Contact:

Lauren Turner, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Telephone: 865-XXX-XXXX
Email: laurenturner@utk.edu

For Immediate Release

UT STUDENTS RECEIVE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANT FOR

STARTUP COMPANY

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (January 31, 2018) – The National Science Foundation's Small Business

Innovation Research (SBIR) program has awarded a University of Tennessee student startup,

Grow Bioplastics, a $225,000 grant. Research and development of lignin-biomass biodegradable

plastics for agricultural application will be funded by the gift.

Lignin is a waste product of the biofuel and paper industries. The Grow Bioplastics’ team plans

to use the NSF grant to produce new biodegradable plastics from lignin. Co-founders Jeff Beegle

and Tony Bova have studied in UT’s Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and

Graduate Education. Bova is an energy science and engineering PhD candidate. Beegle is a

recent graduate with a master’s degree in microbiology.

—More—
Grow Bioplastics’ biodegradable film proposes an alternative to plastics mulch films. The

company’s biodegradable film offers a solution to environmental effects of current films and

extra labor expenses. Current nondegradable plastics used by farmers nationwide cannot be and

must be removed at the end of every growing season.

Tony Bova, CEO of Grow Bioplastics stated, “being selected for this competitive award from the

NSF is a huge step for our company. This funding will help us validate the fundamental science

behind our lignin-based plastic technology, allow us to hire our first employees here in East

Tennessee, and bring us one step closer to realizing our vision for a socially and environmentally

driven business model to support a circular economy.”

Beegle and Bova pitched the Grow Bioplastics business idea at UT’s Vol Court. Vol Court is an

entrepreneurial speaker series and pitch competition held by the Anderson Center for

Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Haslam College of Business. The team received seed

funding from the Anderson Center after their Vol Court win.

Grow Bioplastics received funding through local, state and national competitions after their Vol

Court pitch. Executive director of the Anderson Center, Lynn Youngs stated, “it’s been

remarkable to see Grow Bioplastics progress from concept stage to this incredible milestone.”

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