EcoTech Visions

South Florida and many other communities are very vulnerable to climate change and its impacts. At the same time, large segments in America and other nations do not have, or fear they are losing, opportunities to a well-lived life. To achieve a high level of well-being, not only must there be adequate fresh water, food, goods and services as used in modern life, there must also be a method over the long term to supply such fresh water and other liquids, food, goods and services (inclusive of communications and mobility) without a degradation of the natural, built, and electronic environment.

The real problem is the magnitude of this global issue and the inability to conceptualize how to get the many nations that inhabit the planet to agree on the means and the timing of the activities necessary to avoid tragic and catastrophic climate-related outcomes; catastrophes that eventually will overwhelm all of our communities and nations (e.g., recurring periodic flood conditions, permanent inundation, severe storms, extreme heat, wildfires, pandemics, drought, food insecurity, migrations, war, and the general loss of government services and civil order).

This global heating is a climate emergency and we need to stop what we are doing to concentrate our attention on this existential risk. Many people will ignore this existential threat and others will announce that all hope is lost. Solutions will be found by use of our capacity for long-term thought when providing for the necessities of modern life. 

According to the Carbon Majors Database, which is compiled by world-renowned researchers, 57 entities are linked to 80 % of the worlds greenhouse gases.  These 57 entities are based in two sectors; energy and the built environment.   Dwellings are necessary for human comfort yet in Miami Dade county there are over 30,000 residents on the HUD list awaiting housing.  In neighboring New Orleans there are 47,000 people.  Globally, an estimated 47% of all humans have experienced some form of housing insecurity.  Building materials and logistics has had a toxic effect on the planet.

The public discourse clearly indicates there is no popular consensus that global heating and the climate emergency is real and that if it is, what should be done. Given the 197 Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, all of whom have either signed or acceded to the Paris Agreement, there is hope that the very worst impacts of this emergency can be averted. It is likely, however, that vulnerable communities, including South Florida, will be lost this century. This will fatally impact billion of humans directly and all populations indirectly (e.g., migrations, civil unrest, sorrow, and the loss of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness). No early solutions will likely be found globally, but with the role-out of 150 VS2DMFs in America and select international locations, we can build a stronger middle class, successfully address the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and help to shift public policy between 2025 and 2030.

When addressing the existential threats to global communities while pursuing economic growth without much of a carbon budget left to work with, a team effort by an agile, diverse, enthusiastic, and younger generation of leaders is required. In this situation, both EcoTech Visions, Inc. (ETV) and EcoTech Visions Foundation, Inc. (ETVF) were established by Pandwe Gibson and these two corporate entities have collaborated since their inception to establish a process where business and program decisions of ETV are reviewed from two separate perspectives (i.e., profit opportunities in the short term and benefits to mankind in the long term). Efforts over the next year include the separation of ETV and ETVF decision making and leadership.  Completing additional prototype sites and deploying data collection research to insure scalability.

We currently have access to three built environment materials whose engineers all suggest will evolve humanity through the climate era to meet net zero goals.  These materials have recently been added in part or as appendixes in the International Residential Building Code (IRC); however, more research is required for full certification and market use.  Through development and testing ETV explores how composite materials and structural components can increase commercial viability and create the scale necessary for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) call for nations to maintain the global temperature increase below 1.5C and net zero by 2040 while tackling the global housing crisis. Our research serves as a valuable resource for researchers, architects, and policymakers interested in sustainable construction practices and our homes provide shelter and economic independence for buyers.

A comparative analysis of advanced building materials. We will perform a series of experiments and studies in collaboration with the MIT Sustainable Concrete lab.  Compile data and produce 2-3 peer reviewed papers highlighting the findings.  This research would require the building of a few prototypes.  EcoTech currently owns land for the test site.

To state how the ETV solution meaningfully contributes to resolving the global heating and the climate emergency, requires a longer view. Climate change has been a concern for a while, so there is no reason to expect a rapid solution until we have lost communities and nations to catastrophic events that are related to global heating. We are admittedly getting close to these kinds of horrible outcomes, but we are not yet quite there.  While we await climate-fueled nationally impactful losses, ETV solutions need to be deployed so that the first 120 homes can be fully deployed before the 2030 Paris Agreement deliberations.

