ELEVEN start-ups tackling major sustainability challenges have won funding in this year’s Amazon Sustainability Accelerator.
The organisations have been awarded the opportunity to test their innovations within Amazon operations with a potential investment of up to £2 million. The start-ups will work with Amazon in the UK, Denmark, France, Germany and Spain to test new ways to recycle electronic waste, innovative packaging methods, groundbreaking building materials, and using AI to improve energy efficiency.
UK-based Cheesecake Energy will deploy its compressed air and thermal technology to provide ‘safe, reliable’ energy storage within Amazon’s European operations, reducing emissions from electricity usage. HT Materials Science from Dublin and American-based Phaidra also have pilots in development with Amazon in the UK.
To support Amazon’s packaging reduction efforts, start-ups Re-Zip and Hipli will launch pilots to ship close to 100,000 orders across France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria using reusable packaging. Circu Li-Ion from Luxembourg will help extend the life of Amazon’s batteries, using robots to disassemble and support batteries upcycling.
Throughout the pilots, Amazon’s subject matter experts will work closely with the start-ups, offering ‘feedback, troubleshooting assistance, and opportunities to refine their technologies’ to ensure they work smoothly in their respective placements. Upon completion, Amazon will assess the environmental impact, financial viability, and overall effectiveness of the pilots to determine whether any can be scaled across other sites as part of a long-term partnership.
“This trailblazing programme is a testament to Amazon’s commitment to supporting innovation and driving positive change,” said Amazon’s sustainability director, Justine Mahler. “By providing a real-world testing ground for unique and cutting-edge technologies, we’re not only reducing our environmental impact but also creating a blueprint for more sustainable practices across industry.”
Since launching in 2022, the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator has supported more than 40 start-ups across the UK and Europe, provided more than £1 million in grants and credits, and reportedly helped those businesses on average increase sales by 700% and raise over £15 million to date.
