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GET A PIECE OF RIZOME
The Miracle Timber
We can’t grow trees fast enough to meet the construction industry’s demand for engineered lumber. Rizome bamboo is the perfect wood alternative; it’s beautiful, sustainable, strong like steel, and its regenerative properties and ability to draw down carbon is good for the planet. Rizome is bringing the wonders of bamboo to the construction industry.
$1,044,029.20 Raised
Rizome has a subsidiary in the Philippines incorporated as Bamboo Ecologic Export Philippines, Inc. (BEEP). Rizome wholly owns BEEP, and BEEP's officers and directors are officers and directors of Rizome. BEEP is our operational entity in the Philippines for developing bamboo supplies, manufacturing bamboo building materials, and supplying bamboo-based carbon credits. Rizome loans BEEP funds for capital equipment start-up and operational expenses, which BEEP will repay to Rizome. Rizome pays BEEP for the construction materials that BEEP manufactures for Rizome. Rizome anticipates $500K from the maximum raise of $3.93M going to its subsidiary for the purchase of bamboo pressing machines for supplying manufacturing inputs to the Florida operation, and for carbon credit development.
Rizome has common owners and executives with Bamboo Technologies, a Hawaii-based Limited Liability Company, d/b/a Bamboo Living, which manufactures bamboo buildings through a subsidiary in Vietnam known as Bamboo Hardwoods Vietnam (BHVN). Rizome sells bamboo construction materials at market rates to BHVN. Rizome has an exclusive license to a subset of Bamboo Living's intellectual property related to dimensional bamboo building products through a royalty agreement. Rizome does not anticipate any of the maximum raise of $3.93M to go to Bamboo Technologies.
Reasons to Invest
- We believe Rizome bamboo is the “greenest” of all building materials, the demand for which is growing. Building regulations, governmental policies, and growing public awareness are driving demand for green building materials. Our engineered bamboo lumber meets industry requirements and can be used in most construction applications. It’s the perfect alternative for conventional wood products. Rizome products are made from timber-grade bamboo, an acre of which captures 10x more carbon than an equivalent-sized forest (Source). Best of all, because it’s a grass and regenerates, the poles regrow after they’re harvested.
- Rizome’s ability to scale is due to its partnership business model. We partner with landowners, allowing us to plant millions of bamboo plants without owning land while we retain exclusive access to the mature plants. This not only lowers our capital requirements but it also allows us to pre-sell carbon credits.
- Precision agriculture technology that’s being deployed in Florida. We’re providing citrus farmers in Florida with alternative cash crops as the industry continues to be decimated by disease and cheap imports. The same techniques can be replicated in subtropical and tropical regions around the world.
Overview
Building green has never been easier. Eco-friendly, planet-healing Rizome engineered bamboo products now available.
Rizome has proven the viability of giant bamboo as a principal engineering material. We cultivate, harvest, and manufacture bamboo lumber for use in place of any wood product used in construction.
Our bamboo is cost-effective, sustainable and more fire-resistant when compared to certain types of construction woods based on a test by Omega Point Labs. Its strength and durability matched with its naturally regenerative properties makes it the better building material. With investors and partners, we hope to make bamboo a primary construction material within the next 10 years.Source
The Problem
We can’t grow trees fast enough to meet growing demand from the building industry.
Trees provide the oxygen we breathe and sequester the carbon dioxide that modern life generates. Deforestation from tree harvesting for timber, agricultural land, and other human activities; wildfires; and insect infestations are depleting our forests. Despite sustainable forestry practices, we are losing trees at an alarming rate – an estimated 15 billion trees per year, half of which are used by the construction industry.
On November 1, 2021, more than 100 global leaders pledged to reverse deforestation and land degradation by 2030. The time for bamboo lumber is now. Planting timber-grade bamboo restores degraded lands, replenishes aquifers, absorbs 10x more carbon, and continues to provide fiber for lumber for up to 100 years. (Source)
The Solution
Rizome Miracle Timber. Strong, durable, scalable, beautiful, and nature’s "carbon sink."
