Non-Profit Announces Opportunity For Start-Ups With Innovations To Address Plastic Waste In The Envi

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A.

On October 23, 2019, the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) announced a partnership with innovation platform Plug and Play to develop an accelerator program focused on the plastics value chain to identify start-ups with innovative ideas addressing plastic waste. Named the End Plastic Waste Innovation Platform (EPWIP), this initiative will focus on solutions to lower the impact of plastic waste in the environment. Focus areas include but are not limited to collecting, managing, and sorting plastic waste; recycling and processing technologies; and creating value from post-recycled plastics. Two programs will be run throughout the calendar year in Silicon Valley, Paris, and Singapore. Plug and Play will source specific start-ups working on solutions in selected focus areas. Running for 12 weeks, the programs will accept ten start-ups each, under which Plug and Play will invest in 20 selected start-ups per year. Engaging start-ups to AEPW members throughout the entire plastics value chain on infrastructure, education and engagement, innovation, and cleanup efforts, the programs will serve as a bridge between start-ups and access to new markets through AEPW members. Applications are now open for the first program, which will run from February through May 2020.