Talk about leftovers. Yu is using bacteria to transform the carbons found in food waste into earth-friendly plastics. Her Toronto-based Genecis Bioindustries has raised $17 million from Amazon and Khosla Ventures to turn biowaste into products including single-use utensils, clothing, packaging and medical tools. Unlike petroleum-based plastics, Genecis’ versions are made from a naturally occurring polymer and are biodegradable without creating microplastics. “I think the key is to offer something no other product can offer,” Yu says. The company generated $5 million in revenue last year. Her next step: launching a line of plastic products in the food-and- beverage space and sell them directly to consumers.