By that time America and other nations will need to have examples of how industrial output and a prosperous economy can grow in all segments of the nations while achieving zero waste and zero GHG emissions as small entrepreneurial companies implement distributed Robotic manufacturing and using regionally accessed raw materials and recycled products and compete with/succeed against significantly larger industry leaders. Ecotech is optimizing sustainable building materials and manufacturing via advanced material science and AI.

John is six-foot-three, 300 lbs. with dark skin and a criminal record.  I hired him to be security and a greeter at EcoTech. John was at the time of hire in his early 50s.  He knew nothing about sustainability and was just looking for gainful employment.  Through his work, he was able to get a car—a red Ford F150 pickup truck—and move out of his mother’s home.  One day John stopped by to pick up his check. His son, who at the time, was a star football player on one of the best high school football teams in Miami, and five or six of his teammates were also in tow.  As I walked John out the door, he noticed one of the young men had thrown their chip bag on the ground in our parking lot.  I watch John get visibly upset.  He told all the boys to get out of the truck and walked them inside.  He gave them a tour around ETV, telling them about every company they encountered and what each did. When they went back out, the boy picked up the litter, apologized, and said, “I got the picture.”  It was this moment and moments like this that let me know I was on the sustainable path.  I could have been those boys’ teacher, lecturing them, and it would not have had the impact that John’s words had that day. John’s son had pride that day that his dad could drive the team around at work at a company that mattered.  It was clear to me that creating sustainable environmentalism required economic incentives.

Valencia is another representative of the EcoTech Visions program’s success. She has a global platform and speaks to millions about climate gentrification and homelessness and advocates for voting rights for returning citizens; however, when I met her, she was homeless herself.   Valencia came to ETV for a workshop in 2015, and I immediately saw something in her.  I purchased a house in the neighborhood she grew up in, gave her a job, and a place to live while the home was being renovated to teach her about home ownership.  I gave her a list of things to do that I give to all my mentees, which included things like workout daily, read certain books, drink 70 ounces of water a day, get a passport, driver’s license, and credit card—and pay the balance monthly. She also had a list for the business through ETV. Today, Valencia runs a multimillion-dollar organization, feeds thousands annually through her not-for-profit business Make the Homeless Smile, and is a homeowner with her own mentees, the final assignment!

ETV will expand the capacity of the middle class, those in poverty, and Millennials to become part of a zero waste, zero GHG emission circular economy. To attract the most diverse and inclusive entrepreneurs and employees, ETV transitions economically disadvantaged blue-collar workers into green-collar workers, training them in new skills that are critical to participating in the new economy.

The personnel and affiliated companies working at ETV work well together, have great communication, and a tireless work ethic. They are individually and collectively very imaginative and resourceful.  We are passionate about the mission to create jobs, sustain communities, and protect the life on the planet.  We also understand the regions we are entering and are willing to take risks; when there are setbacks caused by our own mistakes and those of others or simply due to bad breaks that will inevitably occur, we have the skills and full intent to recover.

Our team is focused and has the developed partnerships Pandwe’s former professor, Simon Johnson, and others at MIT in order to Jump-Start America and scale this solution throughout the nation and beyond. FIU CARTA and ETVF have also arrange for the Robotics and Digital Fabrication Lab personnel to consult with ETVF and start-ups regarding the sourcing, selection, and training associated with the use of Robotics in smart manufacturing, data collection and development projects. ETV and ETVF join with FIU ARC’s Mission-to-Market Industry Partner-Network to access the professional networks, expertise, and financial resources and build the capacity of innovators, entrepreneurs, and students to compete for employment and business opportunities.

The foundation’s affordable sustainable housing communities using environmentally friendly building materials and processes. And we are working on building affordable net zero housing with carbon sequestration capabilities.

