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☆ This startup helps plants talk to farmers, reducing pesticides and agricultural waste
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

What if plants could talk to farmers and tell them when they're distressed? That would not only help the plants but also reduce the amount of agricultural waste that threatens the planet's health. Now companies like SatAgro, Climate FieldView, and a California-based startup called InnerPlant are working to reduce agricultural waste. From that signal, farmers know what to treat, meaning they don't waste money on chemicals, which are over-applied by up to 30%, Aronov said. In addition to Bison Ventures, InnerPlant is backed by John Deere, MS&AD Ventures, UpWest VC and Bee Partners.

Persons: Shely Aronov, Aronov, InnerPlant, Tom Biegala, John Deere, Lisa Rizzolo Organizations: Environmental Protection Agency, National Institute of Food, Agriculture, Bison Ventures, InnerPlant, AD Ventures, UpWest, Bee Partners, CNBC Locations: California, North America, South America

It recently unveiled what it calls Vitruvius, an AI program that helps consumers design custom homes online and get the plans, making the process cheaper and faster. Vitruvius can recall every design and possibility it's ever seen, according to Ballard. Though other AI models have gotten into hot water for potential copyright infringement, Ballard said he isn't concerned in this case. "I have no doubt that tools like this are going to change the way that we do things." Ballard said the implications of AI in architecture extend beyond just consumers looking to save on architecture fees.

Persons: Vitruvius, Jason Ballard, Ballard, It's, Leonardo Guzman, Gina McAndrews, I've, McAndrews Organizations: Southwest Locations: U.S, Ballard, Austin , Texas

☆ This startup claims its new homes will generate more energy than they use
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Solar panels and energy-efficient appliances help cut emissions, but more needs to be done to improve building construction. That's what some prefab homebuilders like Dvele, Clever, and a California-based startup called Aro Homes are doing. "The excess renewable energy that we generate after 16 years, that offsets all the carbon that was used to build the home," said Carl Gish, CEO of Aro Homes. "We're not aware of any other home builders in the United States that are building homes as environmentally friendly." Gish points to four critical elements: First, Aro claims to use the most sustainable materials possible, like more timber and less concrete.

Persons: Carl Gish, We're, Gish, Aro, Scott Brady, Lisa Rizzolo Organizations: Aro Homes, Innovation, Western Technology Investment Fund, Stanford University, CNBC Locations: California, United States, Aro

☆ Look inside this startup's self-propelled RV, as camping goes electric
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The $50 billion travel trailer industry is finally hitching up to the electric vehicle ecosystem. As more Americans move to electric cars, the trailer industry has to evolve because the towing runs down the battery quickly. The drag on battery power can make towing an RV long distances with an EV prohibitive. In addition to UpHonest, Pebble is backed by Lightspeed and Vision Plus. With the solar and battery power, the Pebble makers say it can live off the grid for seven days, without propane or a generator required.

Persons: Bingrui Yang, Ellen Ma, Yang, —, Lisa Rizzolo Organizations: Pebble Mobility, Mobility, Apple, UpHonest, Lightspeed, Vision, CNBC PRO Locations: Winnebago, California

☆ This startup CEO claims he can completely decarbonize the cement industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Brimstone Energy, a California-based startup, is one of several companies trying to reduce the carbon emissions from the production of cement, which accounts for about 8% of global carbon emissions. Unlike limestone, however, the silicate rock contains no CO2, so there are no such emissions associated with the production process. Last July it received certification that its product is essentially the same as Portland cement. Not only does the silicate rock Brimstone uses not emit carbon, it actually absorbs carbon. "Ultimately, our plan, our goal would be to develop a credibly lower-cost process to make Portland cement at scale.

Persons: Cody Finke, Finke, Cooper, Lisa Rizzolo Organizations: Brimstone Energy, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, DCVC, Fund, S2G Ventures, CNBC Locations: California, Portland

☆ This startup is helping the ocean absorb more harmful carbon emissions
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The ocean, often likened to the lungs of the planet, is the world's largest natural carbon sink. Now, companies such as Equatic, Captura, Running Tide and a startup called Ebb Carbon are using new technology to restore ocean chemistry and speed up its natural abilities. "We're restoring the balance in the ocean chemistry and enabling the ocean to absorb CO2 and convert it to a safe stable form," said Ben Tarbell, co-founder and CEO of Ebb Carbon. "Right now, there are very large voluntary carbon markets, large corporations willing to pay to remove carbon from the atmosphere to offset emissions in other parts of their business. In addition to Prelude, Ebb Carbon is backed by Evok Innovations, Congruent Ventures and Propeller.

