In New York, a new innovation hub aims to bring biobased material innovations to New York City industries such as fashion and construction.
Located at Harlem Biospace, Gotham Foundry is funded by a $45-million New York City Economic Development Corporation grant and is located at Harlem Biospace on West 127th street. It is led by a coalition of top-tier institutions including Columbia Engineering, FIT, CUNY’s Advanced Science Research Center, and Genspace.
The hub will support startups working on biodegradable plastic substitutes, upcycled fabrics, and biobased building materials, while also offering workforce training and education in biomanufacturing.
“New York is in a very unique position,” Emily Majewski, co-founder of the biobased building materials startup Phytostone, told Triple Pundit. “Especially since COVID, the understanding and appreciation for healthy indoor spaces has skyrocketed. Materials are now finally being recognized. After decades of being a fringe consideration, they are everything we interface with constantly. They are so ubiquitous we don’t even notice, but you cannot detach yourself from a material surface.”