Hello Fellow Food Waste Fighters,
Welcome to the first of ReFED’s quarterly Capital & Innovation newsletters!
There’s a lot going on in the fight against food waste. It’s our mission to keep you up to speed on all the latest developments within the ecosystem.
What you can expect from these newsletters: the latest happenings at ReFED, opportunities for capital providers and innovators to get involved, important news from the field, and more.
As a member of our community, your input is incredibly valuable. This newsletter is a work in progress so if you have any suggestions, feedback, or news you’d like highlighted in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Keep up the good fight!
Alexandria Coari, Capital & Innovation Director
Updates From ReFED
Great Minds Think Differently: Diverse Group at Innovator Workshop Accelerates Food Waste Solutions
Weren’t able to attend the US Food Waste Summit and Innovator Workshop in Boston this past June? Read the highlights here!
Emily Gousen Joins ReFED as Capital & Innovation Manager
We’re excited to welcome Emily as the newest member of the organization. In her role, she will be supporting innovators fighting food waste by helping them scale their businesses and get the funding they need to grow their impact. Emily is passionate about using economics and data to find sustainable solutions that make smart business sense, and brings 10 years of experience working in academia, government, nonprofit, and private business sectors. Emily brings with her a depth of knowledge in food waste tracking and measurement, agricultural production and sustainability, strategic sourcing, and innovation mentorship to food-based startups.
Opportunities to Get Involved
ReFED to Host Food Waste Innovation Demo Day at SOCAP
ReFED will be hosting an interactive demo day featuring innovators who are at the forefront of tackling the food waste challenge. Six impact-driven innovators will pitch their projects in front of an expert panel of funders who will serve as judges. Pitch slots have already been filled, but pick up your tickets to the conference here and make sure to join us for what is sure to be an exciting event!
ReFED Joins FoodBytes! as a Community Partner: Open Call for Applications Closes August 12
We’re excited to support Rabobank’s FoodBytes! pitch competition, which has a rich history of highlighting several food waste innovators including Imperfect Produce, ReGrained, Seal the Seasons, and Smallhold. The next-gen food and agriculture pitch competition returns to NYC on Oct 17 & 18. Apply today to take part in a day-long mentorship intensive and then pitch your business to hundreds of corporates, investors, and media. Past judges and mentors include Justin Gold of Justin’s, Robyn O’Brien of Allergy Kids Foundation, Chuck Templeton of S2G Ventures, and Rob Leclerc of AgFunder. Learn more about the selection criteria and apply to pitch by Sunday, August 12 HERE. Reach out to [email protected] with any questions.
News From the Field
Apeel Sciences Gets a Raise
An innovative company that makes a natural peel to help produce last longer has secured $70 million to help it expand. Next up: Apeel plans to apply their tech to citrus and asparagus.
The Uber of Food Waste is Now Operating in Denver
Copia uses tech to match food donations with organizations in need—and it’s partnered with Denver Food Rescue to serve the Mile High City.
How Smart Technology is Helping to Solve a $990 Billion Problem
Winnow has developed smart technology that allows professional kitchens to monitor and reduce food waste and lower costs.
Everything Entrepreneurs Need to Know About Variable Payment Obligations
John Kohler, executive fellow and director of financial innovation programs at the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University, has pioneered a new investment vehicle that presents investors with a ‘structured exit’ alternative to equity and propels social enterprises to positive cash flow.
From Research to Real-World Application: A New Approach to Slippery Packaging Aims to Cut Food Waste
New research out of Virginia Tech develops a novel technology that helps sticky foods come out of their packaging much more easily, and now can be applied to everyday packaging materials. Join our mailing list to receive future ReFED newsletters.