New this year, the Pitch Slam Rising Star Award is presented to a Pitch Slam finalist brand demonstrating integrity, innovation, scalability and solid storytelling. This go around, Claire Schlemme of Renewal Mill snagged the award and for good reason.

Renewal Mill is a food waste reprocessing venture that upcycles fibrous byproducts from food manufacturing into high value end-use goods. Its focus right now? Okara flour, aka soybean pulp. But, there's much more on the horizon for Renewal Mill as it plays its part in tackling the global food waste crisis. Here, Schlemme shares why it's so important to use upcycled food byproducts and where its innovation is headed next.