Green Island, NY, Oct 22 2013 - Today, Ecovative is honored to be selected as the winner of the 2013 Buckminster Fuller Challenge. Now in its sixth year, The Buckminster Fuller Challenge recognizes bold, visionary, creative initiatives that take a comprehensive, anticipatory, design science approach to radically advance human well-being and the health of our planet's ecosystems. The award is named after one of the most important futurists and visionaries of the 20th century and has been called "Socially-Responsible Design's Highest Award.”
Ecovative proudly received the news in a congratulatory phone call this week and will accept the award, including the $100,000 cash prize, at a public ceremony at Cooper Union in New York City on November 18, 2013 at 7:00 pm. Winning the Buckminster Fuller Challenge is a top honor for Ecovative’s team. "We answered the Buckminster Fuller Challenge because we believe in the power of our people to make a real, positive impact,” said Gavin McIntyre, co-founder and Chief Scientist at Ecovative. “Today, Ecovative looks forward to further answering Bucky's challenge, as we continue to innovate mycological biomaterials and reach an ideal state, with social and environmental values considered equally with economics." In its public statement, the Buckminster Fuller Challenge review team and 2013 jury highlighted Ecovative’s comprehensive approach to solving “one of the most urgent, truly global environmental and social justice crises of our time.” The Buckminster Fuller Institute specifically recognized Ecovative for its closed loop production system using nature’s principles, a model for 21st century social enterprise, a broad-reaching material platform, and its continued commitment to education.[Ecovative’s] approach, from inception to production, is an extraordinary example of the core tenets of The Buckminster Fuller Challenge’s entry criteria, which require the winning solution to be comprehensive, anticipatory, ecologically responsible, feasible, replicable, and verifiable. From the materials science underpinning their work to the commitment to rewrite the rules regarding the structure and financing of a startup company, Ecovative is a ground-breaking enterprise.Excerpted from a full statement from the Buckminster Fuller Institute Join us in celebrating the 2013 Challenge on November 18th, 2013 hosted by the Buckminster Fuller Institute at The Cooper Union Institute for Sustainable Design. The evening will feature a presentation by Ecovative and a keynote address by architect and world-renowned sustainability leader, John Picard. And new this year—Dan Hendrix, CEO of Interface, Inc., will be awarding additional support to one of the four finalists! The award ceremony is a public event; guests can RSVP at http://bfi.org/2013-ceremony
