Sustainable Brands Innovation Open Finalists Selected for Sustainable Business Competition

BURLINGAME, Calif., May 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sustainable Life Media announced the top 12 Sustainable Brands Innovation Open (SBIO) finalists who will be given a full pass to the conference along with the opportunity to pitch to the Innovation Open judges and attendees on Thursday, June 9 in the Steinbeck Theater. Finalists are required to present a live pitch to a panel of judges and will have shared exhibit space during the conference. 

"There is an amazing array of finalists this year," said KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz, CEO of Sustainable Life Media (SLM). "We had more entrants that previous years across both consumer and B2B sectors, including energy creation, social innovation, cause communications, personal care products and socially responsible financial access.  The range of creativity we will be showcasing during Thursday's competition is truly inspiring and not to be missed. We encourage the investment community (VCs, Angels and private investors) to attend SBIO to be inspired by these new ideas, vote for favorites and meet the winners and finalists."

Sustainable Brands Innovation Open Finalists

Agri-Tech Producers cost-effectively converts plant and woody biomass into a renewable coal substitute, as well as an enhanced feedstock, from which gasification processes can more efficiently make renewable liquid fuels or energy; various biochars; and an environmentally friendly alternative to charcoal.

Conatix deploys a new business intelligence system based on machine learning technology to rapidly build a comprehensive database tracking global sustainability finance transactions and trends—new tools for a new sector.  Conatix addresses the $8 billion rapidly growing market for sustainability finance data, analysis and consulting.

Drink Eat Well (DEW) was founded by Midwest restaurateur Hilary Brown as an extension of her World's Best Veggie Burger for her Local Burger sustainable fast food chain.  Their products are the only gluten-free, non-GMO food products on the market.

Greenlighted is a movement of individuals, brands, and causes committing to do good in the world.  By offering deals and coupons, Greenlighted raises a $1 million fund for 50 causes that will be selected via online voting to receive a share of the $1 million.  Then, they do it over and over again.

HyCLo provides on-demand, on-site machines that deliver the world's most effective and safest wide spectrum disinfectant (hypochlorous acid) and cleaners (sodium hydroxide) - reducing cost and removing the need for chemical transport, storage, mixing, and disposal of used containers; while consuming only electrical power, tap water, and table salt.

Just Shea is a social business that supports shea nut commodity currently being wild harvested and processed by over 600,000 women and girls in Ghana and growing in use by the cosmetics and confections manufacturing sectors.  All net profits from the sale of Just Shea products will be reinvested in women shea harvesters through its 501c3 One Village Planet-Women's Development Initiative.

Kopo Kopo offers a software-as-a-service that enables the 30 million Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa to affordably integrate with mobile money systems.  The first to offer this service on a subscription basis, Kopo Kopo is positioned to be the leading mobile money payment gateway in sub-Saharan Africa.  

One World Futbol manufactures and distributes the One World Futbol—a unique, patent-pending, ultra-durable, non-inflated soccer ball that solves a fundamental problem of "regular" balls: when used in the harsh environments, an inflated ball soon goes flat and becomes useless.  One World Futbol stands up to such conditions and keeps the joy of play alive.  For retail sales, the Project uses a "Give One, Get One" sales model, donating one ball for every one sold.

Skip to Renew is utilizing plant and algae-based oils to create sustainable bio-based lubricants using algae -- one of nature's most abundant and renewable sources.

Vers is a compact sound system and mobile accessories brand founded in 2007 with the mission to deliver good design & great performance - with a significantly lower environmental impact in all aspects of products and the business resulting in a carbon-negative impact since inception.

Voz is a contemporary fair trade fashion company that uses design innovation to aid indigenous Mapuche artisans escape poverty by bringing designers and master weavers together to produce modern, sustainable, and trend-driven fashion accessories that represent ethnic culture and appeal to the mainstream boutique market.

Who Gives a Crap is a brand of environmentally friendly toilet paper that uses 50% of its profits to build toilets in the developing world by tackling the serious issue of sanitation in a fun way and will provide composting toilets to 500,000 people annually with just 1% of the market.

About Sustainable Brands '11

Well over 125 confirmed business strategy, product design and communication leaders are on deck to share their latest thinking on the future of sustainable brands include Jeffrey Hollender, Chris Laszlo, Arthur Rubinfeld, Ron Saich and Chip Conley, with new insights and case studies presented from GE, Unilever, Nestle Purina, Ford, Best Buy, Disney, Dell and dozens more.  The Sustainable Brands conference uniquely brings together business and brand strategists, leaders of insights and innovation and sustainability executives with the ecosystem of organizations that support them, for three days of extraordinary conversation, inspiration and insights to map new strategies and tactics for driving profitable innovation for sustainability in brands. Confirmed lead sponsors of SB'11 include SAP and Hewlett Packard, as well as BBMG, Citizen Group, Cohn & Wolfe, CSRwire, Domtar, EcoBonus, PR Newswire, Saatchi & Saatchi S., Shelton Group and others. Teams from 3M, Green Mountain Coffee, Johnson & Johnson, UPS, Coca-Cola, General Mills, Target, SC Johnson, Unilever, REI, Recyclebank and hundreds more have already registered to attend, and a full house is expected.  

About Sustainable Life Media

Sustainable Life Media (SLM) is the leading international producer of sustainable business conferences and educational events, with products and services designed for the sustainable business community including membership, targeted e-newsletters, online learning programs, community, SB Insights Research and the flagship Sustainable Brands conference.

Contact:
Sasha Fedulow
Cohn & Wolfe
Office:  415.365.8552
[email protected]

SOURCE Sustainable Life Media