Austin Hirsh is ready for his next smoothie move: the young Seattle entrepreneur with a plan to turn potential food waste into a beverage powder is officially launching his product on Kickstarter today.
The 2050 Company, founded by Hirsh while he pursued his Master of Science in Entrepreneurship at the University of Washington, uses freeze-drying technology to turn fresh produce into an instant smoothie mix. Each smoothie contains upcycled fruit that would have otherwise been wasted because of surplus amounts or cosmetic flaws.
A Gig Harbor, Wash., native, Hirsh has already achieved success with his startup and his product, competing as a finalist in seven business plan competitions and winning $25,000 in prize money. The 2050 Company took first place and a $10,000 prize at the Northwest Entrepreneur Competition and third place, the best consumer product award and $10,000 at the UW’s most recent Dempsey Startup Competition.
“These competitions have made it possible to bootstrap the business and stay focused on the mission: harnessing innovation to make our food supply more sustainable,” Hirsh said in a news release.
PREVIOUSLY: Smoothie operator: UW student’s startup rescues food waste and blends it with entrepreneurial spirit
In July, the company was accepted into the UW’s Jones and Foster Accelerator Program, where Hirsh and his team will continue developing the business after its launch.
The Kickstarter has a crowdfunding goal of $20,000 and will offer access to 2050’s instant 2050 Smoothie line of powders, including three Northwest-inspired flavors: Rainier Berry, Seattle Summer, and Evergreen. Early bird backers will receive their first 10-pack bag of smoothie mixes as soon as the Kickstarter ends in September.
“Brown bananas and wilted spinach? The 2050 Smoothie stays fresh in your pantry for up to a year! No freezer necessary!” the Kickstarter description says. “Running late for work? The 2050 Smoothie transforms into a delicious frozen beverage in under 60 seconds!”
With a focus on sustainability, The 2050 Company is named after a group’s suggestion that reducing food waste could aid in curbing global warming by the year 2050.
