Solid Ground Innovations, LLC. Competitors

Fungi Perfecti® - makers of Host Defense® Mushrooms™ - is a family-owned company specializing in mushroom mycelium-based supplements. Founded by Paul Stamets in 1980 with the goal of building a bridge between people and fungi, Fungi Perfecti® has become synonymous with cutting-edge mycological research and innovative mycological solutions. Under Paul’s visionary leadership, we have made significant breakthroughs revealing the power and potential of mushroom mycelium. This is the foundation of the Host Defense® brand. Based near the Olympic Rainforest in Washington state, we are one of the best-documented and longest-standing mushroom supplement companies in the USA. Since its inception, Fungi Perfecti® has been the industry leader in research on the endless potential for the use of fungi in everything from water filtration (mycofiltration) and ecological rehabilitation (mycoremediation), to using beneficial mushrooms in the form of supplements to support human health. Our continued mission is to explore, study, preserve, and spread knowledge about the use of fungi for helping people and planet.* *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Newlight is a biotechnology company turning greenhouse gas into high-performance materials. Newlight was founded in 2003 with a question: why can't we use greenhouse gas as a source of good? Over two decades of research, Newlight developed a biotechnological process to produce a material called Aircarbon®: a polymer made from air and greenhouse gas. Today, Aircarbon is being used as a performance material in a variety of industries, from foodware to fashion. In recognition of Newlight's commercialization achievements, Newlight has been honored to be awarded: "Innovation of the Year" by Popular Science, "Technology Pioneer" by the World Economic Forum, "Technology Excellence Award" by PC Magazine, "Company of the Year" by CleanTech OC, and "Biomaterial of the Year" by the Nova-Institute. www.newlight.com www.aircarbon.com

Rustic Pathways is an educational travel company founded in 1983 that operates supervised group programs for students ages 14–18 across 38+ destination countries. Based in Mentor, Ohio, Rustic Pathways has served 155,000+ students from 53 countries of origin through cultural immersion, service-learning, and adventure programs. The company has been led by CEO Shayne Fitz-Coy since 2020. Named United States' Leading Tour Operator at the World Travel Awards 2025, selected over G Adventures and National Geographic Expeditions, Rustic Pathways was the first teen travel operator in the industry to employ a full-time Medical Director, publish quarterly safety reports, and track longitudinal student outcomes across a published 10-outcome research framework. Rustic Pathways operates across two markets: Teen Travel — Open-enrollment programs in cultural immersion, service-learning, adventure, and conservation for individual students ages 14–18. Programs run across six continents with a documented staff-to-student ratio of 4.37:1. School Group Travel — Custom-designed educational travel for middle schools, high schools, and universities. Curriculum-integrated itineraries, faculty-led options, and service-learning programs aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals. Rustic Pathways program outcomes: measured through 10 Student Learning Outcomes tracked before, immediately after, and six months post-program. 97.6% of students show measurable growth in at least one outcome, and 8 of 10 outcomes sustain across the cohort at six months. Rustic Pathways research partners: Stanford University's Deliberative Democracy Lab and Boston College Purpose Lab. A 2024 peer-reviewed study in Adolescents (MDPI) linked Rustic Pathways program structure to adolescent civic purpose development. Rustic Pathways recognition: World Travel Awards 2025 · WYSE Travel Confederation Best Youth Tour Operator (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019) · Travel Weekly Magellan Gold 2024 · Skift IDEA Awards 2024 · 4.8