Amazon picks five packaging start-ups for sustainability accelerator program
03 Jun 2024 --- Five packaging start-ups from across Europe have been selected for the third edition of Amazon’s Sustainability Accelerator. The start-ups will compete for the opportunity to trial their technologies in the e-commerce giant’s European operations and could receive an investment of up to €2 million (US$2.2 million).
In total, 15 European start-ups have qualified for the four-week program featuring expert-led workshops, specialized mentorship, a tailored curriculum and access to a network of entrepreneurs in the sustainability sector.
The packaging start-ups selected are focused on innovative materials and reusable e-commerce concepts:
Hipli (France) — Packaging provider for e-commerce businesses whereby empty bags can be sent back to businesses for cleaning and reuse after delivery. Hipli has signed contracts with more than 220 French and European e-commerce companies, including Belgium’s leading postal operator, Bpost.
RePack (Finland) — RePack enables retailers to ship products in bags that can be returned to any postbox anywhere in the world, having worked with a number of consumer brands and e-commerce portals including Royal Canin, Zalando and Otto.
Re-Zip (Denmark) — Reusable packaging that rewards customers for returning, often in the form of a voucher for the webshop which they have ordered from.
Opopop (France) — Reusable and returnable packaging company that uses surplus waterproof materials from the textile industry (solid, washable and repairable) to build long-lasting products.
KIUD (Estonia) — KIUD has developed a durable packaging solution made from 100% textile fibers that can be reused and recycled via conventional textile waste streams. Compared to cardboard, KIUD’s packaging reduces water consumption by 89%, CO2 by 82% and land use by 86%.
Zak Watts, Amazon’s international director of sustainability, says: “The scope of businesses involved means we can support even more entrepreneurs to reach their potential, not to mention the one-of-a-kind opportunity to test their technology directly with parts of Amazon’s business. It is our mission for the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator to be the best program of its kind in the world for entrepreneurs to pioneer and scale cutting-edge sustainable solutions.”
Amazon says it now ships more than half of European cargo in recyclable packaging.
Scalability potential
The Amazon Sustainability Accelerator start-ups were chosen from hundreds of applications, with each of the selected start-ups bringing what the company sees as an innovative solution, strong sustainability credentials and high growth potential to the table.
The later-stage start-ups have moved beyond prototype testing and are working toward generating initial revenue and growing operations, having been selected from three key areas: packaging, circular economy and energy in buildings.
The 15 selected start-ups span a diverse range of geographies and demographics, headquartered across 10 countries and together employing more than 600 people.
Since launching in 2022, the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator has supported more than 25 start-ups across the UK and Europe, provided over US$1 million in grants and credits and helped participating businesses increase total sales on average by 700% and raise over €18.7 million (US$20.3 million).
Amazon announced this year that it is now shipping over 50% of European cargo in reduced, recyclable delivery packaging.
Edited by Joshua Poole
