Mondelēz joins industry partners with 100+ Accelerator scheme backing sustainable start-ups
pic: Adobestock
Significant strides have been made by Mondelēz International in supporting the next generation of industry talent in joining the 100+ Accelerator, alongside fellow sector leaders including The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, and Unilever in seeking the platform’s seventh round of start-up businesses, writes Neill Barston.
The scheme was launched in in 2018 by AB InBev, aiming to focus on regenerative agriculture, circular packaging and energy efficiency, offering fledgeling businesses access to advanced pilot facilities to hone their respective ventures, which has included a number of enterprises operating with value chains linked to the confectionery and snacking sector.
Among its successes including smallholder support platforms targeting enhancing agriculture sustainability and farmer livelihoods, low emission logistics including EV retrofitting, biofuels and smart fleet analytics, and compostable bio-based packaging from bacterial cellulose.
Indeed, as Mondelez (which made a prominent appearance once more at last month’s Sweets & Snacks Expo – catch our exclusive video review of the event featuring Grace Howard, Sour Patch Innovation manager), confirmed, a total of 190 startups in 40 countries have been assisted, with a many of these going on to form integrated partnerships with the companies at the core of the programme. As the business asserts, this is forms a crucial part of its efforts to lead on collaboration across the industry in delivering sustainable innovations at scale.
Its contribution to the global scheme comes in addition to its own Co-Lab venture, which has in recent years offered direct support to a number of aspiring confectionery and snacks-based ventures that have gained its support in furthering their innovations.
Christine Montenegro McGrath, Chief Impact and Sustainability Officer, Mondelēz International expressed confidence that the initiative had already proved fruitful to a wide spectrum of businesses seeking to develop inventive and environmentally mindful solutions for the food and drink sector.
She said: “Joining the 100+ Accelerator is a natural extension of our Sustainability strategy—a strategy that is resilient and built with an aim for long-term, sustainable business growth. We strive to continue building a snacking company that helps drive positive impact at scale. We believe this collaboration would allow us to further help startup sustainability innovators move further, faster by harnessing collective industry expertise and delivering more meaningful solutions for people and the planet.”
“Having Mondelēz International join the 100+ Accelerator brings a fresh perspective to the program that strengthens our reach and impact,” said Ingrid De Ryck, Chief Sustainability Officer at AB InBev. “By working across industries, we’re unlocking bold solutions that can help transform global supply chains.”
The 100+ Accelerator provides startups with funding, mentorship, and the opportunity to pilot their innovations in real-world corporate environments. Through close collaboration with corporate teams, entrepreneurs can refine and scale their technologies while accelerating time to impact.
As the company noted, applications for the 100+ Accelerator are now open, with entrepreneurs from around the world invited to apply via its website at www.100accelerator.com