 In order to create a sustainable foundation, Ecotech Foundation funds its work by building housing of which more than 50% is workforce or affordable.  The Foundation also uses its access to innovation to change city and county zone regulations to include sustainable products in an effort to advance building codes.  Traditional developers and product entrepreneurs do not have the time or facility to spend years changing regulations, and start-up innovators are rarely able to break into big development. So ETV Foundation does the hard work to advance sustainability within the built environment. This included building the first container homes in South Florida as affordable housing, giving contracts to the first women-owned solar company, and bringing mechanical parking to a city in order to decrease the use of concrete and increase residential housing options. We also proved to the big developer who had failed for the past decade to provide any affordable housing that it could be done with quality and on schedule. In Miami, a 1200 sq. ft. three-bedroom, two bathroom home with all the modern fixtures at market rate sells for $550–$900K depending on the neighborhood. Affordable housing sells for $305,000.  Through creative financing and a partnership with HUD and Miami-Dade County, our buyers qualify for $85,000 in down payment assistance, which makes their total purchasing price $220,000, and depending on interest rates, monthly payments come to $1,200–$1,600.  To rent section 8, low-income housing, this same square footage at a lesser quality would cost $2,400–$2,800 per month.  To date, in Miami-Dade County, there are over 30,000 people on the waiting list for homes without enough inventory to go around.  As you can imagine, our stock flies off the market because we create financial freedom for our buyers.  They immediately save over $1,000 a month by owning versus renting.  ETV Foundation is currently working on its largest build yet.  AMStrong Flat (named for my mother Aletha M Strong) will be the first universal design facility in Miami.  It is a 50-unit, eight-story building with mechanical parking and commercial offices, libraries, and coworking space, slated for completion in 2025.

The following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals SDGs align with the ETVF and ETV solution: No Poverty; Zero Hunger; Quality Education; Gender Equality; Affordable Clean Energy; Decent Work and Economic Growth; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Reduced Inequalities; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Production; and, Climate Action.  

The only way to achieve zero waste and zero GHG emission between now and 2040 is to immediately begin changing global behaviors and cause most people  to: i) indicate they are unhappy with conditions that appear to be worsening due to a failure of governments, business, and the wealthy and powerful to change public policies and behaviors; ii) assemble massively to speak of these concerns; and, iii) petition governments to redress grievances and make their concerns known to businesses, the wealthy, and the powerful in the market place. This has been the way of the world since at least ancient Rome when Plebeians abandoned the City of Rome until the Patrician class met their demands (i.e., secession plebis in 494 BC, 449 BC, 445 BC, 342 BC, and 287 BC).

By every scientific measurement, it is clear that: the planet is warming; human behaviors which emit carbon dioxide and other GHG into the atmosphere are the cause of this change of average global temperature; and, that conditions on Earth that support life are changing such that many communities and eventually all places on the globe will become uninhabitable. A mass extinction is underway, and the only question that still needs to be answered is: Will all life on Earth be extinguished or simple a lot of it?

A rapid change in behaviors and well-funded scientific breakthroughs might save us, but to do anything meaningful requires unprecedented coordination and cooperation as between nations and socioeconomic segments of society. There are five broadly stated strategies to reduce the GHG that are emitted into the atmosphere:

a)    Stop burning fossil fuels or producing inorganic fertilizers, plastics, and the other products that come from refining oil; conserve energy and fresh water supplies; reduce waste and wastewater production; and, increase renewable energy generation including fourth generation fast breeder reactors

b)    Built environment carbon sequestration materials become standard building material.

c)    Graduate most or all women from institutions of higher education with graduate degrees and provide to them high value job training

d)    End conventional farming and begin to sustainably farm more plants and trees and fewer animals

e)    Shift to a circular economy with distributed manufacturing

April 3, 2024  CMHA’s Director of Materials Science, Craig Walloch, presented on continued research regarding Carbon Sequestration of Concrete Masonry Units (CMU).  MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub has agreed to partner and with funding ETV plans to support the evaluation of CMUs, blocks, Blox, crete, and other advanced material sciences composite blocks to improve the built environment's environmental impact. 

