Avery Dennison empowers start-ups to tackle packaging and labeling challenges in North America and EMENA

29 May 2023 --- Avery Dennison has selected BeFC, Moree, Peafowl Plasmonics, Puro Renewables and Stemly as the five winners of its second AD Stretch Accelerator Program cohort.

“Avery Dennison aims to foster a start-up mentality of agility and innovation throughout the organization by collaborating with start-ups, accelerators and investors,” says Steve Flannery, senior vice president and general manager at Avery Dennison Materials Group Europe for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (EMENA).

“This strategy will create win-win outcomes for everyone involved. Our partnering will positively impact our industry and the world.”

Selected start-ups
BeFC produces electricity with papers and enzymes, reinventing power generation for microelectronics and providing data opportunities without the downside of battery disposal. 

The expertise of Avery Dennison combined with BeFC's printable and flexible bio-batteries will empower the next generation of logistics, medical devices, health wearables and environmental devices, says Avery Denison.

Meanwhile, Moree offers reusable packaging as a service on a pay-per-use basis that can help food companies ditch single-use items, “offering reusable pouches, easy returns and digital rewards for customers, all while tracking inventory, orders and environmental savings through its SaaS platform.”BeFC, Moree, Peafowl Plasmonics, Puro Renewables and Stemly are the five winners selected by Avery Dennison.

“Together with Avery Dennison, Moree will help brands take a big step toward zero waste, while encouraging more sustainable lifestyles,” Avery Dennison details.

Current uses for Peafowl Plasmonics’ technology for light harvesting include low-power devices such as indoor sensors, e-paper displays and dynamic windows. With its plasmonics, nanomaterials and solar capture expertise, the start-up will join Avery Dennison to advance sustainable energy.

Furthermore, Puro Renewables transforms plastic product manufacturing by utilizing carbon-negative, bio-renewable bio-waste materials. It helps major manufacturers and brands create desirable products while reducing reliance on fossil fuels, decreasing their carbon footprint. Avery Dennison and Puro Renewables will collaborate to eliminate the long-term impact of plastic waste.

Also, Stemly’s decision intelligence software platform has been selected to automate forecasting and optimize the supply chain, finance and sustainability decisions. With Avery Dennison and an AI-powered platform and diverse dataset management, Stemly is deemed to deliver fast implementation and accurate forecasts, enabling executives to make better and more interconnected decisions across the company.

Accelerating innovations
The AD Stretch Accelerator Program, run in partnership with accelerator builder-operator Highline Beta, tackles challenges in the labels and packaging industry, including connected packaging, materials innovation and environmental sustainability. 

For Cohort 02 in North America and EMENA, Avery Dennison selected the five start-ups from over 300 applications based on their potential to evolve the label and packaging industry and their experience in bringing products to market, generating sales and ability to partner with a Fortune 500 industry leader.

“The five start-ups will bring unique approaches and solutions to our challenges and fresh perspectives to our industry,” remarks Jeroen Diderich, senior vice president and general manager of Avery Dennison Materials Group North America. 

Last November, the company announced the expansion of its program into EMENA and North America. 

“In this first phase of the program in EMENA, we’re recruiting early-stage start-ups linked to specific themes we’ve identified, including digital solutions for the consumer packaged goods smart packaging space, sustainable materials innovation and green solutions,” Hassan Rmaile, senior VP and GM of label and graphic materials EMENA and global innovation at Avery Dennison, told PackagingInsights.

Now, with the five selected start-ups, the company is addressing challenges by implementing Materials 2.0 and environmental sustainability-focused solutions for the labeling and packaging industries.

Edited by Radhika Sikaria