Hemp Voices: Joel Holton, Gro Enterprises
Joel Holton is founder/CEO of Gro Enterprises Inc., based in New Orleans, LA
Gro Enterprises Inc is a climate smart construction materials manufacturer and installer with a mission to bring healthier, sustainable, and disaster resilient housing units to low and moderate income families in the greater New Orleans area and Gulf South.
The biggest attraction of hemp lime for me was its antimicrobial resiliency and how the material can regulate humidity in the built environment.
What was a win for your company in the past year?
Gro Enterprises Inc. had two major wins in 2024. First, was being named a winner of the Opportunity Hub’s New Energy Technology Incubator and seed investment of 50,000.00.
Secondly, was being a winner of the Resilient New Orleans Innovation Challenge by Finance New Orleans and Elemental Impact which came with a non-dilutive investment and the opportunity to deploy our technology in thirteen single family homes via a pilot program.
What is something about hemp building/construction/processing you didn’t know a year ago?
I didn’t know a year ago how intense it is to continuously work with the material and the importance of being very meticulous in your processes in order to produce viable products.
What challenges can you identify for the hemp building industry that we must overcome?
One of the biggest challenges I see, and am currently working on, is to increase the diversity of individuals who are properly trained, educated, and employed in clean energy technology and climate smart building materials implementation in underserved and underinvested communities.
Email: Joel@gro-enterprises.com
