of Mycocycle will be hosting a session on the results of this project, titled “Forging a Truly Circular Economy for Toxic C&D Materials,” at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.

Additionally, the team is looking to manufacturers across the building industry and encouraging them to continue to focus on the impact these new materials can have on reducing emissions while making our supply chain more sustainable.

About Lendlease

Lendlease (www.lendlease.com) is a leading global real estate and investment group with operations in Australia, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Our purpose is to create places where communities thrive. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, Lendlease has approximately 7,700 employees internationally. Our core capabilities are reflected in our operating segments of Development, Construction, and Investments. The combination of these three segments provides us with a sustainable competitive advantage and allows us to provide innovative integrated solutions for our customers.

About Rubicon

Rubicon Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: RBT) is a digital marketplace for waste and recycling, and provider of innovative software-based products for businesses and governments worldwide. Creating a new industry standard by using technology to drive environmental innovation, the company helps turn businesses into more sustainable enterprises, and neighborhoods into greener and smarter places to live and work. Rubicon’s mission is to end waste. It helps its partners find economic value in their waste streams and confidently execute on their sustainability goals. To learn more, visit www.Rubicon.com.

About Mycocycle

Mycocycle, Inc. (www.mycocycle.com) was founded in October 2018. It is a woman-owned, early stage cleantech company using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste. Mycocycle was one-of-seventeen companies worldwide selected to The Circulars Accelerator in 2022 through the World Economic Forum and Accenture, was the winner of the 2021 1871 Momentum Awards as an Industry Disrupter and Chicago Innovation “Up and Comer” Award, recognized as a Finalist in FastCompany’s “2021 World Changing Ideas” Awards issue, recognized as a Forbes “Next1000” Entrepreneur and Energy+Environment Top 100 Leader, selected as a Top 100 Global Deeptech Pioneer by Hello Tomorrow, and a 2020 Innovation selection in the EPA’s Innovation and America Recycle’s Fair.

About Rockwood Sustainable Solutions

Rockwood Sustainable Solutions (www.rockwoodrecycling.com) was founded in 2014.  Rockwood began their operations in shingle recycling; collecting materials, processing, and utilizing the shingle in hot mix asphalt in Tennessee.  As the company progressed, they continued to grow through recycling additional construction products including wood, tires, and drywall.  Today, Rockwood is one of Tennessee’s largest construction recycling companies specializing in a variety of material recovery for various end markets.

Forward-Looking Statements 

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release, are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words “could,” “should,” “will,” “may,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” the negative of such terms and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Rubicon Technologies, Inc. (“Rubicon”) and its management, are inherently uncertain; factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: 1) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Rubicon or others following the closing of Rubicon’s business combination with Founder SPAC (the “business combination”); 2) Rubicon’s ability to meet the New York Stock Exchange’s listing standards following the consummation of the business combination; 3) the risk that the business combination disrupts current plans and operations of Rubicon as a result of consummation of the business combination; 4) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the business combination, which may be affected by, among other things, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain its management and key employees; 5) costs related to the business combination; 6) changes in applicable laws or regulations; 7) the possibility that Rubicon may be adversely affected by other economic, business and/or competitive factors; and 8) other risks and uncertainties set forth in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in Rubicon’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and other documents of Rubicon filed or to be filed with the SEC. Although Rubicon believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward looking statements will be achieved. There may be additional risks that Rubicon presently does not know of or that Rubicon currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Rubicon does not undertake, and expressly disclaims, any duty to update these forward-looking statements, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Investor Contact:

Sioban Hickie, ICR, Inc.

rubiconIR@icrinc.com

Media Contact:

Dan Sampson

Chief Marketing & Corporate Communications Officer

dan.sampson@rubicon.com

RubiconPR@icrinc.com


RT3 member Joanne Rodriguez of Mycocycle named to 2021 Environment+Energy Leader 100 Honoree List

The list includes CEOs, VPs, managers and engineers who are all making a difference.

Mycocycle, Inc., a leader in using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste, announced that CEO Joanne Rodriguez has been named to the 2021 Environment+Energy Leader 100 Honoree List.

“It’s exciting to be included among such an elite group of changemakers who are committed to helping the environment,” stated Rodriguez. “Together, this group of honorees will have an impact on the future of how efficiently we use our resources through the development of innovative solutions that lead to a more sustainable environment for coming generations.”

In its fifth year, the annual Environment+Energy Leader 100 recognizes those environment and energy “doers” who break trail in creating new solutions, programs, platforms, best practices, and products to help their companies – or other companies – achieve greater success in commercial and industrial environment and energy management.

