Each year more than 25 billion pounds of post-harvest fruits and vegetables are wasted domestically, worth ~$30 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These statistics are astounding – and also heartbreaking when you consider the 42.2 million people, including 6.4 million children, living without enough to eat in the U.S.
One Chicago-based company, with the guidance of a recent MSL graduate, is looking to change this. Hazel Technologies has developed eco-friendly and sustainable packaging inserts that fit into produce containers and release natural ingredients, like essential oils, to slow the spoilage of fruits and vegetables.
Amy Garber (MSL ’15) is a key member of the leadership team – she is a co-founder and currently serves as the Chief Intellectual Property Officer. Garber holds an undergraduate degree in bioengineering and spent 10 years as a patent agent at General Electric, drafting and prosecuting patent applications, before attending the MSL program at Northwestern Law.
“The MSL program taught me how to navigate different routes of protecting and monetizing intellectual property. I am able to identify which aspects of our business can be translated into IP and develop a path forward to build our portfolio. On a daily basis, I use the skills that I cultivated in the MSL program to help guide me in my position as a liaison between the legal and business interests of the Hazel Technologies enterprise,” said Garber.
Earlier this month, Hazel Technologies announced the closing of an $800K seed investment round, which will allow the company to ramp up manufacturing.
Rhapsody Venture Partners is a major investor in Hazel Technologies; Carsten Boers, a managing partner at Rhapsody, recognizes the value Amy has brought to the team.
“Protecting IP is critical for hard science startups. It is typically an expensive undertaking and many small companies cut corners. Having somebody like Amy Garber on the founding team — somebody who understands intellectual property — has been a great asset to Hazel Technologies. This allowed the company to prioritize IP even before our investment.”
With their funding in place and 12 successful pilot tests complete, Hazel will begin working with a wider number of growers and shippers around the world in 2017.
