For Immediate Release: July 25, 2019
Elysian Holdings, LLC and Living Canopies, Ltd. receive vital financial awards to inspire growth
Bethesda, MD — Bethesda Green announced today that it has awarded $15,000 each to two companies that participated in its 2019 “Be Green Hub” Accelerator: Elysian Holdings, LLC and Living Canopies, Ltd. Both companies are led by visionary eco-entrepreneurs who have the potential to change the global marketplace in substantive, positive ways for generations to come.
In announcing the awards, Bethesda Green executive director, Adam M. Roberts, said, “Bethesda Green is working to create a sustainable urban ecosystem, proving that environmental protection and sustainability are completely compatible with product, business, and economic development. Elysian and Living Canopies have invested tirelessly in their thoughtful business models and Bethesda Green is proud to invest in them.”
Elysian Holdings, LLC, founded by Carey Thompson and Tom Mills, addresses the growing environmental disaster caused by single-use plastic packaging by making 100% compostable packaging using industrial hemp. Thompson, Elysian President and Co-founder, acknowledged “there’s no way we could have accelerated our progress as we did without the workshops and coaching we received from the Bethesda Green team.”
Living Canopies, Ltd., founded by Dave Tilley and Nick Cloyd, tackles the effects of urban heat islands by replacing plastic or nylon patio umbrellas with beautiful, living umbrellas covered with natural plants, turning hardscaped patio spaces into cool green oases. Dave Tilley, CEO and Co-Founder of Living Canopies, recognized “the personalized mentoring from seasoned entrepreneurs [which] gave us invaluable insights on how best to pursue our markets.”
The Bethesda Green business accelerator is directed by Patty Simonton, who praised the hard work and ongoing success of both companies. Simonton said, “Both teams have made substantial progress over the last six months, and I know I can speak for the whole Bethesda Green team when I say we’re excited to work with and strengthen our partnership with both Elysian and Living Canopies in the coming years. They’re both great additions to the Bethesda Green community.”
To date, Bethesda Green has awarded $85,000 to participating member companies since the Accelerator launched in January 2018. Additional recipients have included DGRid Energy, GOEFER, and Future Forward Foods.
Applications will open soon for the next Bethesda Green accelerator cohort, slated to launch in January 2020.
Editor’s Notes:
About Bethesda Green. Bethesda Green works to address environmental challenges locally by creating a sustainable, green community, built collaboratively through citizen engagement, environmental education, government partnership and innovative business development. Through its Be Green Hub program, Bethesda Green identifies and nurtures green, social impact for-profit start-ups. Businesses striving to contribute to a sustainable, impactful, and purposeful economy, and which are post idea stage, pre/post revenue, and growth focused via sales and/or seeking investment within 6-12 months are encouraged to apply to the accelerator program. Areas of focus include the Environment (Clean energy / Water / Climate / Natural Resources), and the Sustainable Food Cycle: (Agriculture/ Food Production / Manufacturing / Retail). Earlier stage companies, or those that are past the accelerator stage but are interested in joining a fantastic community, as well as potential mentors and interested investors are invited to contact the Be Green Hub for more information about ways to get involved.
About the companies:
Elysian Holdings, LLC, founded by Carey Thompson and Tom Mills, addresses the growing environmental disaster caused by single-use plastic packaging by making 100% compostable packaging using industrial hemp. They have initiated exciting partnerships with West Virginia’s ChemCeption chemistry incubator, Marshall University’s Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, and with leading sustainable materials research groups in New York and Colorado, using breakthrough technologies and working also with local development authorities.
Bethesda Green has been terrific — there’s no way we could have accelerated our progress as we did without the workshops and coaching we received
Carey Thompson, President and Co-Founder of Elysian
Living Canopies, Ltd., founded by Dave Tilley and Nick Cloyd, tackles the effects of urban heat islands by replacing plastic patio umbrellas with beautiful, living umbrellas that serve as biodynamic centerpieces that turn hardscaped patio spaces into cool green oases. They have commercial customers around the United States and are excited to expand their reach by partnering with major retailers. The Living Umbrella is just the beginning of their planned introduction of many outdoor living products.
The Be Green Hub accelerator provided a thorough curriculum and networking opportunities that helped us hone our business plan, pitch deck and financial model. The instructors were professionals that could share real-world experience as they delivered useful content. The personalized mentoring from seasoned entrepreneurs gave us invaluable insights on how best to pursue our markets. The collegiality of the cohort created an atmosphere of support and encouragement that made the experience fun and productive.
Dave Tilley, CEO and Co-Founder of Living Canopies
Media Contact:
Patty Simonton, Director, Be Green Hub
patty@bethesdagreen.org
240.396.2440 x104
