Ecovative Design

Ecovative is the pioneer of Mushroom® Packaging, a molded cushioning material grown from mycelium and low‑value agricultural waste. Founded in 2007 by engineers Eben Bayer and Gavin McIntyre, the company mixes hemp hurd or wood‑chip fines with fungal spawn, fills reusable molds, and incubates for 3–4 days until the mycelium binds the particles into a rigid foam that rivals EPS for drop protection yet home‑composts in under 45 days. Its Green Island, NY campus houses a 180,000 ft² pilot line plus “Swersey Farms” contract growers. Fortune‑500 electronics brands began switching in the early 2010s—Dell used EcoCradle to ship servers, while IKEA committed in 2020 to phase in mycelium parts—validating cost competitiveness at scale. The firm now licenses its MycoComposite™ IP to regional converters on four continents and in 2024 announced a $30 m Series E to triple capacity and develop thermal‑insulating grades.