It’s been a busy September for bioMASON, a company housed in the First Flight Venture Center in Research Triangle Park.

On Sept. 6, the startup closed an undisclosed round of investment from Durham-based Acorn Innovestments, an early-stage venture investment firm.

“We are thrilled to align our new fund with Ginger Dosier and bioMASON,” said Michael F. Noel of Acorn Innovestments, “the ability to grow bricks and the huge positive impact on the environment is extremely exciting.”

bioMASON first developed its technology through research conducted at N.C. State University and an institution abroad. The company uses a complex clean chemical process in order to grow developer-ready bricks using organic material, a process that the company discussed at the finale of the 2013 Cherokee-McDonough Challenge on Sept. 12.

The good news didn’t stop with closing the round of funding or completing the Cherokee-McDonough Challenge, however, as bioMASON was named a Postcode Lottery Green Challenge finalist – one of only five selected companies out of an international applicant pool of nearly 330 sustainability-focused organizations.

On Sept. 6, Ginger Dosier, co-founder and CEO of bioMASON, pitched the company and its technology to a panel of sustainability and business judges led by Sir Richard Branson.

Dosier, who travels virtually everywhere with a full size brick, won top honors, a cash prize of 500,000 Euros, and enjoyed a thirty-minute conversation with Branson. It’s an incredible honor, said Dosier in an interview, mentioning that she’s actively followed the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge and the companies that present there for the past few years.

“What an honor to meet Richard,” exclaimed Dosier, “and to know that he has read our business plan!”

The company plans to operate with the same business plan it developed prior to winning the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge. Its first step is to hire staff to build out the company team, said Dosier, including their on-site manufacturing test facility and a team dedicated to study and implement waste water as a source for process chemicals.

These additional teams will help solidify the entire process, said Dosier, and the impact will be extended to the environment as well as the company. The company plans to stay in the Triangle as it expands, said Dosier.

“This is a great win for Ginger and bioMason,” said Andy Schwab, president of First Flight Center, “First Flight’s strength revolves around helping companies like bioMason grow and commercialize global solutions”.

The Triangle’s entrepreneurial community has been extremely supportive, said Dosier, “I am happy and honored that bioMASON found its home in the Triangle.”

According to the company’s new investors at Acorn Innovestments, the company has developed a “truly a disruptive technology that will greatly reduce the carbon footprint in the brick industry.”

Acorn Innovestments isn’t the only one that has seen promise in the young company’s technology. Branson and Dosier enjoyed a thirty-minute private conversation during the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge, said Dosier. Branson’s advice, said Dosier, was to continue to do good work on behalf of environmental projects.

Branson has pledged support for the company and the technology, said Dosier, who mentioned an email conversation forwarded to her by Jason Massey, co-founder of Sustainable Industrial Solutions, in which Branson wrote: “Great project. If she needs further help let me know.”

Dosier has returned to the states – arriving at 4 a.m. earlier this morning – carrying her customary organic and sustainable brick, with an oversized novelty check for $500,000 Euros.