We at Rizome are creating some of the most eco-friendly building materials from regenerative bamboo. Bamboo thrives on degraded lands, matures in 3-5 years, and regenerates when harvested – for up to 100 years.
But for bamboo to become a viable alternative to wood it must be thick enough (timber-grade), the quality of the products must be consistent, and the supply must be reliable. Rizome plants and cultivates the giant bamboo species required to develop the products that the construction industry needs. Because we also manage harvesting and manufacturing, we control the quality and can scale production to make our products widely accessible.
And because bamboo is nature’s “carbon sink,” Rizome is also implementing one of the largest nature-based CO2 drawdown projects in the world, a natural extension of our large-scale bamboo cultivation on degraded lands. We are planting millions of bamboo plants around the world, with the goal of removing billions of tons of CO2 from the air.
Rizome bamboo reforestation will:
Help heal the planet and restore local ecosystems
Provide Florida’s citrus farmers whose crops have been devastated by disease with a new cash crop
Support small farmers in developing countries where deforestation has ravaged local economies
Provide a sustainable income for communities around the world
Support the global efforts to reduce CO2 levels
Working with local governments, we partnered with indigenous communities in the Philippines, tested our cultivation techniques, developed our carbon credit monitoring system, and built a manufacturing facility. We’re creating sustainable jobs in communities ravaged by deforestation.
With our business model and processes validated, we’re now ready for our North American operations, starting with Florida. Last year, we partnered with citrus farmers whose crops are being devastated by disease. Together, we tested and deployed agricultural technologies that enable giant bamboo to thrive in Florida and other subtropical regions. In 2026, we expect to begin harvesting the Florida plants. Meanwhile, we’ll be working on building a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that will serve North American customers.
Rizome will generate revenue in two ways: by selling bamboo building materials to wholesale and original equipment manufacturers (OEM), and by selling carbon credits to companies who use nature-based offsets to help lower their carbon footprint.
The more bamboo we plant, the more building materials we can sell, and the more CO2 we draw down.
the market
Green construction is no longer just a trend...it’s necessary.
The market for green building materials is projected to grow from $217 billion in 2020 to $384 billion in 2025. The total market for engineered wood, on the other hand, is expected to grow to $400 billion by 2027. We are confident that our engineered bamboo products will increasingly be used in place of wood as fast as we can produce them.
Meanwhile, bamboo’s ability to draw down carbon – 10 times more than an equivalent mass of trees – creates another market for Rizome. We’ve partnered with Climate Care to sell carbon credits, the demand for which McKinsey and Company is forecasting to grow to billions of credits a year.
Last year, we started planting our bamboo with our indigenous partners in the Philippines. In October of 2021, Rizome opened its first manufacturing facility and began making engineered bamboo boards and other products for its North American customers.
why invest
Invest in the foundation for a healthier planet and the greenest building material
Plant Bamboo. Make lumber. Sequester billions of tons of carbon dioxide. This is Rizome.
The founders of Rizome went into business to save trees, and we knew that bamboo was the answer. What we needed to do was prove the viability of bamboo as a structural building material. Success would mean a wood alternative that meets building standards, helping slow deforestation.
Rizome is building one of the most reliable engineered bamboo products supply chains. We’re creating the foundation to supply the world with the greenest of all building products. In doing so, we’re helping farmers and their communities, saving trees, reforesting, and helping heal the planet.
Rizome engineered bamboo lumber can be used in place of traditional wood in most building applications. Naturally gorgeous, Rizome Bamboo is strong and more fire-resistant when compared to certain types of construction woods based on a test by Omega Point Labs. And equally important, when you use Rizome, you're helping save the world's forests and restore the balance of nature through carbon reduction.
Building with bamboo makes our world better, greener, healthier.
