7 sustainable startups that will inspire you to go green

The escalating climate crisis, unfolding energy demands, and broader geopolitical turmoil have had an increasingly damaging impact on the planet. But in the same breath, there are also eco-friendly startups stepping up to the plate, whose primary purpose is to tackle environmental concerns head-on. 

From preventing food waste to creating a circular economy of conscious consumers, impact-driven startups are showing the world that there’s a difference between being a green project and greenwashing – misinforming the public to get their hands on the green dollar. Here are the top sustainability startups pushing forward the COP27 goals and building a more sustainable future for generations to come.

Wasteless: The AI company that’s addressing climate change Did you know that in Europe alone, 153 million tonnes of food end up on dumping sites, while food waste in the United States accounts for roughly 30-40 percent of the food supply? Israel-based company Wasteless, founded in 2016, employs dynamic pricing models to cut down on food waste in grocery stores. The model uses AI to learn from customer behavior in independent stores so it can adjust the price of perishable items, according to the expiration date, demand, and inventory — thus incentivizing customers to buy and use them sooner. 

The company is backed by $9.75 million in funding and has already partnered with agencies including EIT Food, Deloitte, and The Stores Consulting Group to bring its turnkey solution to major supermarket chains including METRO, Hoogvliet, and MACRO stores with further expansions planned. Wasteless has received numerous awards and accolades, most recently, the 2022 EU Seal of Excellence.

Cultivated B: Making nutrition and health an affordable reality

After a year and a half of research and development, The Cultivated B (TCB) emerged out of stealth in late 2022. The German research-driven, bioengineering company is on a mission to push forward the cellular agriculture and precision fermentation industries by providing access to plant-based and cell-based alternative protein sources. Imagine life-saving pharmaceuticals that could be manufactured from soybeans or if the proteins from your skin creme could come from your indoor plants. TCB will provide licenses, products, and new technologies to enable other businesses to produce alternative protein, including lab-grown meat at an industrial scale. TCB’s technology will serve as the stepping stone for massive food corporations to transition their protein products into more sustainable and healthier solutions. 

When it comes to the cellular agriculture industry, TCB has received the largest round of seed funding in Europe. The company has recently expanded with a manufacturing facility and innovation hub spanning 130 000 square feet in Ontario, Canada, and announced its latest partnership with Ontario Genomics, a not-for-profit organization to drive economic development within the region.

Cyber switching: Managing energy with innovative power solutions  The startup developing top-quality products that are helping the world transition away from fossil fuels and toward the future smart grids is Cyber Switching Inc. Founded in 1994, the company's EV charging solution is aimed at delivering efficiency, reducing pollution, and ultimately going green. Cyber Switching is constantly expanding its product line which includes Cyber Switching Dualcom Units, Cyber Switching Submetering Hubs, EV Master Controllers, and Cyber chargers. The company recently partnered with Datametrex Electric Vehicle Solutions (DM EVS) to integrate its level-2 smart charger which is a faster, more powerful charger that can withstand any weather conditions.

Cyber Switching has built numerous patented solutions for office spaces, apartment blocks, universities, and local governments. It has even offered a mobile app to help with payment collections, and monitor and control the Cyber Charger technology remotely. They have already worked with some of the most acclaimed institutions including HP, Adobe, PG&E, and Princeton University.

VeganNation: Promoting a healthier planet for all Founded in 2017, VeganNation is a crypto-powered global community that is a beacon for conscious consumerism, sustainability, and 100% cruelty-free living. The company is passionate about driving more sustainable lifestyles by connecting conscious consumers with entrepreneurs that are offering sustainable, organic, and ethical goods and services. In turn, these innovators gain greater exposure worldwide. VeganNation connects its community with its designated marketplace, payment solution, and community-based digital currency – GreenCoin (GRNC). By connecting consumers with diverse organizations that live up to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, VeganNation makes conscious consumerism and accessible trading, maintainable – while making it look easy. 

Most recently, VeganNation joined forces with FC Barcelona (Barça) as the clubs' sponsor for their kit for the next three seasons. Together they will work on different projects that will bring awareness to sustainable practices and the benefits of the circular economy. This powerful partnership also enables VeganNation to spread the word on the club's digital platforms.

Sensibo: Bringing indoor climate management with a reduced carbon footprint Keeping indoor spaces at a comfortable temperature through heating and cooling uses a lot of energy – roughly 43 percent – and in turn, contributes to poor air quality and a higher carbon footprint. Combatting these numbers is a climate tech company and detector of indoor pollutants, Sensibo. Since 2014, this company has worked to marry intelligent temperature control and improved air quality with its AI-based methods that at the same time reduce energy waste in homes and promote healthy living with its air quality sensors and purifiers. 

In 2022, Sensibo’s products helped thousands of households and businesses enjoy cleaner air, while also reducing emissions and their energy bills. The company recently expanded its product line with the Sensibo Elements Indoor Air Quality Monitor which detects the level of various indoor pollutants, monitors humidity – a leading cause of illness and mold – and alerts the user on their app with suggestions on how to rectify the issue.

AquaMaof: Pushing for sustainable seafood production 

Aquaculture is essentially farming in water, with fish and other aquatic plants, but AquaMaof has taken this concept to the next level with its cost-efficient indoor aquaculture technology that increases access to fresh, nutritional, and tasty seafood. The company is led by a team of fish farmers, and aquaculture and technology experts with over thirty years of experience. 

Aquaculture offers a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) technology solution and works directly with customers to understand their exact specifications and the species of fish they specialize in. AquaMaof, then designs a unique land-based facility to meet their needs. 

The company has already worked on projects in more than 50 sites around the world and has research and development training hubs where their solution delivers hundreds of tons of smolt and Atlantic salmon per year. AquaMaof has helped teams grow over 16 different species of fish with their production facilities in locations like Japan and Sweden which work with trout, shrimp, catfish, and more. 

Biome Makers: recovering soil health one farm at a time  Before, agronomists lacked the extent of tools needed to predict the seasonal needs of their crops and soil at a microbial level. Today, Biome Makers is one of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies for 2022, according to Fast Company. Founded in 2015, Biome Makers supports farmers around the globe with their AI-based virtual assistant for soil management, health, and tailored farming methods. 

Its end-to-end solution, BeCrop®, boasts one of the largest global databases for detailed reporting and uses DNA Sequencing and Intelligent Computing to track bio-indicators. In addition, the technology shares ecological insights and analytics on biodiversity, soil fertility, and health which has helped more than 2 000 customers increase their crop yields and make informed decisions.

Eco-friendly businesses are the way of the future Sustainability is no longer a niche issue and environmentally sound practices are not simply nice to have. It’s an imperative move for businesses at this juncture. While the majority of companies are still lagging behind, green tech and environmentally-sound solutions are rapidly setting a new standard for other tech businesses. Hopefully, their exemplary influence will soon help other startups realize that they too can and should update their approach to sustainability.