WATSONVILLE, CA - In a push to find cutting-edge ways to rethink the future of agricultural plastics, Driscoll’s and Think Beyond Plastics announced the winners of the 2021 Agricultural Plastics Innovation Challenge. Both Upcycling Technologies and Enerra Corporation were chosen by judges for their innovation, business viability, focus on sustainability, scalability, and strength of their ecosystem.

“We were really impressed with the sheer number of applicants—we’ve known that agricultural plastics pose challenges that we cannot solve alone, so we’re inspired to not only see industry collaboration but to see people trying to tackle this challenge around the world,” said James duBois, Senior Environmental Manager, Driscoll’s. “We’re looking forward to working with Carbon Upcycling and Enerra Corporation; we have high hopes for their innovations in our enterprise and for the industry at large.”

The competition featured more than 200 entries from four continents and included a wide range of solutions including new materials, design improvements, and end-of-life innovations, a release explained. In the end, 14 candidates were selected as finalists and each was evaluated by a jury of industry members, scientists, innovators, and investors.

Carbon Upcycling was chosen for its bio-compostable films and patented carbon capture and conversion technology, which allows for the efficient capture and conversion of CO₂ into high-performance materials that can be used as alternatives to the plastic films used in agricultural production.

“Our philosophy since day one was to return the CO₂ back to nature and leaving the earth in a better place than we found it,” commented Peter Zhou, Polymer Engineering Lead, Carbon Upcycling. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Driscoll’s to not only show a low-carbon, bio-compostable solution, but one that enriches soil health and fuels plant growth at the end of life. We are eager to show that green can be better in the deployment at the research farm later this summer.”

Enerra Corporation was recognized for its technology addressing the need for new recycling processes. The company operates a patented plastic reformation technology that converts difficult-to-recycle ag plastics into transportation fuels without toxic catalysts or harmful emissions.

“We're excited to work with Driscoll's on this project and provide a solution that will eliminate the issue of agricultural waste plastic,” Sergio Perez, President, Enerra Corporation. “This is one step toward achieving our vision of a cleaner, infinitely livable world.”

Both winners will be invited to the Think Beyond™ annual investor forum, Think Beyond Catalyst program at the Global Entrepreneurship Center, and receive access to Think Beyond’s global ecosystem of investors and industry partners. Both Carbon Upcycling and Enerra Corporation will begin working on a field production pilot with Driscoll’s and will explore pilot opportunities with other industry names.

Congratulations to Carbon Upcycling and Enerra Group on their wins!

Driscoll’s Think Beyond Plastic