ABOUT
HEADQUARTERS
9030 58th Drive East, Suite 102
Bradenton, FL 34202
WEBSITE
View Site
We can’t grow trees fast enough to meet the construction industry’s demand for engineered lumber. Rizome bamboo is the perfect wood alternative; it’s beautiful, sustainable, strong like steel, and its regenerative properties and ability to draw down carbon is good for the planet. Rizome is bringing the wonders of bamboo to the construction industry.
TEAM
Russell Smith
President, CEO, Co-Founder, and Director
Inspired by the hurricane & earthquake-proofed structures that Bamboo Living was building in Hawaii, Russell teamed with David and Fred to form a company solely focused on bringing engineered bamboo to the building industry.
A graduate of Westminster College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Russell was previously a director at Sabre Airline Solutions, the leading software solutions provider to the aviation industry, where he worked for 19 years.
Frederick J. Murrell
Chairman of the Board, Co-Founder, and Chief Legal Officer
Fred is inspired by bamboo’s strength, beauty, regenerative properties, and its ability to draw down carbon.
He holds a J.D. from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Florida State University. He continues to serve as president of Carbon Resources of Florida, Inc.
Mr. Murrell's primary occupation is being the President of Carbon Resources of Florida, Inc. He works 25 hours per week for Rizome.
David Sands
Chief Design Officer, Founder and Director
As Chief Design Officer, David drives the development of Rizome products to meet international standards. He believes strongly that renewable building materials such as bamboo will make up the majority of construction in the near future.
David’s interests continue to center on climate change, green architecture, and community planning. He is also an avid yogi and yoga teacher.
He holds a Master of Arts in Architecture from the University of Florida.
Mr. Sands' primary occupation is being the Chief Architect and Managing Member of Bamboo Living/Bamboo Technologies, LLC. He works 20 hours per week for Rizome.
Chara Panagopoulos
Chief Financial Officer
Chara holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the American College of Greece in Athens and an MBA in Accounting from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. She is fluent in Greek.
Troy Carter
Co-Founder and Director
Fredrick Sands, MD
Co-Founder and Director
TERMS
Rizome
Overview
PRICE PER SHARE
$0.38
DEADLINE
Jun. 18, 2022 at 6:59 AM UTC
VALUATION
$32.79M
FUNDING GOAL
$10k - $3.93M
Breakdown
MIN INVESTMENT
$249.66
MAX INVESTMENT
$106,999.64
MIN NUMBER OF SHARES OFFERED
26,315
MAX NUMBER OF SHARES OFFERED
10,346,581
OFFERING TYPE
Equity
ASSET TYPE
Common Stock
SHARES OFFERED
Common Stock
Maximum Number of Shares Offered subject to adjustment for bonus shares
*Maximum number of shares offered subject to adjustment for bonus shares. See bonus info below.
Voting Rights of Securities Sold in this Offering
Each Subscriber shall appoint the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (the “CEO”), or his or her successor, as the Subscriber’s true and lawful proxy and attorney, with the power to act alone and with full power of substitution, to, consistent with this instrument and on behalf of the Subscriber, (i) vote all Securities, (ii) give and receive notices and communications, (iii) execute any instrument or document that the CEO determines is necessary or appropriate in the exercise of its authority under this instrument, and (iv) take all actions necessary or appropriate in the judgment of the CEO for the accomplishment of the foregoing. The proxy and power granted by the Subscriber pursuant to this Section are coupled with an interest. Such proxy and power will be irrevocable. The proxy and power, so long as the Subscriber is an individual, will survive the death, incompetency and disability of the Subscriber and, so long as the Subscriber is an entity, will survive the merger or reorganization of the Subscriber or any other entity holding the Securities. However, the Proxy will terminate upon the closing of a firm-commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 covering the offer and sale of Common Stock or the effectiveness of a registration statement under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 covering the Common Stock.
