CAZENOVIA — FuzeHub, a not-for-profit organization that assists small and medium-sized manufacturing companies in New York State, recently named Cazenovia business Eco-Baggeez LLC as a finalist for its 2021 Commercialization Competition at the NYS Innovation Summit.

Held at Turning Stone Resort on Nov. 8 and 9, the competition will bring together 12 entrepreneurs from across the state to pitch their ideas before a live audience for the chance to win $50,000.

According to an Oct. 15 press release announcing the finalists, companies will be asked to demonstrate the commercialization potential of their product or technology. Award funds must be used to improve an existing prototype that will enable the company to pursue additional investment and customers, leading to the commercialization of their product concept.

“FuzeHub is excited to celebrate these New York State technology entrepreneurs on their pathway to becoming future business leaders in our communities,” said FuzeHub Executive Director Elena Garuc in the press release. “These awards continue to help a diverse set of start-ups further develop their products and get closer to bringing them to market.”

Founded and owned by Cazenovia resident Beth Race, Eco-Baggeez, LLC produces earth-friendly reusable sandwich bags.

The patented product, which became available in stores throughout NYS in 2019, provides consumers with a high quality, green alternative to traditional plastic sandwich and snack bags.

Unlike other alternatives, Eco-Baggeez contain no plastic or petroleum-based products of any kind.

They are also microwaveable.

The recyclable and compostable paper bags are made out of 100 percent sustainable products that are sourced and manufactured in the United States.

Race conceptualized Eco-Baggeez a decade ago while working as a teaching assistant at Burton Street Elementary School. After witnessing a presentation by art teacher Mary Damon on the harmful effects of plastic bags on the environment, Race realized that she and her children were using three to four sandwich bags each day. It was then that she began researching the negative impacts of plastics and was shocked to learn that 26 billion plastic sandwich bags were thrown into landfills each year in the United States alone.

According to Race, that number has since risen to approximately 97 billion.

Her research also revealed that plastic bags take an average of 50 years to biodegrade, and that when they do break down, they introduce harmful chemicals into the earth.

At the time, she noticed that the green alternatives on the market were expensive (over $14) and available by mail only. She also noticed that most of the products were made from some form of re-usable plastic, which requires energy and chemicals to clean.

Rather than settle for what was available, the entrepreneur decided to design a better alternative herself.

Race, whose maternal grandfather and great-grandfather were also entrepreneurs, spent a number of years searching for the ideal combination of materials for her product.

“We registered Eco-Baggeez LLC in 2014, but we did not start the business and production until June of 2019,” she said.

She researched a variety of existing options and spoke to a number of bag producers and paper industry experts to find a material that was both highly functional and as green as possible.

Race finally decided on natural brown Kraft Paper, a sustainably forested material that helps keep foods fresh during temporary storage by absorbing certain natural levels of moisture, fat and grease.

Through networking, she was also able to find a company in California capable of producing a recyclable and biodegradable tape for sealing the bags.

Eco-Baggeez are produced in Oneida by Alternatives Industry, a business division of The Arc of Madison Cortland in Oneida that trains and employs adults with disabilities.

The product is now available in green and organic stores across NYS and in Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Washington. Locally, Eco-Baggeez are available at 20|EAST in Cazenovia and Nelson Farms Country Store in Nelson. A map of all retail locations is available at eco-baggeez.com. Eco-Baggeez also sold online at GreenPaperProducts.com and Amazon.com.

The company plans to donate a percentage of its profits to 4ocean.com to help rid the oceans of plastic and to organizations that support reforestation efforts in areas devastated by wildfire.

“Currently, as a manufacturing startup, we are still growing towards that,” said Race.

During her upcoming competition pitch, Race plans to demonstrate the commercialization potential of her product by highlighting the fact that Eco-Baggex LLC is already experiencing organic growth through online retailers and wholesalers in the business-to-business and business-to-consumer markets.

“We are a few steps away from becoming the Preferred Source [of green alternative sandwich bags] for all NYS entities,” she said. “We have been getting requests for a larger sandwich bag, as well as other sizes. People love our bags and would like us to expand our line.”

Eco-Baggeez will compete against the following start-ups: AirTulip (New York), Carapace Analytics LLC (Syracuse), Crystal Creek Organics, Inc. (Rochester), DomCat Technologies LLC (Binghamton), IV Wedge LLC (Babylon), MICROrganic Technologies, Inc. (Saratoga Springs), Natural Beauty Breast Prosthesis, LLC (Hamilton), Pharmacoustics Technologies, LLC (Potsdam), PrisAM LLC (Rochester), SensoLife LLC (Potsdam), and SunThru LLC (Scotia).

“[If I won,] I would use the money to expand our current product line and rebrand to meet national grocery chain specs for this type of product,” said Race. “Bringing someone on board to [assist] would help as well.”

According to the Oct. 15 FuzeHub press release, the two-day NYS Innovation Summit will feature keynote speakers, a CEO roundtable, exhibits, breakout sessions on economic development trends and disruptive technologies, and the opportunity to see why NYS is at the forefront of emerging industries.

Now in its fifth year, the summit’s Commercialization Competition is part of FuzeHub’s Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund. Consisting of $1 million annually, the fund supports a set of activities designed to spur technology development and commercialization across NYS. FuzeHub administers the fund as part of its role as the Empire State Development-designated statewide Manufacturing Extension Partnership program center.

To register for the NYS Innovation Summit and view the full agenda, visit nysinnovationsummit.com.

Learn more about FuzeHub at fuzehub.com.