Are you a start-up or scale-up that specialises in sustainable innovation? If so, Amazon wants to support you with its dedicated programme that will help supercharge your business.
Since its launch in 2022, the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator has supported more than 70 hand-picked international start-ups and scale-ups, all of whom have benefitted from the programme.
But what exactly is the programme and how do you get involved? We dive into all your questions below.
What is the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator?
This equity-free programme is designed to support start-ups and scale-ups who are focused on more sustainable innovation. By giving them access to Amazon’s expertise and network through this tailored programme, these companies can grow both their skills and their businesses.
There are two different programmes within the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator—Consumer Product and the Climate Tech Pilot Challenge. Let’s dive into both below.
What is the Consumer Product programme?
This programme within the accelerator is aimed at start-ups and scale-ups who are developing more sustainable, physical consumer products. To qualify, these products must have either launched within the last five years or are just about to go to market. Alumni include Suri (electric toothbrushes), and Asan (reusable menstrual cups).
Once selected, these companies will participate in a 10-week equity free programme, also receiving benefits including £10,000 cash, $10,000 AWS Activate Credits, and a year free of Amazon Business.
For 2025 the four UK companies who joined the accelerator were:
Bantu Chocolate: Aims to address environmental and ethical challenges within the cacao industry through its vertically integrated production model. Their payment structure provides wages above Fairtrade industry standards. Bantu offers cacao products made with wholesome natural ingredients obtained through means like regenerative agriculture, with verified ethical production credentials that provide transparency from farm to shelf.
Composty: Aims to tackle microplastic pollution and climate change caused by conventional cleaning tools by producing durable, plastic-free alternatives. Their sponges and cloths maintain cleaning effectiveness while naturally breaking down after their useful life. Designed for extended use, Composty's products offer practical household solutions that perform effectively while reducing persistent environmental impact.
Grace & Green: A B Corp (a business certified for meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental responsibility) offering a range of period products – from certified organic tampons and pads to reusable period underwear. With the goal of promoting sustainability and safety, all of their products are made with organic materials free from harmful chemicals, toxins, and artificial dyes. By prioritising reusable designs and innovative materials, Grace & Green works to help reduce the environmental impact of traditional menstrual products while delivering reliable, effective protection.
Kwerky: Has developed an additive-free powdered milk alternative made from oats and peas. According to its lifecycle analysis, the British start-up’s production process results in lower carbon emissions than traditional dairy and oat milk. With 82% of ingredients sourced from Europe, their concentrated powder format also avoids water weight during transportation.
They joined the following four other companies from across Europe in the 2025 cohort:
AuraSkin (Greece) upcycles spent coffee grounds into everyday skincare products, providing coffee shops with a circular solution to reduce waste.
Horée (France) is a fresh cosmetics brand creating vegan, plastic-free skincare using seasonal fruit and vegetable ingredients through a zero-waste, cold manufacturing process.
Hygge (Italy) is a pet food company using locally sourced, human-grade ingredients to create high-quality, sustainable nutrition for pets.
Omuu Pet (Ireland) develops insect-based pet products grounded in nutritional science, aiming to improve pet health while significantly reducing environmental impact.
What is the Climate Tech Pilot Challenge?
The other accelerator is the Climate Tech Pilot Challenge, which is aimed at innovative start-ups and scale-ups who are looking to pilot their technology with Amazon. The focus changes every year. For example, in 2024 the businesses involved were seeking sustainable solutions for packaging, buildings, and circular economy. In 2025 the participating companies address three crucial environmental challenges: energy efficiency, waste reduction, and water management.
To qualify these companies must have moved beyond the prototype testing phase and are now working towards generating initial revenue as well as growing their operations.
Once selected, these businesses will participate in an intense four-week programme which ends with a chance to pitch a pilot with Amazon. If successful at this stage these businesses will work with Amazon to plan a pilot proposal, which typically ranges from £50k to £2 million depending upon scope.
For 2025, the three UK companies who have been selected to join this year’s cohort are:
Mhor Energy: Has developed an innovative flow battery that stores energy in liquid form. It’s similar to a rechargeable battery but at a much larger scale and has an estimated lifespan of 20 to 25 years. It works efficiently even in high temperatures without needing cooling systems, making it particularly well-suited for facilities that are powered by solar energy and require a continuous energy supply.
