Two Spanish Startups Selected by the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator

Two Spanish-based companies, Infinite Athletic from Catalonia and FUNQ from Mallorca, have been selected among the 16 European startups that will participate in the second edition of the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator, an initiative of Amazon, EIT Climate-KIC, Europe’s leading climate change innovation center, and WRAP, the UK’s leading climate action NGO.

The accelerator is open to startups dedicated to creating more sustainable consumer products and, for the first time, also to those developing technologies that can help the industry recycle more effectively and efficiently. The program received more than 1,500 applications this year, from which 16 were selected.

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The founders of Infinite Athletic set out to create the first-ever infinitely recyclable garment

After more than two years of research, they succeeded in developing a technology never before used in the world of sports, providing durability, strength, elasticity and softness to the touch, as well as comfort for practicing sports. All this from the strings that were discarded from racquets, with no other materials than polyester itself so that they could always be recycled.

Its co-founder, François Devy, explains that “at Infinite Athletic we have the mission to solve the textile business model through an innovative process of double circularity. Participating in the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator will help us scale this solution so that we can all play for the planet”.

FUNQ developed a100% natural syrup

For their part, FUNQ’s creators set themselves the challenge of finding an alternative to bottled beverages, allowing anyone to turn tap water into a tasty, healthy, and sustainable soft drink. To do so, they developed a 100% natural, low-sugar syrup.

Co-founder and CEO Michael Schwarz says: “At FUNQ we are thirsty for change. We are convinced that the beverage industry needs to be reimagined: the idea is to change plastic bottled beverages to your own drink, mixed at home with tap water. We are very excited to be part of the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator, as we truly believe this idea has the potential to not only transform the beverage industry with a more complex tasting product made with natural ingredients, but also have a positive impact on our planet, generating more responsible consumption.”

The other 14 start-ups that will also participate in the second edition of the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator are:

Recycling Technologies.

Descycle (UK): A metal processing technology company that develops novel, low-impact solutions using revolutionary chemistry.

Induo (France): A textile recycling technology company that converts used fabrics into recycled textiles.

Matoha (UK): Material identification devices that aid in the efficient sorting of waste.
Polyperception (Belgium). A platform that provides real-time end-to-end waste stream monitoring to plastics and materials recovery facilities.

Sorted (United Kingdom): AI-powered solutions to help waste management companies sort their recyclable materials.

Terrawaste (Netherlands): A chemical recycling technology that converts dry, wet and mixed non-recyclable plastic waste into valuable, carbon-free materials.
Consumer Products

Bo (United Kingdom): An urban electric scooter company with world-first riding technology.
Nimbi (UK). A compostable razor using revolutionary biomaterials.

Milky Plant (UK): A device that allows people to create their own plant-based milk at home, reducing the need for packaging.

Open Funk (Germany): A compact, sustainable, high-performance kitchen blender for glass jars.

Papair (Germany): Recycled paper bubble packaging provides a sustainable alternative to conventional bubble wrap.

Seep (United Kingdom): Plastic-free sponges, cloths, and other household essentials.

Tangle (UK). Sustainable dog products such as collars, leashes, and toys are made from recycled “ghost fishing” nets.

We Do Solar (Germany). A smart solar installation that can be installed on balconies.

Kirsten Dunlop, Chief Executive Officer of EIT Climate-KIC, comments on this initiative: “The fact that investors are increasingly making decisions based on environmental impact data is an important signal for companies to take an active role in social transformation. By equipping emerging startups with the tools to measure their climate mitigation potential and support their ability to think systemically, we can foster a critical cultural shift in business mindset, while helping to build robust data that can drive investments towards transformative and scalable climate solutions.”

Harriet Lamb, CEO of WRAP, says, “We need pioneering product development and new approaches to recycling infrastructure as we look to move away from a wasteful world. We at WRAP are delighted to be part of this accelerator, which seeks to increase investment in recycling technology and the products of the future, helping to drive advances in the recycling sector, and discovering and supporting cutting-edge solutions.”

The Amazon Sustainability Accelerator is a 12-week customized program designed to help entrepreneurs overcome the challenges of creating and growing a sustainable business

It will include virtual and face-to-face workshops led by experts, specialized mentoring, a customized curriculum, and access to a network of like-minded entrepreneurs. Amazon and EIT Climate-KIC will work together to guide Accelerator participants through an Impact Forecast Climate Impact Assessment, where they will learn how to self-assess the climate impact of their business and develop strategies to improve their environmental footprint.

Participants will also receive a free capital grant of €12,000 and AWS Activate credits worth $25,000, which will help them access cloud computing services. In addition, they will be able to meet and work with Amazon leaders and will have free access to workspace at Amazon’s London and Berlin headquarters. Startups participating in the consumer products program will also receive free access to Amazon Launchpad for one year.

After participating in the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator, all startups will have the opportunity to present their business to an audience of expert investors who will help them make connections and raise further funding. Last year’s participating companies raised more than €5 million, and increased their sales on and off Amazon by more than 250% on average after participating in the program.

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(Featured image by geralt via Pixabay)

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