I-Corps: Zero-waste Approach to Reuse Spent Coffee Grounds

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is due to the zero-waste approach to resue spent coffee grounds (SCGs). This technology can potentially result in a more sustainable waste management practice. It can greatly reduce landfill costs for the municipalities and SCG generators. The technology will result in more resources conserved by generating value added materials and reduce the community?s carbon footprint. This I-Corps project will directly benefit the entrepreneurial leaders by allowing them to go out of the laboratory and make real world customer connections. This experience will better equip the PI with the mindset and skills to pursue commercial applications of her future research. This customer discovery process will provide the team with essential information on technology-market fit, thus paving the way of commercialization. This project may greatly promote the adoption of this environmentally friendly technology by the society. This I-Corps project is based on laboratory proven technology to reuse the whole parts of SCGs. The SCGs will be separated into two products, the lipid fraction as biofuels and the remaining solids as either biochar or a specialized activated carbon. A direct esterification process is used for lipid extraction, which also enhances the subsequent carbon reuse process with sulfur enrichment. Compared with the solvent extraction process used by others, our patent-pending process is more cost effective, efficient and environmentally friendly. The simplicity and low cost will promote its wide use, and thus effectively divert SCG from landfills and generate value added products that can be used locally. Customer discovery is essential in understanding the product market fit, which will greatly facilitate technology commercialization.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.