NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / July 17, 2025 / The Biomimicry Institute, a nonprofit championing a Nature Positive, inclusive, and regenerative future, has announced the ten startups selected for the 2025 Ray of Hope Accelerator. Kicking off in September and spanning over the following six months, these nature-inspired ventures will join a nature retreat, receive $15,000 in non-dilutive funding, and access over $50,000 worth of resources, services, expert support, mentorship, and tools to fast-track their path to market.
"Chosen from hundreds of global applicants, this year's cohort brings some new regions and diversity to the Ray of Hope portfolio and proves that nature is not just a source of inspiration, it's a blueprint for breakthrough innovation," said Amanda Sturgeon, CEO of the Biomimicry Institute "I'm especially grateful for the invaluable guidance and dedication of our Advisory Committee members, whose insights challenged us to go deeper and ensure we're supporting ventures that deliver lasting, meaningful impact." The 2025 cohort expands the accelerator's global reach, including its first startups from Colombia and the Netherlands. "We are so proud of the growth in The Biomimicry Institute's Ray of Hope Accelerator." said John A. Lanier, Executive Director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, who has funded the Ray of Hope program for a decade. "It is noteworthy, and exciting, to see that this cohort spans three continents and includes companies with substantial leadership from women and immigrants. It shows the power and strength in diversity, a lesson found throughout the natural world."
True to its catalytic nature, the startups span a range of development stages, from early proof-of-concept through to completed real-world pilots. The Ray of Hope Accelerator is also introducing several firsts for the program, including innovations addressing wildfire prevention, biomimicry-enhanced plant cell culture, Amazonian seed-inspired low-wind-speed energy generation and aquatic root-inspired microplastic filters. Each startup uniquely complements the growing portfolio of nature-inspired startups while aligning deeply with the Biomimicry Institute's mission to address the climate change and biodiversity loss polycrisis through transforming the take-make-waste paradigm by reconnecting people and nature - here's how:
ANEW Material, New York, New York, USA - Reimagines coatings and adhesives that mimic the adhesion strategies of mussels, sticky bacteria, and geckos, using a proprietary plant-based green chemistry with no plastics or harmful solvents required.
Emboa Medical, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA - Develops a catheter for safe, effective blood-clot removal in narrow vessels, using a boa constrictor fang-inspired tip to reduce disability and procedural time. A Purdue University-licensed startup.
Ecotune, Irvine, California, USA - Pioneers of 100% bio-based materials engineered from the molecular level up, to mimic the structure and performance of leather. Enabling circularity and reducing carbon footprint, Ecotune's innovative materials achieve both durability and biodegradability.
Limax Biosciences, Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Develops next-generation bio-based surgical adhesives inspired by the Dusky Arion slug's mucus to rapidly seal bleeding tissue in surgical and trauma care. Spun out of the Wyss Institute at Harvard.
New Dawn Bio, Wageningen, The Netherlands - Grows premium pre shaped wood, by leveraging how trees build wood on a cellular level, addressing the need for logging and helping preserve the world's biodiversity-rich forests.
OptionV Energy, Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Mimics the selective metal-binding biology of Amanita mushrooms to recover high-purity vanadium from industrial waste cleanly, efficiently, and at low temperatures, enabling affordable long-duration energy storage and resilient critical mineral supply chains. Advancing technology developed at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Parsons Kinetics, Bogotá, Colombia - Develops wind turbine blades inspired by the Triplaris Americana seed to enable efficient renewable energy generation at low wind speeds that supports distributed power access.
Polygone Systems, Princeton, New Jersey, USA - Engineers biomimetic microplastic filters inspired by floating plant roots to efficiently capture and recover microplastics at scale. Spun out of Princeton University.
Praio, Emeryville, California, USA - Replicates early cell-like structures as an enabling technology to power efficient, low-carbon biomanufacturing. Spun-out of UCLA.
Pyri, London, UK - Develops scalable wildfire detection devices that naturally degrade after use. Inspired by heat-activated serotinous pine cones, its bio-based organic electronics provide early wildfire warnings without relying on toxic batteries or electronics. Spun out of Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art.
To kick off the program, the founders of the 2025 Ray of Hope Accelerator cohort will take the stage during a special reception at New York Climate Week on Thursday, September 25. Held at Brickworks Design Studio on 5th Avenue, it will feature rapid-fire pitches from all ten startups, offering a first look at these cutting-edge, nature-inspired solutions.
RSVP here: https://lu.ma/sz5xg9a2
"Each year, I'm inspired by the ingenuity and courage of the startups we welcome into the Ray of Hope Accelerator, and this 2025 cohort is no exception." said Janine Benyus, Co-Founder of the Biomimicry Institute. "These ventures demonstrate that when we turn to nature not just for inspiration but for guidance, we can create solutions that are both innovative and deeply impactful. I have so much hope knowing that these brilliant founders are leading the way toward a Nature Positive future."
Now in its sixth year, the Ray of Hope Accelerator is moving forward with its six-month format following a successful pilot in 2024, thanks to a partnership with the Bentley Environmental Foundation, in addition to the support of its keystone partner the Ray C. Anderson Foundation and corporate innovation partner L'Oréal.
To learn more about the Ray of Hope Accelerator and discover ways to get involved, visit our website.
Natural inspiration from the Ray of Hope Accelerator
View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Ray C. Anderson Foundation on 3blmedia.com.
Contact Info:
Spokesperson: Ray C. Anderson Foundation
Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/ray-c-anderson-foundation
Email: info@3blmedia.com
SOURCE: Ray C. Anderson Foundation
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/the-biomimicry-institute-announces-the-2025-ray-of-hope-accelera-1049743
