PopTech

events, social ventures, clean tech

PopTech is an annual social innovation conference. The non-profit, based in Brooklyn, NY and Camden, ME also provides fellowships to entrepreneurs with businesses that solve global, social and environmental problems. The PopTech Ecomaterials Innovation Lab convened in July 2010 with a goal of fostering breakthroughs in next-generation, ‘ultra-green†ecological materials and industrial processes. A network of renowned materials scientists, sustainability experts, industrial ecologists and other key stakeholders explored the future of such materials and processes, and strategies for accelerating their adoption. The Lab kicked off with a three-day summit at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center in the New Research Building of Harvard Medical School in Boston, with discussions and research continuing in the ensuing months. As part of PopTechâ€s commitment to openness, insights generated by the Lab will be captured in various media and released to the public through a special open-source repository called the GreenXchange. Participation in PopTech Labs is by invitation only, and there is no registration fee. Please email labs [at] poptech [dot] org if you are interested in learning more about participating in future Labs. Partners in convening the Ecomaterials Innovation Lab include Nike, the worldâ€s leading designer of athletic shoes and apparel and already a leader in sustainable innovation via its Considered Design; and the University of Oregon.