First Look: Amazon Launchpad Sustainability Accelerator
Applications for Amazon’s Launchpad Sustainability Accelerator opened January 31st 2022, while focused on early-stage start-ups, for purpose-led brands of all stages it’s a promising sign of the value Amazon places on your presence on the channel. Here we take a first look at what’s involved.
Through collaboration with Europe’s leading climate innovation hub the European Institute of Innovation and Technologies Climate Knowledge and Innovation Community (EIT Climate-KIC for short), Amazon has opened a program of financial grants, mentorship and a learning curriculum exclusively for brands with products in sustainability verticals.
Within the key application criteria Amazon state:
“We are looking for start-ups aiming to make it easy for customers to shop more sustainably. Products will have quantifiable improvements in at least one aspect of sustainability, some of these themes include: Recycled and upcycled materials and products, reusable everyday items, eco-friendly gadgets and tech, more-sustainable clothing, shoes, and accessories, plastic alternatives etc”
Looking through the FAQs the number of businesses able to participate will be 8-12 '“per cohort” and while it’s not clear how many cohorts there will be, with cash grants of £10,000 and £5,000 in Sponsored Amazon Advertising Credits per company you can expect this will not be huge. The impact for those who are successful however could be. Along with the grants, mentorship and curriculum, one year of access to Amazon Launchpad is also provided - a programme that is otherwise charged for on a percentage fee and also comes with a host of benefits.
In short, if you’re curious whether you’re eligible, find out more here and apply.
If you are no longer an early-stage start-up, this is still good news, here’s why:
Amazon has been actively increasing its focus on and building its credentials in supporting sustainable brands on the channel. This may be seen as ‘jumping on the band wagon’ or ‘green washing’ by Amazon sceptics but the reality of the benefits on offer to attract and drive visibility of purpose-led brands is undeniable. If you are on Amazon, having specific initiatives and programs created to support the very differentiation your product and brand offers is good news even if some aren’t available to you at your stage as a business.
If your business prioritises ethical, sustainable and purpose-led values and practices you will be looking to create change. The more supporters of change the greater the likelihood or speed change there will be. If shoppers on Amazon see more purpose-led brands and products in their search results the better and if Amazon is supporting that great.
The one caveat…
Whether you are an early-stage start-up intending on applying to the Launchpad Sustainability Accelerator program or an established brand considering how to keep pace with new entrants and challengers, Amazon is constantly evolving so complacency in actively investing in the channel will see you become less visible to shoppers.
We have seen many programmes, additional service models and various initiatives come from Amazon which have all been great on paper but in practice and left without commitment and investment from the brands themselves have failed to deliver the results. The caveat to this program and others, Climate Pledge Friendly, Launchpad, AVS, AMS (the list goes on) is you will still need to manage things closely. Amazon is a platform that requires a lot of attention to keep up, keep your products visible and ensure your story is reaching new potential customers.
We have clients apply so will keep you updated as we learn more.
References/Useful Links
Launchpad Sustainability Accelerator Application Page
From us: Creating Brand Trust on Amazon (blog post)
From us: Beginners Guide to Amazon Branding
From us: Beginners Guide to Amazon Advertising
A quick about me
I’m one of the Co-Founders at ThePurposeLed, we believe in making ethical, sustainable and purpose-led products more visible. Amazon is one of the worlds most widely used online shopping platforms, by ensuring better options are more readily available we believe its scale and reach can provide a positive change.
