sustainable brands innovation openAs part of Sustainable Life Media’s mission to be a bridge to better brands, they are presenting the Second Annual Sustainable Brands Innovation Open,  an early stage business competition focused on connecting the existing global brands and socially responsible investor communities to the most innovative new product and service solutions being brought to market by today’s social and eco-entrepreneurs.

Those in the Idea Stage will be self or family funded with a solid business plan and limited operational experience. The second category, Early Stage, seeks companies that are operating to plan with less than $1 million in outside capital invested. Entries are sought in both consumer and business-to-business categories (those providing solutions supporting the growing sustainability industry).

“SB’IO supports innovation in sustainability from consumer brands AND those companies helping facilitate more sustainable practices inside existing companies,” said KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz, CEO of Sustainable Life Media. “The SB’IO gives ten emerging companies a platform to showcase their early stage company and build a network of supporters that can accelerate their route to market.”

Selected New Ventures will receive the following benefits:

  • Publicity on Fast Company.com, SustainableLifeMedia.com, as well as via our social media network and extensive network of media partners
  • The opportunity to pitch on June 7 at a pre-conference event to a group of green/social investors, executives from leading companies, top sustainability and brand consultants and peers
  • Shared exhibit space in the Sustainable Solutions Showcase at SB’10, as well as VIP admission to the full conference
  • Relationships with and counsel from the judges and other members of the SB’10 community
  • A day-long hosted tour/brainstorm and consultation at IDEO headquarters, PLUS
  • The top 2 companies will be given an opportunity to present to the entire conference delegation during a conference plenary session.
  • Further benefits under development

Companies who fit the above criteria and have a sustainably preferable (environmental or socially innovative) value proposition relative to their competitors are invited to submit a 1-2 page business summary. Again, submissions will be accepted within the categories mentioned above, in two primary tracks: 1) ventures focused on the launch of a sustainable consumer brand, and 2) ventures offering solutions to large companies to help them improve their sustainability story.

To be considered for this opportunity, please attach a 1-2 page business summary through the Business Summary submission field at the on the Sustainable Life Media web site, here by May 8, 2010.

All submissions should include the following:

  • Company description
  • Company focus/commitment to sustainability
  • Business Opportunity
  • Current status (conceptual, pre-revenue, operating)
  • Team (including key partners)
  • Marketing and sales
  • Competition
  • Financials

Judges will review each submission, and select winners based on the following criteria:

  • Commitment to sustainability coupled with demonstrable metrics (for example, “our product innovation will result in a 50% reduced carbon foot print than the mean in our market”, or “our product will facilitate our customers by helping them manage their cash by keeping it in the communities wherein their local outlets operate”)
  • Team quality, particularly as it relates to demonstrated understanding of systemic issues of sustainability
  • Growth and impact potential

Winners will be notified no later than May 25th.


Sustainable Brands Innovation Open (SB Innovation Open) is not another Clean Tech event. This new venture showcase is focused on identifying and promoting innovative new consumer brands, AND ventures that support existing corporations in achieving their sustainable brand innovation goals.

Submissions will be considered in two categories: Idea Stage – must have a complete business plan and no more than $100k in invested friends and family money, or Early Venture Stage – must have no more than $1M in external capital invested.

10 start-ups will be selected to participate in the exchange from an expected group of as many as 100 submissions by a panel of judges to include: Steve Bishop, Sustainability Practice Lead, IDEO, Boyd Cohen, serial entrepreneur and entrepreneurship professor, Jonathan Greenblatt, Founder, Ethos Water, faculty, social entrepreneurship at UCLA Anderson and operating partner, Satori Capital, R. Paul Herman, Founder, HIP Investor, Fast Company staff writer, Anya Kamenetz, Kelly Lauber, Director, Sustainable Business & Innovation, Nike,Stuart Rudick Founding Partner, Mindful Investors, KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz, Founder/CEO, Sustainable Life Media, and Andrew Winston, author, Green to Gold.

To be considered for this opportunity, please attach a 1-2 page business summary through the Business Summary submission field at the on the Sustainable Life Media web site, here by May 8, 2010.

About The Sustainable Brands ’10 Conference: Sustainable Brands 2010 will convene over 700 brand leaders, top executives from the global brands leading sustainable innovation today, all types of designers participating in this global shift, and an unprecedented list of others. Speakers and sessions will provide inspiration, techniques and best practices as economic realities, corporate responsibility and the environment come together to create a new strategic business imperative.  For more information, visit the The Sustainable Brands ’10 Conference web site.

*Green Economy Post is a Sustainable Brands 10′ Conference Media Partner.

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Author: Tracey de Morsella (323 Articles)

Tracey de Morsella started her career working as an editor for US Technology Magazine. She used that experience to launch Delaware Valley Network, a publication for professionals in the Greater Philadelphia area. Years later, she used the contacts and resources she acquired to work in executive search specializing in technical and diversity recruitment. She has conducted recruitment training seminars for Wachovia Bank, the Department of Interior and the US Postal Service. During this time, she also created a diversity portal called The Multicultural Advantage and published the Diversity Recruitment Advertising Toolkit, a directory of recruiting resources for human resources professionals. Her career and recruitment articles have appeared in numerous publications and web portals including Woman Engineer Magazine, Monster.com, About.com Job Search Channel, Workplace Diversity Magazine, Society for Human Resource Management web site, NSBE Engineering Magazine, HR.com, and Human Resource Consultants Association Newsletter. Her work with technology professionals drew her to pursuing training and work in web development, which led to a stint at Merrill Lynch as an Intranet Manager. In March, she decided to combine her technical and career management expertise with her passion for the environment, and with her husband, launched The Green Economy Post, a blog providing green career information and covering the impact of the environment, sustainable building, cleantech and renewable energy on the US economy. Her sustainability articles have appeared on Industrial Maintenance & Plant Operation, Chem.Info,FastCompany and CleanTechies.