Coffee without the coffee bean, bioplastic burial pods, fruit and algae clothing, soy straws, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of April 12th

#7 Soy straw takes top prize in Indiana contest

In Indiana, three students have won a soybean product innovation contest for their biodegradable, soybean-based drinking straw.

The $20,000 prize will be shared by “Team Stoy”—Natalie Stephenson, a senior in the Krannert School of Management; Morgan Malm, a graduate student in the College of Science; and Ruth Zhong, a senior in the College of Engineering.

“I … developed a passion for biodegradable material production,” says Stephenson. “It’s so rewarding to put time and energy into a product worth fighting for, and I wholeheartedly believe that Stroy has a true potential to significantly positively impact the environment.”

Runner up went to Team Soy Seal’s soy nanocellulose wood finish, while Team Soyshield came in third for soy-based windshield wiper fluid.

The competition is funded by the Indiana Soybean Checkoff.
More on the story, here.