ETV and ETVF is a think tank do tank and participating in Solve can assist with the resources to revolutionize the construction sector.   Data offering a glimpse into the promising future outlook of studied materials in revolutionizing the construction industry. This research and development aspires to be an indispensable guide for researchers, architects, and policymakers seeking to embrace sustainable construction methodologies.

First, many focus on climate change or systemic poverty from a policy or public education perspective; however, we are a market-based solution. Florida is the third largest state in the union and is en route to being the largest, as Miami has been the fastest-growing city in the nation for seven years running. Based on these numbers both job creation and environmental protection are critical for local and global progress.

Second, Miami is a major port city and gateway to both Latin America and Africa, which provides a unique opportunity for piloting and disseminating a best practice model. Greentech manufacturing focuses on the strengths of humanity to support everyone because we all need products and people can earn a fair wage making them. Who better than the electrician to learn solar panel installation or the mechanic to learn about electric motorcycles? EcoTech leverages Miami’s current environmental ban on Styrofoam products and works with local entrepreneurs to create eco-friendly replacement items. This perspective and my work assisted in bringing the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities to Florida, creating fund initiatives that placed millions in green technology research and businesses. This work also led me to be recruited by the Department of Energy.

While all the awards and recognition are great, the most fulfilling experiences I have had are with those I employ. When Alton was interviewed for the laboratory management position, we knew he would be a great addition to EcoTech Visions. Though he had just been released from jail for loitering and was in transitional housing, he had 20 years of experience as a repairman in electrical systems and fixtures. He had several certifications and just needed stable employment to get on his feet. He, like the 25 other Black men in the fellowship program and hundreds of thousands across the nation live in a neighborhood that is both a food desert and a digital desert. In his home, Liberty City, 72 men were killed in 2022, mass incarceration is ramped, and service jobs paying $10 to $12 an hour are the only available employment. Alton and so many others hold the key to sustainability for both their community and the planet because they are the human capital with the skills to solve our environmental crisis if we provide them with the transitional training to shift from blue collar to green collar.

Optimizing sustainable building materials and manufacturing via advanced material science and AI will have a significant impact on decreasing CO2 emissions give the built environment is one of the larges culprits.

The following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals SDGs align with the ETVF and ETV solution: No Poverty; Zero Hunger; Quality Education; Gender Equality; Affordable Clean Energy; Decent Work and Economic Growth; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Reduced Inequalities; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Production; and, Climate Action.  

Peter Drucker says innovation is "change that creates a new dimension of performance". Innovative approach is a key criteria for selection, and your response should clearly explain what makes your solution innovative compared to what already exists. This could include a brand new technology or approach, a new application of existing technology to serve a new population, or a change in process or business model that makes the solution much more effective for your target population.

EcoTech Visions is the culmination of my research put into practice. I chose Peter Drucker School of Management based on the experience I had meeting Mr. Drucker and studying his work as an undergraduate student. ETV is also the outcome of my research and studies under Simon Johnson at MIT and aligns with his new book Jump Start America which argues that innovations hubs are the only way to secure economic prosperity and environmental awareness for America and the world.  ETV is an effective profitable business case for developing innovation hubs  and housing focused on growth and high yield production.  We measure success through data collections via AI, machine learning and sensor collection.

AI / Computer Vision

Sensors

Advanced Material Science

3 full time, 2 part-time and about a dozen contractors.

Seven years

a)     Pandwe Gibson, Ph.D.

                            i)     Affiliation: ETVF Executive Director and ETV President & CEO

                          ii)     Biography: Pandwe Gibson developed a network of 16 schools involving the expenditure of $30 million in a school system that now teaches 8000 children before founding three successful companies. Today, through the EcoTech Visions incubator, she leads entrepreneurs in green manufacturing in Miami. She has lived, studied and taught at notable universities, including the University of Logon in Accra, Ghana, and Oxford University in Oxford, England.

b)    Silvio Frank Pupo Casco

                            i)     Affiliation: Logos Capital, CEO and Co-Founder

                          ii)     Biography: Silvio Pupo has over ten years of Finance and Economic Development experience with key strength in operations, strategy, finance, investor relations, and tech transfer. Silvio started his banking career in Miami with Citigroup and has 15 years of experience in international hospitality and real estate development and other business across Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, U.S. and Asia. Mr. Puto is President of Government Blockchain Association of Miami and strategic Advisor for Hispanic Heritage Foundation. He is a proactive civic leader on the board of several organizations in education, social environmental impact including the Mayor’s International Council, City of Miami.

c)     Tom Gustafson, J.D.

