For the first-ever Sustainable Supply Chain Challenge, six startups from around the world took to the virtual stage to demonstrate how their solutions to build a more resilient and sustainable supply chain can become a reality. There to hear the pitches were expert judges, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and others from AB InBev and our partners at the Good Company, Deloitte, Leumi Bank, Amazon Web Services (AWS), SAP, Meitar Law Firm and 100+ Accelerator.
“The challenge was designed to bring together sustainability-minded companies from across the startup ecosystem to create a community focused on achieving the shared sustainability goals of AB InBev and the 100+ Accelerator,” says Amy Cohen-Dagan, Global Innovation Manager of the Beer Garage, AB InBev's technology innovation hub in Tel Aviv, Israel. “We are extremely proud of the results and believe together we can make a positive impact on the supply chain long-term.”
(from left) Ido Fishler (Good Company), Avi Kreimer (Beer Garage Tel Aviv), Amy Cohen-Dagan (Beer Garage Tel Aviv) and Amy Woolf (Good Company) led the creation of the challenge.
The event was held following a rigorous review of nearly 90 applications from startups offering solutions that address AB InBev's sustainability goals focused on climate action, supporting farmers, water stewardship, upcycling and packaging. Teams from Pretty Damn Quick, ReturnGO, RobotAi, Growers Tech, Hello Tractor and Mi Terro presented at the final Demo Day event on June 1.
The founders of startups Hello Tractor (left) and Mi Terro virtually present their innovative solutions during the first Sustainable Supply Chain Challenge.
Two finalists were shortlisted for the upcoming cohort of the 100+ Accelerator, a partnership between AB InBev, The Coca-Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive and Unilever to fund and pilot sustainable innovation in supply chains. The shortlisted companies are Mi Terro, a company that upcycles and engineers agricultural waste into a plastic alternative biomaterial, and Hello Tractor, a Kenya-based provider of an Internet of Things (IoT) platform to help farm equipment owners, dealers, banks and farmers run smarter, better maintained and profitable tractors. More opportunity also waits for 10 other startups who participated in the Sustainable Supply Chain Challenge to potentially collaborate with AB InBev.
In addition, one of the finalists, ReturnGo, a return management platform that uses artificial intelligence to encourage product exchanges over costly refunds, will receive investment from the Good Company impact investment fund.
“We cannot achieve our ambitious goals alone,” says Maisie Devine, Global Director of the 100+ Accelerator. “Together with our partners we're taking on the world's biggest sustainability issues and driving real change in the AB InBev supply chain, and the places where we live and work.”