The Roddenberry Foundation Awards $1.5 Million Prize For Early-Stage Ventures supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals, working toward a sustainable future

LOS ANGELES, March 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Roddenberry Foundation today announced the six awardees of its biennial $1.5 million Prize to support audacious early-stage science and technology ventures that contribute to the United Nations Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Founded by Rod and Heidi Roddenberry, The Roddenberry Foundation supports innovative thinking, original ideas, and extraordinary people who will change the world. Since 2016, the biennial Roddenberry Prize has been awarded to ventures that hold the promise for a more equitable and prosperous world in which everyone – regardless of background – can thrive.

The 2023 Grand Prize ($1mil) has been awarded to Elypta for their trail-blazing development of the first metabolism-based test for early cancer detection, advancing a paradigm shift towards earlier and more curative cancer treatment. The Swedish-based company's efforts to detect cancer prior to any symptoms is a "breakthrough", according to Karl Bergman, Elypta's CEO, with potential to save tens of thousands of lives every year if the company succeeds.

"We're incredibly excited by Elypta's potential for a healthier and more prosperous future," said Rod Roddenberry, son of Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry. "My father believed in a world free of pain and suffering and Elypta, through their groundbreaking cancer detection test, is getting us closer to that reality."

The Roddenberry Prize is founded on Gene Roddenberry's belief in the "remarkable" potential for human ingenuity and his confidence in our collective wisdom and creativity to build a better future.

The five finalists for the Prize receive $100,000 each:

• Andes Ag, for their novel seed treatment technology that utilizes microorganisms for soil carbon capture and greatly reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers.
• Vesta, a clean technology pioneer harnessing the power of the oceans and carbon-removing sand to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and enhance coastal resilience
• Avalo for its leading-edge AI platform that accelerates natural crop evolution critical to the future of agriculture.
• Thylacine Biosciences for their technology platform that enables non-scientists to perform a rapid genetic test with little technical training.
• Alga Biosciences, a Berkeley-based technology company that eliminates the single largest source of methane in the world – and contributor to climate change – by stopping the production of methane from cows.

"In our pursuit of universal thriving, we want everyone to live healthy, sustainable, and fulfilling lives," said Heidi Roddenberry, chair of the Foundation's board. "Our 2022 Prize awardees are showing us humanity's creative potential to make a difference; to envision and then work toward a world of abundance for all."

Prize candidates were selected from an incredibly competitive process featuring ventures nominated by over 300 venture capitalists, impact investors, and foundations in 18 countries. All awardees will receive non-dilutive funding.

About The Roddenberry Foundation

Inspired by the life and legacy of Gene Roddenberry, The Roddenberry Foundation (TRF) supports innovative thinking, original ideas, and extraordinary people who can change the world. Through four core programs we cast a wide net to uncover and support these great, often untested ideas and the individuals and organizations whose vision and leadership have the potential to bring them to fruition.

Contact: Jessica Beebe ([email protected])

SOURCE The Roddenberry Foundation