The “Alliance to End Plastic Waste” (AEPW) today announced a partnership with “Plug and Play” to create an accelerator program focused on the plastics value chain to identify startups with different innovations to address plastic waste in the environment.
Plug and Play is a global innovation platform that specializes in creating industry-specific accelerator programs. This initiative, to be called the End Plastic Waste Innovation Platform, will focus on identifying solutions to lower the impact of plastic waste in the environment. Plug and Play will run two programs a year in three hub locations: Silicon Valley, Paris, and Singapore.
The Alliance will work with its partners to select focus areas for each batch. From there, Plug and Play will source specific startups working on solutions in those areas. The programs will run for 12 weeks and accept 10 startups each. Each program will end with a Demo Day where Plug and Play and AEPW members have the opportunity invest in participants.
“I believe when we bring together all the stakeholders—large corporations, entrepreneurs, startups, and universities—you can create real change. By devoting resources and attention to this global issue of plastic waste, we can make a difference in the environment. Through this platform, I commit to spend more of my time on sustainability-focused initiatives and will invest in 20 startups in this space per year,” said Saeed Amidi, Founder & CEO of Plug and Play.
“Innovation is at the core of the Alliance. This partnership has a unique approach to identifying and supporting startups and innovations across the globe to fundamentally transform current waste management practices through new recycling technologies and by creating value for recycled plastics,” said Jacob Duer, President and CEO of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste.
The accelerator will engage Alliance members throughout the entire plastics value chain on infrastructure, education and engagement, innovation, and clean up efforts to keep plastic waste out of the environment.
“Plug and Play will be the connective tissue between each of the hubs and provide startups access to new markets and Alliance Members a collaboration vehicle across the network to put an end to plastic waste. This global network of structured accelerator programs (Hubs) will support the initiatives backed by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste – with the ultimate mission of eliminating plastic waste in our environment,” commented Michael Olmstead, CRO of Plug and Play.
The partnership is aligned with Plug and Play’s broader sustainability initiative. Applications are open for the first program, which will run from February through May 2020. Startups interested in this initiative are encouraged to apply
About the Alliance
The Alliance to End Plastic Waste is a not-for-profit organization that includes companies that make, use, sell, process, collect and recycle plastics, including chemical and plastic manufacturers, consumer goods companies, retailers, converters, and waste management companies. The Alliance is the foremost CEO-driven international organization focused on bringing together industry, government, communities, and civil society in the fight to end plastic waste. The Alliance is working to promote programs and partnerships that focus on solutions in four core areas: infrastructure, innovation, education, and clean up. The Alliance membership represents global companies and organizations located throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
Member companies are: BASF, Berry Global, Braskem, Charter NEX Films, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC, Clariant, Covestro, Dow, EQUATE Petrochemical Company, ExxonMobil, Formosa Plastics Corporation USA, Gemini Corporation, Geocycle, Grupo Phoenix, Henkel, LyondellBase, Milliken & Company, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings, Mitsui Chemicals, NOVA Chemicals, Novolex, OxyChem, PepsiCo, PolyOne, Pregis, Procter & Gamble, Reliance Industries, SABIC, Sasol, SCG Chemicals, Sealed Air Corporation, Shell, Sinopec, SKC co., ltd., Storopack, SUEZ, Sumitomo Chemical, TOMRA, Total, Veolia, Versalis (Eni), Westlake Chemical Corporation.
“About Plug and Play”
Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 30 locations globally giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 10,000 startups and 300 official corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. Companies in our community have raised over $7 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club and PayPal.
