2025 Environmental Innovation Challenge Ready for Final Round

Judges selected a record 23 teams to advance in the annual student competition hosted at the University of Washington

Written by: Charles Trillingham, Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship

Environmental problems that affect us all have been an issue long before our modern times. In 1854, Henry David Thoreau put pen to page and famously wrote in “what is the use of a house, if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” in his book “Walden.” The finalist teams (detailed below) of the 2025 Environmental Innovation Challenge (EIC) at the University of Washington hope their ideas shift these seemingly timeless issues into present-day results. And on Thursday, April 3, they will get their chance in the 17th annual competition hosted by the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship in the Foster School of Business.

Judges selected the 23 teams to move forward — the most ever — from another record-setting pool of 43 Screening Round participants (up from 42 last year) representing eight different colleges and universities from around the region. The finalists will showcase and pitch innovations in agriculture, air and water quality, carbon tech, energy, recycling and more in front of over 100 cleantech entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors serving as judges. They will also compete for a share of $40,000+ in prizes, including brand new Big Picture ($5,000) and Best Idea ($2,500) awards:

- The $5,000 Climate Action Prize (previously known as the Clean Energy Prize), presented by the UW Clean Energy Institute, rewards student teams for novel hardware or software innovations that demonstrate a scalable approach for reducing emissions or sequestering greenhouse gases in any major sector of the economy.

- The $2,500 Reimagine Prize, presented by Meliorate Partners, will recognize a student team that is thoughtfully re-imagining how we move, what we wear, where we live, what we eat, how we make things, or how we handle waste.

And a returning award:

- The $2,500 Leo Maddox Innovation in Oceanography Prize, with generous support from the Leo Maddox Family Legacy — which recognizes students for creating innovative solutions to address issues of ocean health. Ideas that address marine pollution, ocean plastics or other pollutants, are given preference.

“As we approach the 20th year of the EIC, it’s important to evolve the competition to motivate and empower these high-impact students,” said Lauren Brohawn, manager of the EIC and associate director of the Buerk Center. “Some of these teams will go on to launch startups or license technology that will directly help communities in our area and around the world. I can’t imagine a more important purpose for an event like this.”

While environmental innovation tends to have a long runway to launch, recent success stories include sustainable food brand NoWhere Foods (2023), PFAS-destroying startup Aquagga (2020) — which has brought in revenue totaling more than $10 million and raised another $1.1 million from investors — as well as sustainable coffee company Atomo (2019), wastewater treatment startup Membrion (2016) — which has raised more than $28M — and alternative chemistry product maker Korvata (2015).

All teams who participate in the 2025 competition, including those screened by 60+ judges, receive valuable feedback that could lead to success down the road. Many will apply for the upcoming 2025 Dempsey Startup Competition.

Good luck to the 2025 Environmental Innovation Challenge Finalists!

AICE
AICE is developing an AI-based environmental impact and education platform for social engagement.

• University of Washington (Human Computer Interaction and Design)

Aikim
Aikim is working on a smart kitchen solution to reduce food waste by automating grocery management and delivery.

• Global Innovation Exchange (Technology Innovation)

AIRLEAD
AIRLEAD is developing a novel gas leak detection system to address the financial, environmental, and public health risks found in industrial facilities and natural gas distribution systems.

• University of Washington (Electrical and Computer Engineering, MBA)

BagSight
BagSight is developing an AI-powered system to detect and remove plastic bags in recycling pre-sorting, in order to prevent machinery blockages, cut costs, and lower emissions.

• Global Innovation Exchange (Technology Innovation)

CureXsco
CureXsco is developing a cost-effective and sustainable solution for regenerating PFAS-laden filters, thereby reducing landfill waste and operating costs for water filtration.

• University of Washington (Mechanical Engineering)

dew labs
dew labs is building a home monitoring device that collects temperature and humidity data with the added features of indoor/outdoor dew point comparison.

• University of Washington (Computer Science, MS in Entrepreneurship)

EcoPulse
EcoPulse aims to revolutionize the tracking of personal carbon emissions through a sustainability-focused real-time platform.

• University of Washington (Data Science, Information Management)

Efficiency Maximizer
Efficiency Maximizer is developing an AI-driven platform that automates energy efficiency planning and execution for commercial buildings.

• University of Washington (MS in Entrepreneurship)

Elementrailer
Elementrailer is working on an electrically powered utility trailer designed to address range anxiety for EV (Electrical Vehicle) owners while towing and improve towing efficiency for ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) cars.

• University of Washington (MS in Entrepreneurship, Mechanical Engineering, Accounting and Entrepreneurship, Technology Management MBA, Environmental Science)

EnviroTect
EnviroTect is creating a device that filters the volatile gasses expelled into the environment during surgical procedures.

• University of Washington (Applied Bioengineering)

FusionFlight
FusionFlight is developing a next-generation GNSS navigation flight computer to solve a key technological problem in the last delivery market sector (which involves the timely transportation of goods from distribution centers or fulfillment centers to a final destination).

• University of Washington (Electrical & Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Entrepreneurship)

GarbEDGE
GarbEDGE is working on a machine learning solution for detecting and diverting recycling contaminants in real time.

• University of Washington (Information Systems)

GreenMorph
GreenMorph is building a hybrid farming model that integrates interactive vertical farming and distributed micro-greenhouses to tackle the issues of urban agriculture.

• University of Washington (Environmental Science, Human Centered Design and Engineering)

JanuTech
JanuTech is developing a novel battery material to enhance the performance of delivery drones.

• University of Washington (Chemical Engineering)

JC-Techs Corp
JC-Techs Corp is working on an AI-powered smart parking navigation app that helps drivers find available street parking efficiently, reduce unnecessary circling, fuel consumption, and emissions.

• University of Washington Tacoma (Computer Science)

Kilat Official
Kilat Official aims to provide a 100% biodegradable, eco-friendly line of car care products that deliver superior cleaning power while protecting the environment and vehicles.

• University of Washington (MS in Entrepreneurship, Information Management, MBA)

Metallyze
Metallyze is developing an IoT sensor network to provide real-time heavy metal detection in wastewater treatment plants.

• University of British Columbia (Electrical Engineering, Business, Computer Science, Environmental Engineering, Finance, Commerce)

Second Helpings
Second Helpings is developing a software application to connect students to the availability of leftover food from events on college campuses, in hopes of preventing food waste.

• University of Washington (Biology, Food Systems Nutrition and Health, Marketing, Computer Engineering)

Solar IndusTrees
Solar IndusTrees is developing a low-cost, sustainable solution that reduces agricultural waste and enhances the stability and efficiency of solar cells.

• University of Washington (Computer Engineering, Informatics, Bioresource Science and Engineering, MS in Entrepreneurship)

Subvision Robotics
Subvision Robotics is working on an autonomous subsea rover that uses UV light to enable continuous, on-vessel cleaning for ship hulls without disruptive dockside operations.

• Simon Fraser University–British Columbia (Mechatronic Systems Engineering)

VaranaSEA Robotics
VaranaSEA Robotics is developing an autonomous navigation technology for in-land and ocean-going commercial vessels

• University of Washington (Mechanical Engineering)

Voltair
Voltair hopes to improve power grid maintenance with its automated inspection service for utilities.

• University of Washington (Electrical and Computer Engineering, Finance, Information Systems, Computer Science)

Washington Wave
Washington Wave is developing an innovative buoy to power energy-hungry sensors for remote ocean sensing.

• University of Washington (Political Economy and Real Estate, Mechanical Engineering, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Computer Science)