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Mission

Our mission is to replace the world’s plastic with half as much bioplastic.

Company Overview

Grow Plastics is an early stage material science company that has a technology that enables the production of sandwich core structures in thermoplastics. Our first products are 100% Plant-Based, Compostable Foodservice Items.

We currently have a pilot line demonstrating the technology in partnership with the USDA near Berkeley, CA. We just received the first piece of equipment for our full-size production line, which is being installed in a 250,000 square foot facility.

Our value proposition is that we make a sandwich core structure in any thermoplastic.  This enables us to use 30-75% less material when compared to standard technologies. 

We're using material science to fight climate change. Every pound of our plant-based material replaces up to 3 lbs of plastic.

Our 16 oz. party cup demonstrates:

• Half the material use by weight of competitive 16 oz cups
• Less than ¼ the CO2 emissions per product
• Superior strength
• Insulation
• Compostability

Video and images of testing are available on our technology page.

Company Images

   

Video

https://vimeo.com/89768161

Founder Bio

Mike Waggoner is a Mechanical Engineer turned inventor and entrepreneur. He has two patents for exhaust diffusers, and two for plastic foaming technologies. His resume is available HERE, and his Linkedin profile is HERE.

Mike lives near Berkeley, CA with his wife and daughter. Seattle is home, but the USDA gave Grow Plastics a pilot manufacturing facility just outside of Berkeley, CA. A true Seattle native, he spends his non-working time during weekends skiing the front and backcountry of local hillsides, mountain biking in mud, and kayak camping. 

Past Projects

Mike Waggoner has completed a series of successful projects that may of of interest.

Firefighter Suit Test Chamber – Measurement Technology Northwest 2010-2012

An advertisement was posted on craigslist that said, “Do you like to burn stuff”? Measurement Technology Northwest (Seattle, WA) needed a project engineer to build a custom firefighter suit test system in China. The project included improving the fireproof resin systems used by MTNW, developing a skin-simulant burn sensor, and integrating all controls into a safe system. The system is in operation at Donghua University in Shanghai, China.

Video is available at: https://goo.gl/photos/cyrjKH7zY69Wqn4TA

 

 

Extreme Environment Shoe Tester 2012-2013

Columbia Sportswear needed to design shoes that withstood -40C in high winds. Mike Waggoner served as project lead on a wind tunnel system enclosed in an environmental chamber.

Home Remodeling, 2007-Current

Starting in 2007, Mike owned a home that had been a rental for 35 years. The walls all needed scrubbing and repainting, the bathroom wall was caving into the bathtub, the plumbing leaked, and the electrical wiring had arcing issues. After fixing everything with help from his family, Mike started cutting huge holes into structural walls. The house still stands (fingers crossed).

Race Cars, 2000-2005

As an undergraduate and graduate student, Mike participated in the student Formula SAE students competitions, in which students build high performance race cars from scratch and compete in annual events.