Amcor is a global leader that develops and produces responsible packaging for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and other products. Amcor Lift-Off 2024 is now accepting applications! If you are an early-stage startup, apply now for the chance to gain exposure within Amcor and win funding and other support to bring your idea to the next level!
As a global leader in design, innovation, and manufacturing, Amcor works with more than 1000 R&D experts who are innovating new materials, formats, and technologies to offer better protection to millions of products. Amcor operates around the world, including:
- Ghent, Belgium — where they coordinate global R&D efforts to manufacture increasingly sustainable flexible packaging.
- Manchester, Michigan — where Amcor experts work with customers to design, engineer, prototype, and test rigid containers.
- Neenah, Wisconsin — where Amcor accelerates packaging ideas from concept to commercialization with collaboration, rapid prototyping, and hands-on research.
Why Should You Apply for the Amcor Lift-Off 2024?
Exposure to Senior Leaders: Gain a chance to present in front of a team of senior Amcor leaders and benefit from the exposure.
What’s in for Successful Companies?
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Funding Support
- If successful, you will be awarded up to USD 250,000 in funding to scale your startup (up to USD 500,000 for later-stage companies)
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Access to Amcor Experts and External Network
- Get in-kind support from Amcor to help you refine your technology by building partnerships and R&D collaboration to scale across geographies.
- Win an opportunity to sign commercial agreements. For example, if you were to establish a supplier or customer relationship with Amcor.
Are You a Good Fit for the Amcor Startup Challenge?
Amcor Lift-Off 2024 Startup Challenge will be focusing on early-stage startups providing technologies in three focus areas:
- Paper-based Packaging Solutions — these can be either substrates (i.e. flexible or rigid packaging made from cellulose) or methods and technologies to create barriers on a paper substrate (e.g. water, oxygen, grease barrier). They should fit with the existing Amcor portfolio, i.e. high-barrier solutions for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical packaging.
- New Business Models — startups that provide technologies in areas that are not directly used in packaging but have potentially the same or similar technologies (e.g. films with coatings providing high barriers, vacuum deposition, printing with inks) for applications like solar panels, technical films, aviation, space & construction products, etc.
- AI in Manufacturing — new solutions to optimize Amcor’s manufacturing processes using machine learning solutions (e.g. network optimization, data gathering in operations, predictive maintenance).
NOTE: Amcor is looking for early-stage startups with interesting ideas. You should have a prototype that they can test out. Amcor would also consider scaling up later-stage companies if they are willing to accept the funding.
Building on a Successful Track Record of Amcor Lift-Off Challenges
Launched in April 2022, Amcor Lift-Off targets breakthrough, state-of-the-art technologies that further advance Amcor’s goal to make the future of packaging more sustainable.
circolution, one of the winners of the 2022 edition, is a provider of reusable packaging solutions for pre-packed retail products. In addition to supplying high-quality containers, they also offer comprehensive reverse logistics activities and data to measure economic and ecological performance.
“We are delighted to be in a position to support circolution at this early stage and see great synergies with both our existing products and other investments as we work toward a circular system for packaging. Amcor is passionate about supporting the development of a circular economy, and innovation is essential to achieving our goals. Collaboration and investment drive progress and it is this ethos that led to the formation of the Amcor Lift-Off initiative. Our team continues to discover the most impressive innovative startups across the industry, and we look forward to seeing what fruits this latest partnership will bear.”
– Frank Lehmann, Vice President of Corporate Venturing & Open Innovation, Amcor
Amcor provided the lid-sealing solution for circolution’s first product in the coffee, cacao, and powder sector, launched in 2022, using Amcor’s recyclable AmFoil and AluFix peelable can lidding.
“We are very happy to win Amcor as the first ticket in our funding round. After having successfully launched in 2022, and begun to scale up our operations, Amcor’s expertise and funding will be invaluable. We’re excited to take this important step.”
– Alessandro Marchiaro, Co-founder, circolution
circolution is the third company to secure funding through Amcor’s Lift-Off initiative. In 2023, Amcor announced seed funding for:
- Nfinite Nanotechnology – an advanced materials company that leverages smart nanocoatings to make packaging recyclable and compostable.
- Bloom Biorenewables – chemical and biomaterials company that converts plant waste into chemicals used in packaging.
- Greyparrot – the company uses AI waste analytics to unlock a new understanding of discarded resources called waste intelligence.
So, what are you waiting for? Be the next on the list of Amcor’s Lift-Off winners!
Click here to visit Amcor’s website and apply for the Amcor Lift-Off 2024 Startup Challenge today!
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