Greyparrot: Has developed computer vision systems that observe waste conveyor belts, identifying and categorising materials in real-time. Their AI can recognise more than 110 different types of waste, from common recyclables to complex composites.
Vuala: Has developed a bio-mechanical “artificial stomach” that uses specialised microorganisms to process mixed food waste at customer locations. Their technology breaks food waste down into an odourless form that can be stored for up to a month. The processed waste then becomes raw material for biogas and hydrogen production, turning a disposal problem into a renewable energy opportunity.
They join the following other companies from across Europe and the US, who were selected from over 550 applications:
Cartesian (Norway) developed a thermal battery that stores heat or cold in materials that can change their physical state. The system stores energy when it is cheap and abundant, releasing it during peak demand hours to reduce pressure on the power grid.
Over Easy Solar (Norway) developed a lightweight solar system that stands vertically instead of lying flat and is about half the weight of conventional panels. This makes solar power possible for buildings that previously could not support traditional installations.
Active Surfaces (US) developed ultra-thin, flexible solar sheets that use 10 times less material than traditional solar panels while maintaining comparable efficiency. They can be installed using adhesive, reducing installation time.
Omniflow (Portugal) uses wind and solar power to create streetlights that use 90% less energy compared to conventional examples. They also have motion sensors that automatically dim lights when no activity is detected and can support smart city applications including air quality monitoring, EV charging, and 5G connectivity.
Blue Frontier (US) developed air conditioners that can separately manage temperature and humidity, unlike traditional ones. This has the potential to reduce energy consumption by up to 90% and includes built-in thermal energy storage that allows the system to run for four to six hours without drawing power from the grid.
Shayp (Belgium) helps buildings reduce water leaks through innovative monitoring that measures 'the pulse' of pipelines, identifying issues that often go unnoticed. It has already saved more than 21 billion litres of water and typically helps buildings reduce their water consumption by up to 20%.
Solaq (Netherlands) transforms atmospheric moisture into drinking water using a specialised absorption process, even in areas with low humidity. Their systems are easy to install and can produce up to 5,000 litres of pure water per day without using harmful chemicals.
NANDO (Italy) transforms regular waste bins into intelligent monitoring stations, using AI to analyse waste in real-time. The system can recognise more than 70 types of waste, helping waste facility managers identify incorrect sorting and contamination immediately.
What are the benefits of the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator?
There are many benefits to being part of the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator which includes:
- A tailored curriculum comprising of workshops, talks, leadership panels, and more
- Specialised mentorship
- The opportunity to work with experts from Amazon but also other companies including EIT Climate-KIC
- Guidance through a Climate Impact Assessment, which allows companies to self-assess their environmental footprint
- Join an active and supporting community
Who does the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator work with?
Each year the accelerator works with leading industry experts from various companies which includes Europe’s leading climate innovation agency EIT Climate-KIC, as well as innovation strategy consultants Founders Intelligence (on the Climate Tech programme) and Growth Studio (for the consumer product programme).
How to apply for the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator
To register your interest, simply head to the website and fill out the form. Amazon will then be in touch to update you about the status of your application, with a panel of experts sitting on the selection committee.
Each year there is an application deadline, so make sure you keep an eye on the website for those details.
How many businesses take part in the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator?
Each year around eight to ten businesses take part in the consumer product programme, whilst approximately 15 start-ups and scale-ups participate in the Climate Tech Pilot Challenge.
Do you have to pay to be part of the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator?
The programme is free to join and Amazon doesn’t take any equity either.
Do you have to relocate to be part of the programme?
There is no need to relocate as the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator is operated in a hybrid manner, being a mix of online and in-person support offering businesses much needed flexibility. There are some events that do need to be attended in person but you will receive advance notice of this.
What start-ups and scale-ups have participated in the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator before?
The accelerator has a growing line-up of impressive alumni for both programmes.
For the consumer product programme this includes Milky Plant (making plant based milk at home), Grub Club (hypoallergenic insect-based dog food), Suri (electric toothbrushes), and Asan (reusable menstrual cups).
Meanwhile for the Climate Tech Pilot Programme this includes Re-Zip (reusable packaging), Sorted (AI powered recycling solutions), and Cheesecake Energy (green energy storage technology).
Find out more about the latest news at Amazon.
