The Biomimicry Institute launches Ray of Hope Accelerator Program

They accelerate the growth of nature-inspired startups to scale systemic solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Every year, they support a cohort of 10 high-impact nature-inspired startups, spanning from Pre-seed to Series A stages and representing various sectors and regions.

Funding Information

• Each selected startup receives $15,000 in non-dilutive funding and over $50,000 worth of in-kind services. This includes tailored coaching, investor introductions, a four-day Nature Retreat, and comprehensive training materials covering topics such as Impact and Sustainability Business Training, Innovation Storytelling & Amplification, DEI, and Founder Mental Health.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible, you need to meet a certain number of requirements:
  • Nature-inspired solutions are a broad classification of innovation that encompasses a great number of technology categories. At their accelerator, a nature-inspired solution draws inspiration from the natural world, often adapting biological principles and properties, ecological relationships or other aspects of nature’s strategies to address humanity’s greatest environmental challenges.
  • Your Nature-Inspired Solution(s) may be:
    • Grounded in deep scientific research – like Retein
    • Evolved from an understanding of biological systems – like Mycocycle
    • Enabling bio-inspired solutions – like Fusion Bionic
  • Historically, the nature-inspired startups they support fit within at least one of the following verticals:
    • Chemistry and Materials
    • Built Environment
    • Manufacturing and Advanced Robotics
    • Renewable Energy
    • Transportation and Mobility
    • Food and Agriculture
    • Conservation and Remediation
    • Life Sciences and Medtech
    • Biotechnology
    • Consumer Products, Cosmetics, Textiles
    • Water
    • BlueTech
    • Climate Tech
  • They support early-stage startups at the Pre-Seed, Seed and Series A stages. Most startups entering their program have a working prototype (i.e.: achieved a Technology Readiness Level of 4) and secured between $250,000 and $5M in funding (friends and family, grants, private investor, VC). There are exceptions, however, and they encourage you to apply as they will evaluate your fit within the program holistically.
  • As a global accelerator program, they welcome applicants from all over the world.
  • Your startup must be established with a legal entity before entering the accelerator program and receiving the allocated non-dilutive funding. Historically startups they have supported have two or more full time team members.
  • At least one founder/executive team member must actively engage with the accelerator by participating in the program, submitting deliverables and attending the mandatory in-person week (including a 4 day Nature Retreat).

Selection Criteria

• When their internal team and external Advisory Committee members review your application, they will be evaluating your entry on the following criteria:
  • Is the problem you are tackling worth solving? Is the potential market size large enough for sustained business growth, and aligned with the expectations of possible funding sources? What traction have you been able to gain with your solution?
  • Is the technology potentially disruptive? Does your solution demonstrate the potential for a sustainable competitive advantage (uniqueness, economically)?
  • Is your solution based upon or modeled after a strategy found in nature? Do you clearly communicate the science behind your inspiration and technology?
  • What are the environmental and social implications of your solution? How does your startup make the world a better place? How does your company align with the UN SDGs?
  • Does your team have the key people, diversity, and core capabilities you need to get to the next key milestones?

For more information, visit The Biomimicry Institute.