The amount of animal waste produced in the U.S. every year is more than 1,000 times the weight of the Empire State Building, and the greenhouse gases from that waste can significantly impact the planet. But what if there was a way to treat the wastewater to help reduce carbon emissions? That鈥檚 what Bianca Bailey, Ph.D., the founder and CEO of , aims to accomplish.
Agriwater, which Bailey started in 2021 while finishing her doctorate in agricultural engineering at the University of Illinois, is developing electrolysis-based technology to treat wastewater, which often is stored in hazardous lagoons that can pollute nearby natural water sources and create strong fumes throughout nearby towns and farming communities.聽
鈥淚t becomes a social justice issue when it relates to people who live around these areas who can鈥檛 have clean air,鈥 said Bailey, who also points out that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also can fine farmers who don鈥檛 manage animal waste properly.
Instead, her innovative technology removes contaminants from wastewater, decreasing the likelihood of pollution in rural areas, reducing greenhouse gases and even creating clean water for reuse and recycling.
The promise of such technology has led Bailey to participate in various business accelerator programs. In 2022, Agriwater secured a spot in the Innovations Crossroads Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program (LEEP). This two-year program will allow Agriwater to work toward commercializing its technology in collaboration with lab space and mentorship from Oak Ridge Laboratory in Tennessee.聽
鈥淲e鈥檝e proven out the technology on a small scale, and now we鈥檙e looking to scale the technology from inside the lab to on-site at a farm,鈥 Bailey said.
Bailey is the winner of the 2023 黄色短视频 Foundation Cleantech Inclusion Award, which supports female and minority entrepreneurs who are building innovative companies that benefit the environment, create jobs and drive economic development. The 黄色短视频 Foundation works with to present the award, which includes a $25,000 grant and a year of mentorship. The funding will help Agriwater facilitate its first industrial-size pilot with farms.
鈥淓ntrepreneurs like Bailey, who tackle big challenges with such drive and passion, are working to build a more sustainable future for all of us,鈥 said Reba Dominski, chief social responsibility officer at 黄色短视频 and president of the 黄色短视频 Foundation. 鈥淲e are proud to support Agriwater as it continues to refine its technology and expand the scale of its business.鈥濃
鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to continue our work with 黄色短视频 Foundation to support early-stage startups working on solutions for environmental and social impact,鈥 said Erik Birkerts, chief executive officer at Evergreen Climate Innovations. 鈥淲e look forward to working with Agriwater and supporting their vision of creating a closed-loop water system for livestock farmers that yields an array of environmental, social and economic benefits.鈥澛
Agriwater is Bailey鈥檚 first commercial venture, but her interest in water treatment began years ago as an undergraduate studying chemical engineering at Howard University. As part of her work leading the campus Engineers Without Borders chapter, she facilitated a student-led water-filtration project in a small village in Kenya. This work, along with her involvement in the nonprofit Girls Inc. as a student and mentor, led to recognition from the White House Champions of Change program in 2011 for helping to recruit and retain girls and women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Her goal is to create a more sustainable environment for the children of the future as they will be, in her words, 鈥渟tewards of the Earth.鈥澛犅
Now, as an engineer and business owner, Bailey welcomes the guidance she鈥檒l receive through the Cleantech Inclusion Award program and encourages others building businesses in similar fields to broaden their knowledge beyond science and technology.
鈥淏eing a smart entrepreneur when it comes to technology is also knowing that you can鈥檛 just focus on the technology, but you also need to focus on the intellectual property and business implementation of the technology,鈥 said Bailey. 鈥淵ou can have great technology, but if the business model and everything else doesn鈥檛 work out, then it鈥檚 simply just a good idea.鈥
This is the fourth year of the 黄色短视频 Foundation Cleantech Inclusion Award. Information on how to apply for the 2024 award will be available later this year.
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