Mi Terro

We are applying for the Elevate Prize because we want to show the world that agricultural/food waste can replace plastic packaging materials. Innovation can make the world greener and safer. 

If we receive the funding, we will use it to launch pilots with potential clients. We will provide the MVP to them and run the pilots for 6-12 months. 

Mi Terro is the world's first advanced material company that creates ocean degradable and home compostable flexible packaging materials made from agricultural waste. We are not turning agricultural waste into beverage or snack like other companies. Instead, we are giving agricultural waste a new life by repurposing it to replace plastic and paper-based materials and giving additional incomes to farmers all around the world.

Our goal is to replace petroleum-based materials with protein-based materials made from agricultural waste. We are redefining the circular economy in which everything begins with agricultural waste and ends as compostable or biodegradable. We are taking a world problem and making it into a world solution. Our technologies will have more impact to the world than plant-based and cultivated meat.

In 10 years, we will:

•Partner with 10+ beer manufacturers worldwide

•Provide a new stream of incomes for 100+ farmer families worldwide

•Upcycle 10% of the world’s total spent grain (3,860,000 tons/yearly worldwide)

• Replace 10% of the world’s plastic packaging film (36,800,000 tons/yearly worldwide)

The increasing amount of synthetic plastic waste is a huge problem that could potentially be solved with bioplastics. Despite increasing efforts to recycle, approximately 53% of waste in the US is still sent to landfill and plastic waste makes up about 19% of that. While evidence suggests that people are becoming more aware of the damage that plastic waste can cause to the environment, it is still extremely prevalent in daily lives, from packaging to clothing.

Unlike current alternatives to microplastics, which are based on plant polysaccharides, such as cellulose and algae, Mi Terro’s plant protein materials do not rely on chemical cross-linking for their performance. This enables them to decompose quickly and completely in the natural environment. Our proprietary technology re-engineers agricultural waste into plastic-alternative packaging material. Our packaging film is 3-4 times cheaper than other bio-based materials, is at a similar price as LDPE film, home compostable, ocean degradable, heat sealable, excellent water and oxygen barrier, low thickness, and potentially edible. Our technology can potentially apply to any type of agricultural waste, including plant, dairy, and vitamin supplement byproducts. Our process uses less energy than paper and plastic production while creating 90% less CO2 than plastic.

Unlike current alternatives to microplastics, which are based on plant polysaccharides, such as cellulose and algae, Mi Terro’s plant protein materials do not rely on chemical cross-linking for their performance. This enables them to decompose quickly and completely in the natural environment. Our proprietary technology re-engineers agricultural waste into plastic-alternative packaging material. Our packaging film is 3-4 times cheaper than other bio-based materials, home compostable, ocean degradable, heat sealable, excellent water and oxygen barrier, low thickness, and potentially edible. Our technology can potentially apply to any type of agricultural waste, including plant, dairy, and vitamin supplement byproducts. Our process uses less energy than paper and plastic production while creating 90% less CO2 than plastic.

So far, the majority of innovation in food- and ag-tech is based on genetic engineering, plant engineering, mechanical engineering, AI, and computer science. There’s a lot of room to innovate using materials, like nanomaterials and biomaterials. We are turning agricultural byproducts and surplus food into plastic-alternative solutions and other applications that can prevent more food from going to waste. We are taking a world problem and making it into a world solution. Our technologies will have more impact to the world than plant-based and cultivated meat.

We are not turning agricultural waste into beverage or snack like other companies. Instead, we are giving agricultural waste a new life by repurposing it to replace plastic and paper-based materials and giving additional incomes to farmers all around the world.

Since 1kg of food waste equals to 2.5 kg of CO2 equivalent, we plan to upcycle 3,860,000 tons of spent grain in 10 years, which equals to reducing 9,650,000 tons of CO2.

In 10 years, we will:

•       Partner with 10+ beer manufacturers worldwide

•       Provide a new stream of incomes for 100+ farmer families worldwide

•       Upcycle 10% of the world’s total spent grain (3,860,000 tons/yearly worldwide)

•       Replace 10% of the world’s plastic packaging film (36,800,000 tons/yearly worldwide)