Ecovative is developed from a university project of founders Eben Bayer and Gavin McIntyre. In their Inventor's Studio course at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute taught by Burt Swersey, Eben and Gavin developed and then patented a method of growing a mushroom-based insulation, initially called Greensulate before founding Ecovative Design in 2007. In 2007 they were awarded $16,000 from the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance. Since 2008, when they were awarded $700,000 first place in the Picnic Green Challenge the company has developed and commercialized production of a protective packaging called EcoCradle that is now used by Dell, Puma SE, and Steelcase. In 2010 they were awarded $180,000 from the National Science Foundation and in 2011 the company received investment from 3M New Ventures, TheDOEN Foundation, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute allowing them to double their current staff of 25. In spring 2012, Ecovative Design opened a new production facility and announced a partnership with Sealed Air to expand production of the packaging materials. In 2014 their material was used in a brick form in 'Hy-Fi', a tower displayed in New York by the Museum of Modern Art and they started selling 'grow-it-yourself' kits.
Mushroom materials
'Mushroom materials' are a novel class of renewable biomaterial grown from fungal mycelium and low-value non-food agricultural materials using a patented process developed by Ecovative Design. After being left to grow in a former in a dark place for about five days during which time the fungal mycelial network binds the mixture, the resulting light robust organic compostable material can be used within many products, including building materials, thermal insulation panels and protective packaging. The process uses an agricultural waste product such as cotton hulls, cleaning the material, heating it up, inoculating it to create growth of the fungal mycelium, growing the material for period of about five days, and finally heating it to make the fungus inert. During growth, the material's shape can be molded into various products including protective packaging, building products, apparel, car bumpers, or surfboards. The environmental footprint of the products is minimized through the use of agricultural waste, reliance on natural and non-controlled growth environments, and home compostable final products. The founders intention is that this technology should replace polystyrene and other petroleum-based products that take many years to decompose, or never do so.
Protective packaging
A renewable and compostable replacement for polystyrene packaging, that is also referred to as 'EcoCradle.
An insulation product is under development. Trials of 'Greensulate', a former product, were conducted at a Vermont school gym in May 2009. The product was later dropped when the company switched focus to the manufacture of protective packaging.
Other uses
Ecovative offer a 'Grow-it-yourself' kit allowing people to create mushroom materials themselves, used to create products including lamp shades. Working with the University of Aachen, Dutch designer Eric Klarenbeek's used 3D printing technology to gown a chair without using plastic, metal or wood.
Media
featured the composite insulation in its 2009 Invention Awards. Season 6, Episode 8 of, also featured the insulation as lab technicians tested the materials' flame resistant properties after finding particles on a victim's clothing. Packaging World magazine featured Ecovative on its July 2011 cover, suggesting that the company is poised to "be a game changer in various industries." The World Economic Forum also recognized Ecovative as a Technology Pioneer in 2011. Additionally, the founders were featured on the PBS show, Biz Kid$, in episode 209, "The Green Economy & You."
Support
The development of the material and processes has been supported by the Picnic Green Challenge, the Environmental Protection Agency, National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, ASME, the National Science Foundation, NYSERDA, 3M New Ventures, The DOEN Foundation, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a license agreement with Sealed Air. In addition to an array of awards, Ecovative's materials have been extensively highlighted in Material ConneXion libraries around the world.
