CO-TECHSTARS
16.11.2020 14:02:12 CET | Business Wire | Press release
Techstars, the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed, is now accepting entries for the Techstars Sustainability Challenge from anyone with ideas for how to reduce the significant toll global supply chains have on the environment. Winners will be showcased at the first Techstars Sustainability Summit in April, and at least one will have the opportunity to develop a proof-of-concept with a Techstars Sustainability Challenge Program Partner. Techstars Pathfinder members and Challenge Partners for this effort are: ABN AMRO, Cargill, Comcast NBCUNIVERSAL LIFT LABS, EG, Endeavor, Equinor, Princeton University through Princeton Innovation and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Semapa NEXT investment company, Stanley Black & Decker, The Heritage Group, The Nature Conservancy, Temasek and World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA).
The Techstars Sustainability Challenge is designed to accelerate efforts to develop new products, solutions and processes that will improve supply chain operations. Techstars and its Challenge Partners see collaborative efforts like this as critical to reducing the negative environmental impacts of supply chains and creating efficiencies that will drive long-term positive impacts for industries, markets and people around the world.
“A massive challenge in sustainability today is improving operations of the global economy’s complex supply chains to be more efficient and environmentally friendly. It’s difficult for companies to get insights into their overall footprint and the operations of their suppliers, and ultimately alter behaviors and systems,” says Cody Simms, SVP of Investments and leader of Techstars’ global sustainability programs. “Through the Techstars Sustainability Challenge, we are putting out the call to entrepreneurs, tech startups, researchers, NGOs and corporate innovators to help us find and scale solutions to one of the world’s most urgent sustainability problems. We are looking for innovators who can help build a more sustainable supply chain through their work on the measurement and management of supply chain impacts.”
Entry Categories
Innovators will submit their entries to one of two specific areas:
- Data & Automation: Solutions to help companies use automation, internal data collection, or more accurate inferences of external data sources to better measure, trace, and track the impact of their supply chain footprints.
- Materials & End-of-life Impact: Enable a manufacturer to reduce the impact of a product’s footprint through new materials innovations, either natural or synthetic. Solutions can range from limiting the extractive process for obtaining the raw materials, extending product lifespan, or mitigating the product’s end-of-life impact on the environment.
A panel of sustainability experts from Techstars along with Challenge Partners will judge all submissions on three criteria: problem-solution fit; scale of the solution’s potential impact; and the ability to implement a proof-of-concept with an enterprise organization.
Timeline
- November 16, 2020: Applications open
- March 8, 2021: Applications close
- March 25, 2021: Finalists notified
- April 1, 2021: Proof-of-Concept (POC) Working Session (virtual) - Finalists will deliver their pitches to judges, receive formal introductions to relevant corporate business units, and participate in matchmaking workshops with Founding Partners to brainstorm proof-of-concept and pilot concepts.
- April 15, 2021: Techstars Sustainability Summit Event (virtual) - Winners announced. At least one winner will have the opportunity to run a proof-of-concept with one of our Challenge Partners.
“The goal is actionable impact,” adds Simms. “The winners’ journey with Techstars won’t end in a competitive victory. We will partner them with mentors from our global participating partner network so they can immediately begin working on building out real-world solutions that will affect meaningful change.”
Building a Strong Network of Mentors and Investors
Techstars Pathfinder Membership matches corporate innovators with exactly the right startups who can turn innovative ideas into business opportunities and open new revenue streams. The ultimate goal is to speed corporate innovators to action. That can mean establishing partnerships, building proofs of concept, identifying and seizing investment opportunities, or acquiring teams, technologies and/or customers.
The Techstars Sustainability Challenge is the anchor project for bringing together a group of members in 2020 to drive real progress toward a more sustainable world.
Follow this link to enter the Techstars Sustainability Challenge. Click here to learn more about partnership opportunities.