Persons: it's, Ben Tarbell, Tarbell, Gabriel Kra, Lisa Rizzolo Organizations: Ebb, Ventures, Prelude Ventures, Evok, CNBC Locations: Sequim Bay, Washington

☆ EverestLabs is using robotic arms and A.I. to make recycling more efficient
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Until now, determining what exactly is in the vast mess of garbage that arrives at recycling plants has been a dirty and difficult job. Now, companies such as AMP Robotics, Machinex, Recycleye and a California-based startup called EverestLabs are using AI and robotics to do just that. "Because of AI, because of the robotic arms, we have seen plants recover 10, 20, 30% more than what they have been doing previously," said JD Ambati, CEO of EverestLabs. "They have been losing millions of dollars to the landfill, and because of AI, they were able to identify the value of the losses and deploy robotic arms to capture that." Add to that robotic arms, which he says recover the packaging three to four times more effectively than humans.

Persons: Ambati, Tom Outerbridge, Lisa Rizzolo Organizations: AMP Robotics, Labor, SMR, Translink Capital, NEC, Future, Sierra Ventures, Morado Ventures, Xplorer, CNBC Locations: California

☆ This Black-owned startup is fixing and learning from broken EV charging stations
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

With electric vehicle adoption accelerating, so too is the need servicing public charging stations. Unlike fixing an old gas pump, some companies are using technology to both service and learn from the stations, to improve EV charging technology. More than one-quarter of public EV charging stations were found to be nonfunctioning, according to a survey done in California by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and Cool the Earth, an area nonprofit. barely three years ago and says the company is now servicing EV charging stations across 17 states. That data set can be helpful to network providers, EV and charging station manufacturers, plus governments, according to Terry.

Persons: Terry, ChargerHelp, it's, Vaughn Blake, Lisa Rizzolo Organizations: EV, University of California, Smart, Central, Duke Energy, Southern, Southern California Edison, Blue Bear, Energy Impact Partners, JFF Ventures, Exelon Foundation, Autodesk Foundation, CNBC Locations: California, Berkeley, Central Los Angeles, Southern California

☆ This kitchen composter turns your leftovers into chicken feed
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

More than one-third of the food produced in the United States is never eaten, and all that wasted food is contributing to global warming. Rogers, who also co-founded Nest smart home systems, says Mill differentiates itself among kitchen composters by keeping food as food… turning it into chicken feed. Not only does it reduce waste in landfills, but the goal is to reduce the amount of chicken feed that needs to be produced, thereby reducing those carbon emissions as well. "We sell our feed to farmers as an ingredient to chicken feed, which actually helps subsidize the membership," Rogers said. "There are millions of people that already compost across the United States.

☆ Plant-based salmon startup capitalizes on rising interest in fake seafood
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

While the plant-based burger wars have been waging for several years now, plant-based fish is just in its infancy. As demand for seafood alternatives grows, so too do names like Plantish, Sophie's Kitchen, Gardein, Good Catch and Toronto-based startup New School Foods, which specializes in plant-based salmon. But unlike most plant-based meat products, which are precooked, ground and often formed into patties or nuggets, this is whole and raw. He noted that unlike fake meat, which is usually more expensive than the real thing, fake fish could be cheaper for consumers since the cost of real fish has skyrocketed. In addition to Lever VC, New School Foods is backed by Blue Horizon, Hatch, Good Startup, Alwyn Capital and Joyance Partners.

☆ Saudi Aramco backs Brooklyn-based startup turning ammonia into fuel
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

New technology and new companies are working on turning ammonia into hydrogen to power tractors, trucks and even ships. The technology enables the on-board "cracking" (or decomposition) of ammonia into hydrogen, which is then sent into a fuel cell to power a vehicle. "We are partnering a lot with industry stakeholders in shipping and heavy manufacturing in heavy industries. One of Amogy's investors, Saudi Aramco, is the largest petroleum producer in the world, but sees ammonia as part of its future. In addition to Saudi Aramco, Amogy is backed by Amazon 's Climate Pledge Fund, AP Ventures, SK Innovation and DCVC.

☆ Airbnb launches platform allowing renters to host apartments, partnering with major landlords
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Airbnb is partnering with several major landlords and management companies to list designated apartment buildings where renters are allowed to offer short-term sublets on the site. To start, Airbnb is showcasing 175 apartment buildings in more than 25 major markets, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Seattle and Phoenix. The platform will help tenants host their rentals, and help the buildings attract tenants who may want to host. Apartment buildings can also charge the primary tenant a fee of up to 20% of the price of each Airbnb use. "We are collaborating with Airbnb on this innovative approach to participate in the 21st century sharing economy in a thoughtful way."

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