Investment Incentives*
Early Bird
First 7 Days - 15% Bonus Shares
First Two Weeks - 10% Bonus Shares
First Three Weeks - 5% Bonus Shares
Volume
An investment in RIZOME could offset your carbon footprint for an entire lifetime. For every investment of $250 or more, we donate hyper-efficient carbon sequestering bamboo clumps to our indigenous partners, creating a win-win-win for you, them, and the only planet we have. Join us!
$250+, we'll donate 10 bamboo clumps to our indigenous partners and offset your carbon footprint for three (3) months! You can think of this as saving a half acre of forest!
$500+, we'll donate 20 bamboo clumps to our indigenous partners and offset your carbon footprint for six (6) months! You can think of this as saving a full acre of forest!
$1,000+, we'll donate 40 bamboo clumps to our indigenous partners and offset your carbon footprint for one (1) year! You can think of this as saving two (2) acres of forest!
$7,500+, we'll donate 300 bamboo clumps to our indigenous partners and offset your carbon footprint for seven and a half (7.5) years! You can think of this as saving 15-40 acres of forest!
$20,000+, we'll donate 800 bamboo clumps to our indigenous partners and offset your carbon footprint for twenty (20) years! You can think of this as saving 40-130 acres of forest!
$65,000+, we'll donate 2,600 bamboo clumps to our indigenous partners and offset your carbon footprint for sixty five (65) years! You can think of this as saving 130-200 acres of forest!
$100,000+, we'll donate 4,000 bamboo clumps to our indigenous partners and offset your carbon footprint for one hundred (100) years! You can think of this as saving over 200 acres of forest!
In addition:
For an investment between $7,500 and $19,999, receive 5% bonus shares.
For an investment between $20,000 and $64,999, receive 8% bonus shares.
For an investment between $65,000 and $99,999, receive 10% bonus shares.
For an investment of $100,000 or more, receive 15% bonus shares.
*All perks occur when offering is complete.
The 10% StartEngine OWNer's Bonus
Bamboo Ecologic Corp. will offer 10% additional bonus shares for all investments that are committed by investors that are eligible for the StartEngine Crowdfunding Inc. OWNer's bonus.
This means eligible StartEngine shareholders will receive a 10% bonus for any shares they purchase in this offering. For example, if you buy 100 shares of Common Stock at $0.36 / share, you will receive 110 shares of Common Stock, meaning you'll own 110 shares for $36. Fractional shares will not be distributed and share bonuses will be determined by rounding down to the nearest whole share.
This 10% Bonus is only valid during the investors eligibility period. Investors eligible for this bonus will also have priority if they are on a waitlist to invest and the company surpasses its maximum funding goal. They will have the first opportunity to invest should room in the offering become available if prior investments are cancelled or fail.
Investors will only receive a single bonus, which will be the highest bonus rate they are eligible for.
Irregular Use of Proceeds
Example - The Company might incur Irregular Use of Proceeds that may include but are not limited to the following over $10,000: Vendor payments and salary made to one's self, a friend or relative; Any expense labeled "Administration Expenses" that is not strictly for administrative purposes; Any expense labeled "Travel and Entertainment"; Any expense that is for the purposes of inter-company debt or back payments.
ALL UPDATES
REWARDS
Owner’s Bonus
Owner’s Bonus Members earn 10% bonus shares on top of this and all eligible investments for an entire year. Not a member? Sign up at checkout ($275/year).
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
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Derek Freshour
a year ago
So…… any updates on this company? Hello?
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John Mickmac
a year ago
What is the latest developments at Rizome?