“The Honorees on the annual list show groundbreaking work and dedication to the field of sustainability and energy management,” says Paul Nastu, President of Environment+Energy Leader. “We’re thrilled to recognize this year’s Honorees and congratulate all who made the list.”

Nominations for the E+E 100 are made by Environment+Energy Leader readers and others that work in the industry, are vetted and then Environment+Energy Leader team and a select group of advisors from the industry make the final Honoree selections.

About Mycocycle

Mycocycle, Inc. was founded in October 2018. It is a woman-owned, early stage cleantech company using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste. Mycocycle was the winner of the 2021 1871 Momentum Awards as an Industry Disrupter, recognized as a Finalist in FastCompany’s “2021 World Changing Ideas” Awards issue, recognized as a Forbes “Next1000” Entrepreneur, selected as a Top 100 Global Deeptech Pioneer by Hello Tomorrow, and a 2020 Innovation selection in the EPA’s Innovation and America Recycle’s Fair. Mycocycle has been named a 2021 Illinois Qualified New Business Venture under the Angel Investment Tax Credit Program. This program provides Illinois-based investors a state tax credit of 25 percent of their investment up to $2 million. For more information visit www.mycocycle.com.

About Environment+Energy Leader

For fifteen years, Environment+Energy Leader (www.environmentenergyleader.com) has provided news, best practices and research that has influenced environment, energy and sustainability conversations–and powered decision-making. We have a wide range of professional resources, including our website, newsletters, awards programs, webinars, reports, white papers and conferences to help you tackle environment and energy management challenges in order to reduce costs, increase efficiency and minimize resource waste. Environment+Energy Leader is published by Business Sector Media LLC.

RT3 Member Mycocycle Wins 1871 Momentum Award as an Industry Disrupter

The 1871 Momentum Awards is the celebration of tech innovation in Chicago.

(Bolingbrook, Illinois) – Mycocycle, Inc., a leader in using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste, was awarded 1871’s Momentum Award in the Industry Disrupter category. The award is presented to a company that has developed or introduced an ingenious, non-traditional, and innovative product or service that has significantly disrupted the industry.

“It is such an honor to be recognized by 1871 for our efforts to eliminate toxins from waste and turn it into a renewable resource,” said Joanne Rodriguez, Mycocycle founder and CEO. “We’ve received tremendous support from the Chicago-area tech community and are thankful for their recognition of how we are trying to divert waste from landfills and create a more efficient and environmentally friendly waste-to-resource process.”

“Chicago tech is on fire right now, and the 14th Annual Momentum Awards perfectly showcased how our expansive and engaged community of innovators are playing a crucial role in spurring Chicago’s economic recovery and job growth,” said 1871 CEO Betsy Ziegler. “Our group of finalists and winners this year are creating necessary solutions every day that are building a better future in their communities, and it was our honor to come together both in-person and virtually from around the world to celebrate their wonderful achievements.”

About Mycocycle

Mycocycle, Inc. was founded in October 2018. It is a woman-owned, early stage cleantech company using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste. Mycocycle was the winner of the 2021 1871 Momentum Awards as an Industry Disrupter, recognized as a Finalist in FastCompany’s “2021 World Changing Ideas” Awards issue, recognized as a Forbes “Next1000” Entrepreneur, selected as a Top 100 Global Deeptech Pioneer by Hello Tomorrow, and a 2020 Innovation selection in the EPA’s Innovation and America Recycle’s Fair. Mycocycle has been named a 2021 Illinois Qualified New Business Venture under the Angel Investment Tax Credit Program. This program provides Illinois-based investors a state tax credit of 25 percent of their investment up to $2 million. For more information visit www.mycocycle.com.

About The Momentum Awards

The Momentum Awards, now in its 14th year, is an annual celebration of tech innovation across Chicago and beyond, attended by 1871’s full community of innovators, leaders, and civic supporters and partners. It is the largest gathering of the tech community and the primary fundraiser for 1871.

Finalists in all seven categories were selected from a competitive and impressive pool of ~200 nominees. Nominees were generated through public nomination and then deliberated on by 100+ judges who span Chicago’s business and innovation sectors. Winners were determined by a combination of public vote and vote by the 1871 Board of Directors.

Creating a Zero-Waste Roofing Industry

RT3 member Joanna Rodriguez, CEO of Mycocycle, featured for her efforts to eliminate waste in roofing.

