Help Kiwi students take their brewery waste project to the world stage!

Every year, breweries across New Zealand generate 55 million kilograms of brewers’ spent grain- representing 85% of total brewing waste. Current spent grain disposal methods are flawed. It is sold as cheap animal feed to farmers, but supply is far exceeding demand. The excess grain is diverted to landfill where each tonne emits 503kg equivalent of CO2. But within this overlooked material is something remarkably valuable: nanocellulose, one of the world’s most versatile and in-demand biomaterials.

We're a team of undergraduate students from the University of Canterbury, and we know there's a better way. We have been working tirelessly to design and execute a process that converts this low value feedstock into a high value product.

This November, we have the opportunity to present our findings at the iGEM Grand Jamboree in Paris. This is one of the most prestigious international science competitions.

We need your help to get there and represent emerging NZ innovations!