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Furaha Bryant
a year ago
Cool!😎 V for Vendetta against🌳deforestation! I LOVE how\why's I am Bamboo-Zeal-led into this arena of amazing coop-people, lifting goals vs selling odd stock market trains & chains of thought! Thank Q Russell & Rizome⚓Rise'Aum Team8s! Let's plant other forms of mass-useful straims and raise preservationists bamboo. I've land in Texas if 'fan win' you wish to engage🧠over matters of freed Aum. Ready Russ-zeal🌱🎊🎋🌳🎋🎉🌿LIVE? 42 commenters; 43rd 'hear' for real lifelong-growth ought full of light! PS Anyone else see the squinty-eyed 'V' face in the ceiling rafters...? Just squint & LOL W😮W‼️
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Iain Alexander
2 years ago
Congratulations on the X-Prize shortlisting. There are a lot of good teams competing but being in the Top-60 out of over 1,000 applicants is itself a valuable endorsement. I previously invested in the Wefunder round (which will presumably convert to equity after this Startengine round) and have also joined this round to support you in scaling up to tackle climate change.
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Dhruv Mehta
2 years ago
Hi there, I have invested in your campaign as I want to support the amazing work your are doing. However, I had a question: Since there is no marketplace to sell the shares I purchased, how do I track the value of each share and how do I sell it?
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SEAN COSTELLO
2 years ago
officially denied access to verify the wefunder fundraiser funds were used as previously promised to buy equipment. from the outside it doesnt even look like $100k worth of equipment was purchased let alone $1M
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SEAN COSTELLO
2 years ago
FINRA Regulatory Notice 10-22 FINRA Regulatory Notice 10-22 states that the broker-dealer or a FINRA member is obligated to carry out due diligence on the issuer. This is a part of the fiduciary duty on part of the client or investor. Failure to comply leads to violation of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act, and Rule 10b-5 as discussed before. since start engine has not visited and verified the claims of BEEP and BEC collectively it could be claimed that they did not perform enough due diligence on behalf of the investors prior to closing on this offering
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SEAN COSTELLO
2 years ago
where are the calculations including the fuel burned during harvesting and transport? as bamboo cant return 10x or even 5x a regular forest even excluding the fuel burned
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clay Kuhnert
2 years ago
Sounds great. Is not responding to potential investors a red flag?
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HOW INVESTING WORKS
Cancel anytime before 48 hours before a rolling close or the offering end date.
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FAQS
Crowdfunding
With Regulation A+, a non-accredited investor can only invest a maximum of 10% of their annual income or 10% of their net worth per year, whichever is greater. There are no restrictions for accredited investors.
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For Regulation Crowdfunding, investors are able to cancel their investment at any point throughout the campaign up until 48 hours before the closing of the offering. Note: If the company does a rolling close, they will post an update to their current investors, giving them the opportunity to cancel during this timeframe. If you do not cancel within this 5-day timeframe, your funds will be invested in the company, and you will no longer be able to cancel the investment. If your funds show as ‘Invested’ on your account dashboard, your investment can no longer be canceled.
For Regulation A+, StartEngine allows for a four-hour cancelation period. Once the four-hour window has passed, it is up to each company to set their own cancelation policy. You may find the company’s cancelation policy in the company’s offering circular.
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Refunds that are made through ACH payments can take up to 10 business days to clear. Unfortunately, we are at the mercy of the bank, but we will do everything we can to get you your refund as soon as possible. However, every investment needs to go through the clearing process in order to get sent back to the account associated with the investment.
Both Title III (Regulation Crowdfunding) and Title IV (Reg A+) help entrepreneurs crowdfund capital investments from unaccredited and accredited investors. The differences between these regulations are related to the investor limitations, the differing amounts of money companies are permitted to raise, and differing disclosure and filing requirements. To learn more about Regulation Crowdfunding, click here, and for Regulation A+, click here.
DAVID MBOH
3 months ago
Thank you for the recent updates. I don't know if I missed it but are allowed per the climate agreement to harvest the fruits from reforestation as long as you plant a double of your harvest? When is your next raise? Does Rizome Lamination Center have an online platform or website accessible to potential clients or customers? How can we help as investors (stakeholders) to build and promote Rizome and grow the company?
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