BTTR Ventures (www.bttrventures.com)

BTTR Ventures (pronounced Better) stands for “back to the roots,” a phrase that encompasses the idea of creating a company that stands for sustainability, progress, and social responsibility. BTTR Ventures, formed by two innovative and passionate business majors from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, aims to turn one of the largest waste streams in America, the tons of coffee ground waste generated daily, into a highly-demanded, nutritious, and valuable food product – specialty mushrooms. Beyond the unique approach of using trash to produce a valuable product, the group is focused on using this idea to change the way we think of global collaboration and partnerships. Not only will they create a healthy food source, it will provide urban jobs, save thousands of tons of valuable substrate from being dumped into landfills, and donate substantial amounts of cash flow back into the communities from which the coffee ground waste originated.

What is really at stake here, beyond the nutritious mushrooms, urban job creation, sustainable waste management program, and food generation, is the ability to revolutionize the concept of global ventures. This economic downturn has proven businesses cannot operate as they once did, spending and using resources at whim. Integrated, closed production systems must now become the norm, not exception. We have the chance to prove to the world that our millions of tons of waste can be used to change the world for the “bttr,” not hurt it more.

Project mission:

Our goal is to transform over 200 tons a year of coffee ground waste from our urban environment and transform it into a 'green-collar' job creator and nutritious food to be provided back to our local community.

Potential impact:

The impact comes in four easily quantifiable and measurable areas:

1) The amount of coffee ground waste saved from the landfill, used to grow mushrooms upon, and then provided to local urban forms as compost (estimated at 200 tons this year).
2) The number of green-collar urban jobs created (estimated at 8 jobs by year end).
3) Pounds of mushrooms grown (estimated a few hundred per week once up to full production)
4) Number of local consumers served
5) Number of urban gardens enriched by our nutritious, fungal compost.

Required resources:

1. Total project needs: $17,000
2. In-kind contribution needs: Volunteers (collecting coffee, planting mushrooms, harvesting). Get hands on urban agriculture experience!
3. Other:

   This donation is tax-deductible as it is payable to UC Berkeley. Just in case that makes it easier :)

News:

• http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/tom-musbach/control-your-career-destiny/2-green-...
• http://www.dailycal.org/article/105274/haas_entrepreneurs_start_a_locally_grown_...
• http://www.dailycal.org/article/105531/student_proposals_win_bears_breaking_boun...
• http://www.scribd.com/doc/15103900/Rumores-BTTR-Ventures-Spanish-Press-Coverage

Our sponsors:

Thanksgiving Coffee

ZERI (Zero Emissions Research Institute) Foundation

Specialty Coffee Association of America

Robert J. Birgeneau, Chancellor, University of California, Berkeley

Professor Alan Ross, Haas School of Business

City Slicker Farm

Project page URL:

• www.bttrventures.com

Links to other projects by the same organization:

• www.sagementors.com

Links to external blogs or wikis:

• http://www.greenerdesign.com/news/2009/04/20/coffee-waste-into-mushrooms