With 14 million tons of asphalt shingles hitting landfills each year, Joanne Rodriguez knew that she needed to do something to end this cycle of waste. In a Q&A interview with Roofing & Exteriors, Joanne shared, “When you remove a roof, you have a lot of trash, not just any trash, but construction and demolition debris. Until now, the roofing industry and other asphalt and chemical manufacturers have not been able to achieve zero-waste because the products manufactured were ultimately contaminated with toxic constituents.”

Her company, Mycocycle, uses the science of mushrooms to remove toxins from the waste. The resulting bioproduct is something that can be used in the manufacture of new materials. Through Mycocycle’s process the company addresses the concerns of how to dispose of construction material and how to stay chemically compliant.

The company also makes a huge impact on the environment. “We help lower greenhouse gasses related to waste management activities by almost 3 metric tons of CO2 emissions for every 1 ton of waste diverted. This is how we are disrupting the roofing and construction industries,” explained Joanne during the Q&A.

See the full interview here.

About Mycocycle

Mycocycle, Inc. was founded in October 2018. It is a woman-owned, early stage cleantech company using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste. Mycocycle was recognized as a Finalist in FastCompany’s “2020 World Changing Ideas” Awards issue, a presenter for NREL’s 2020 Industry Growth Forum, a 2020 Innovation selection in the EPA’s Innovation and America Recycle’s Fair, and the winner of the Cleantech Open National 2020 Resiliency Challenge.  Mycocycle has been named a 2021 Illinois Qualified New Business Venture under the Angel Investment Tax Credit Program. This program provides Illinois-based investors a state tax credit of 25 percent of their investment up to $2 million. For more information visit www.mycocycle.com.

RT3 Member Mycocycle Named a Finalist for 1871 Momentum Award as an Industry Disrupter

The 1871 Momentum Awards is the celebration of tech innovation in Chicago.

Mycocycle, Inc., a leader in using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste, was named a finalist for 1871’s Momentum Award in the Industry Disrupter category. The award is presented to a company that has developed or introduced an ingenious, non-traditional, and innovative product or service that has significantly disrupted the industry.

“Having participated in the LatinX+IHCC Incubator at 1871 as one of my very first organizational experiences as a startup, I am delighted to be in contention for this award,” said Joanne Rodriguez, Mycocycle founder and CEO. “It is an exciting time to have a growing company in Chicago and the Midwest. The startup ecosystem is supportive, passionate, and always serves as a source of inspiration for me. We look forward to participating in the 2021 Momentum Awards and can’t wait to celebrate with all of our fellow founders!”

“The finalists for this year’s Industry Disrupter Award are leading the path forward through ingenuity and determination, and we’re thrilled to include Mycocycle among this impressive group,” said 1871 CEO Betsy Ziegler. “Their innovative solutions are transforming old waste practices into eco-friendly market opportunities and building a necessary picture of a potential world without waste. We wish them the best of luck as voting begins.”

The 14th annual 1871 Momentum Awards celebrate tech innovation in Chicago, recognizing outstanding CEOs, rising stars and game-changing companies across seven different award categories. Award winners are chosen through a combination of scores from 1871 judges and public votes. Voting opens August 16 and runs through September 1. Winners will be announced on September 23 at a hybrid awards ceremony.

Place your vote for Mycocycle at https://app.reviewr.com/s1/showcase//Momentum-21.  

About Mycocycle

Mycocycle, Inc. was founded in October 2018. It is a woman-owned, early stage cleantech company using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste. Mycocycle was recognized as a Finalist in FastCompany’s “2020 World Changing Ideas” Awards issue, a presenter for NREL’s 2020 Industry Growth Forum, a 2020 Innovation selection in the EPA’s Innovation and America Recycle’s Fair, and the winner of the Cleantech Open National 2020 Resiliency Challenge.  Mycocycle has been named a 2021 Illinois Qualified New Business Venture under the Angel Investment Tax Credit Program. This program provides Illinois-based investors a state tax credit of 25 percent of their investment up to $2 million. For more information visit www.mycocycle.com.

About 1871

1871 exists to inspire, equip, and support the early stage, growth stage, and corporate innovators that are building extraordinary businesses in their communities. We are the convenor of changemakers, bringing together the right resources, support, and connections that drive growth for businesses across the entire maturity curve, from idea to Fortune 50. Our community is rooted in Chicago with a reach that spans the globe, with over 1,500 members and an expansive network of mentors, corporate sponsors, university partners, VCs, alumni, and policymakers. Learn more at www.1871.com.