Throughout the current health crisis, Grenova has had one goal— to leverage our technology and expertise to help fight the spread of COVID-19. Richmond Inno, a media outlet featuring innovative businesses, recently recognized Grenova’s efforts in the healthcare and life sciences community during this time of crisis. Grenova was nominated as a finalist in the Crisis Innovator Award, which honors companies stepping up in the face of coronavirus.  

Since 2019, the “Inno on Fire” awards by Richmond Inno have highlighted innovative and fast-growing companies. Last year’s winners included Lighthouse Labs, a Top-25 Seed-Stage Accelerator, and The Broad, a coworking space for women. No two Inno on Fire winners are alike; they all receive acclaim because these leading startups differentiate themselves from their industries and fill a void in the Richmond community and beyond.  

This year was the first time Inno on Fire has recognized a Crisis Innovator. Because of the complications due to COVID-19, the organization felt that it was necessary to honor those who have fought against the disease. Richmond Inno stated, “The pandemic has affected the startup community in ways no one could have imagined, but it’s also caused entrepreneurs to think beyond their mission inspiring new solutions, pivots, and initiatives aimed at combating this pandemic.”  

Pivoting and strategizing was necessary for Grenova during the rise of COVID-19. Originally, Grenova’s pipette tip cleaning and washing machines catered to sustainable lab technicians who wanted to make their workplaces greener. Now, the growing company serves an entirely new customer base as the result of the shortage of pipette tips used for COVID-19 testing. Pipette tip reuse is now a necessity and Grenova has answered this call from the lab community. To fully conduct a coronavirus test, ten pipette tips are used. This increase in tip usage has led to a worldwide shortage of the plastic consumable, as coronavirus testing centers around the world are figuring out how to extend the life of each individual tip.  

Because of the new demand for Grenova’s products, the company has doubled in size in the last year alone. Grenova now works to end pipette tip shortages and improve access to COVID-19 testing while making labs more environmentally friendly in the process. Third party researchers have recently found that Grenova’s Tipnovus and Tipnovus Mini have the ability to decrease companies’ carbon footprint from pipette tips by 93% and 95% respectively, so that they contribute significantly less carbon into the earth’s atmosphere. Since 2015, Grenova’s appliances have cleaned over 109 million tips, removed over 313,000 lbs. of plastic waste, and saved labs close to $9 million that would have been spent on pipette tips.  

Grenova is honored to be recognized as a finalist for Richmond Inno’s Crisis Innovator award and for being recognized for our efforts to respond to COVID-19 and combat the pandemic. Grenova is dedicated to helping labs beat COVID-19 and will continue to act as an innovator to help reuse critical laboratory supplies around the globe.