UPDATES
VITALITY FUND PRESS RELEASE
September 23, 2024 — Vitality is a Fund focused on startups creating nature-based innovations. This fall, Vitality will work together with the Arizona State University Biomimicry Center and the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute on a new pilot program supporting faculty and student ventures building biomimicry, bio-inspired, and nature-based solutions to challenges in key industries including textiles, built environment, and health.
“Nature-based” solutions are innovations inspired by the way nature works and the way nature solves problems. Working with nature, human needs can be met with technology, processes, and systems that are biologically and ecologically compatible. The nature-based approach draws from the discipline of biomimicry, a problem-solving method that relies on sharing function and structure with nature, informed by the biology, physics, chemistry and overall design principles inherent in living things and natural ecosystems.
“Vitality is committed to working across disciplines and sectors to identify early-stage nature-based ventures in sectors like agriculture, apparel, and medicine. We often think of ourselves as separate from nature, but everything we consume, wear, and use impacts the health of the natural world and our bodies in turn. We need an entire ecosystem and movement of entrepreneurs and investors creating solutions that work with and respect the elegant systems and processes of nature. This collaboration with ASU is one important step in fueling that ecosystem,” said Natalya Wallin, Co-founder, Vitality.
The scientific and research talent at ASU, and its resources, will be teamed with insights from Vitality on what is needed to attract future investment and drive breakthroughs in nature-based solutions from academia to market. Selected ventures will engage in the pilot program this fall working with the Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute to prepare ventures for funding and future scale.
“Use-inspired research is a major focus at ASU, especially as it relates to sustainable innovation. Solutions that draw from natural models and are aligned with the design principles of living things have an edge. With a gift from the Nadathur Foundation, the Biomimicry Center at ASU is focused on lab-to-market efforts, working with other partners including the not-for-profit Biomimicry Institute and the Ray of Hope Accelerator to develop startups in the nature-based and biodesign space,” said Robin Berry, Assistant Director of the Biomimicry Center at ASU.
“The focus on entrepreneurship at ASU goes hand-in-hand with our culture of innovation. Partnering with venture funds such as Vitality is a natural evolution of our impact-focused innovation ecosystem,” said Tracey Dodenhoff, Vice President of Entrepreneurship + Innovation with Knowledge Enterprise at ASU. “Our mission-focused team within E+I is a responsive and agile conduit for dynamic partnerships between our researchers and the venture community, and it is exciting to be a part of this shared vision with the ASU Biomimicry Center and Vitality.”
About Vitality
Vitality invests in startups creating nature-based solutions and innovations that are inspired by the way nature solves problems to drive environmental and human health and financial returns for investors. Drawing inspiration from nature and rigorous scientific frameworks from disciplines like biomimicry, we identify and support startups creating technologies, tools, and products that mimic the systems and processes of nature while enhancing or preserving natural ecosystems.
Contact:
Natalya Wallin
Co-Founder
Vitality
Sandy Leander
Assistant Director, Media Relations
ASU Knowledge Enterprise
480-727-3396