Ryzome works with stakeholders to transform construction waste into soil
Lexi Parrott Mautner, Founder & CEO of Ryzome
Lexi is a first time founder based in Toronto, ON who has experience working across domains of construction, innovation and public policy. Lexi has worked for MaRS Discovery District as well as the Ministry of Health of Ontario, and is now working to turn urban waste into resources that support a healthier environment and healthier people.
He was accepted into the Circular Innovation Accelerator after working on his business idea, Ryzome, for just under a year. His goal is to re-green the urban environment using recycled urban materials.
“Ryzome is a pre-seed Startup that works in the domains of circular economy, agriculture, and the urban environment. Our mission is to make urban growing easy for everyone by introducing proprietary growing methodologies and growing media, ultimately focused on building a carbon removal model via urban growing and urban agriculture.”
Why did you apply for the Circular Innovation Accelerator?
I applied to the Circular Innovation Accelerator because there is a huge need as a first time founder for support. During the ideation phase, there is so much information and there are so many pathways that can seem promising or exciting. It is easy to get distracted and pulled in different directions which extends your timeline to proof of concept and revenue. I needed support in structuring my days, testing my hypotheses, and narrowing in on my business idea and my business model. Ultimately, when there is not necessarily a direct to consumer product, or a well defined market, the research and market testing phase is an essential step in the direction of focusing your sales efforts effectively.
What help were you looking for when you applied to the Circular Innovation Accelerator?
I was looking for support in the following ways:
Market research and hypothesis testing
Development of a product roadmap
Pitch Support
Customer Acquisition
Support in funding applications and connections to VCs
Identification of a workspace / workshop to store / mix media and build rapid deployment garden options.
Now that you’re in it, how has the Circular Innovation Accelerator helped grow Company?
The Circular Innovation Accelerator has been essential in getting me moving on my ideas by structuring activities, brainstorming sessions and weekly support.
The program is structured to help validate your ideas in the marketplace without feeling too sales oriented, helping me refine my offering and find my niche in the market. It has also brought structure and accountability to my workflow and in so doing, has supported the development and refinement of my business model in a way that has allowed me to sign my first pilot customer.
The dedication and support from the program leads, Erin and Kayli has been enormous and makes this entire program what it is. You feel supported the whole way through without feeling like there are too many artificial deadlines or tasks that may cause you to stray from your goals. Everything is meticulously planned and built to help you build your business. Ryzome started as an idea, now it is an actual business, bringing in money – what more is there to say.