                            i)     Affiliation: FIU’s Institute of Water and Environment (InWE), Program Director of Innovative Programs

                          ii)     Biography: Tom Gustafson practiced law for thirty years, was a Florida Legislator for fourteen years (Speaker of the House in 1988-1990) and has been conceptualizing and implementing advanced transportation systems for forty years. He is currently helping to Save Our South Florida:

·    Sixty governments, businesses, and other entities agree to: energy conservation, renewable energy generation, and other mitigation/adaptation improvements; and, Sustainability Reports that guide South Florida to zero waste and GHG emissions by 2035

·    Demonstrate a zero waste and GHG emissions Advanced Transit Oriented Developments (ATODs)

·    Fund, develop, and market a genre of ClimateChampions Games which educate and motivate gamers to change behaviors that cause climate change

ETV in partnership with ETVF. The business model is a for profit focused on smart manufacturing and a foundation focused on Development and educational programing.  ETV website  at http://ecotechvisions.com/  and ETVF website at http://etvfoundation.org.  We are a think tank do tank.  ETV serves business business clients and charges fees while the foundation focuses on business to consumer markets and policy implications.

Venture capital can be the lifeblood of entrepreneurial endeavors and the catalyst for entrepreneurial growth. However, their support is often elusive.

To protect their investments, venture capitalists rely on certain patterns and trends to help them separate surefire opportunities from the overly risky. They diligently observe things like technological advancements and consumer trends to pinpoint startups with solutions that aim to address unmet needs or significant inefficiencies. They also scrutinize a startup's team and evaluate their expertise and resilience. A blend of market foresight, thorough analysis, and a focus on scalability help VCs navigate markets with lucrative investments. 

However, the corridors of the VC industry predominantly echo the voices and visions of conventional entrepreneurs. Some of the top three investment areas in 2023 have been gaming and media. VC firms are in contract with LPs and GPs who set the investment criteria. Then the start-up must fit the boxes prescribed. The flaw in this is that disruption is often outside of the box, landing those ideas often in the trash pill. I believe the models they follow tend to go in the opposite way of true disruption. This isn't to say that unicorns don't emerge and become household names, but it's not as frequent as it perhaps could be. We are revenue positive currently. 

The absence of a disruptive ecosystem can further impede the growth and representation of diverse leadership. The startup and investment arenas struggle to embrace and nurture the wealth of ideas that emerge from different perspectives. Unconventional founders often find themselves navigating an uphill battle as venture capital tends to favor tried-and-tested businesses. Women-led businesses are 63 percent less likely to secure funding than those founded by men, and while funding for Black-owned startups has increased, Black women only received 0.34 percent of total venture capital spending in 2021. 

Armed with advanced degrees and a family legacy of scientists and mathematicians, I encountered relentless challenges when starting my company in the emerging green tech space. If I had been building a company in the gaming industry, for example, or was seeking funding for a simple software platform or beauty product, I'm confident I would have received more immediate financial support. But if you don't fit into the current VC-prescribed investment thesis, you don't get funded.

Just like Salesforce is now a billion-dollar giant, I've grown my platform as a service business for co-manufacturing into a successful organization helping to cultivate higher-wage jobs in marginalized communities while providing services and co-working space to green startups in predominantly Black areas. I wanted to make Miami more inclusive to bridge the gap between innovation and equitable opportunities, and that mission will carry to other cities and counties as we grow.

As a women founder I began ETV after settled my personal debt and could invest in my purpose.  Part of why I am apply to solve is for access to the proper networks for scale.  We are revenue positive currently.