About Techstars
The Techstars worldwide network helps entrepreneurs succeed. Founded in 2006, Techstars began with three simple ideas — entrepreneurs create a better future for everyone, collaboration drives innovation, and great ideas can come from anywhere. Now we are on a mission to enable every person on the planet to contribute to, and benefit from, the success of entrepreneurs. In addition to operating accelerator programs and venture capital funds, we do this by connecting startups, investors, corporations, and cities to help build thriving startup communities. Techstars has invested in more than 2,200 companies that today have a combined market cap valuation of more than $30 Billion. www.techstars.com
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201116005191/en/
Link:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Return Abuse Goes Mainstream as Nearly Half of Consumers Use AI in Return Claims, New Riskified Research Finds22.6.2026 14:30:00 CEST | Press release
New global study shows normalization of strategic returns, widening regional differences, and rapid AI adoption reshaping ecommerce post-purchase risk Riskified (NYSE: RSKD), a global leader in ecommerce fraud detection and risk intelligence, today released a new global report, “Rewriting the Rules on Returns”, exploring how consumer attitudes and behaviors around ecommerce returns are evolving in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). The Riskified-commissioned study, conducted by eTail Insights, is based on a survey of 2,091 consumers across seven countries, alongside in-depth interviews with senior leaders from many of the largest retail companies in the world. The research finds that return abuse behaviors are increasingly normalized, while nearly half of consumers already use generative AI tools to assist with return or refund claims. At the same time, merchants are responding by tightening return policies, shortening return windows, and deploying advanced AI detection to better
Forrester Unveils Agendas For 2026 Technology & Innovation Forums In North America And EMEA22.6.2026 14:00:00 CEST | Press release
The Forums will equip technology leaders with the capabilities needed to operationalize AI and build high-performing IT organizations that deliver measurable business outcomes Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR) today announced the full conference agendas for its Technology & Innovation Forum Central (Austin, September 14–15, 2026), Technology & Innovation Forum EMEA (London, September 30–October 1, 2026), and Technology & Innovation Forum East (New York City, November 4–5, 2026). This year’s theme, “The IT Singularity,” dives into the new AI era in which AI has become ubiquitous and no longer a competitive advantage on its own. To succeed, technology leaders including chief information officers, chief data officers, and chief AI officers need to integrate AI into their operating models, modernize software development and IT operations, strengthen data and governance practices, and align technology investments with business strategy. Across the Forums, tech leaders and their teams will learn how
AdvanCell Establishes U.S. Global Headquarters and Secures Flagship Manufacturing Facility in Greater Boston to Drive Growth Strategy22.6.2026 14:00:00 CEST | Press release
New 128,000-square-foot facility in Andover will serve as U.S. global headquarters and future manufacturing center supporting the development and commercialization of ADVC001 and the Company’s pipeline of Lead-212 targeted alpha therapies Expanding U.S. operations complement the Company’s established Australian R&D and manufacturing capabilities to create a global, vertically integrated platform for radiopharmaceutical development and commercial supply AdvanCell, a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company developing innovative targeted alpha therapies for cancer, today announced the establishment of its U.S. Global Headquarters in the Greater Boston area, and the lease of a new 128,000-square-foot facility that will become the Company’s U.S. flagship manufacturing center supporting its long-term growth and commercialization strategy. The expansion marks an important milestone in the Company’s evolution into a U.S.-based radiopharmaceutical company with integrated operations spanning
Print Creates an Enterprise Dark Data Problem. VasionⓇ Innovated Again to Find the Solution.22.6.2026 14:00:00 CEST | Press release
Intelligent Print Automation Turns the File > Print Workflow Into an AI-Ready Data Pipeline Every time employees click File > Print to send documents to printers, save them to PDFs or scan them to unmanaged folders, enterprise data becomes unstructured and quietly goes dark. Dark data escapes compliance controls, bypasses AI workflow and quickly becomes a liability. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260622562749/en/ Vasion is the Intelligent Print Automation leader making digital transformation attainable for all by eliminating print servers, consolidating print environments, digitizing and automating workflows. Gartner® reports that “roughly 80% of enterprise information is unstructured, spread across documents, files, and rich content in dozens of systems.” Gartner® also predicts that “by 2028, large enterprises will triple their unstructured data capacity across their on-premises, edge and public cloud locati
HistoSonics Announces Financing with Participation from Yosemite Among Other Strategic Investors22.6.2026 14:00:00 CEST | Press release
Values Company at $3.75 Billion and Funds Development of Additional Clinical Applications HistoSonics, the developer of the Edison® Histotripsy System and novel histotripsy therapy platforms, today announced the closing of a new financing round with participation from Reed Jobs and Yosemite, whose aim is to “make cancer non-lethal in our lifetime,” alongside several new strategic investors. Additional financing terms were not disclosed. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260622435314/en/ HistoSonics Edison® Histotripsy System The financing comes amid significant momentum for HistoSonics as the company continues to expand clinical adoption of histotripsy for liver tumors around the world and is quickly advancing additional applications of its non-invasive platform across solid tumors. "Building a generational company requires partners who bring more than capital,” commented Mike Blue, Chairman & CEO, HistoSonics.
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom