There are literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of technology accelerator and incubator programs — with a smaller subset catering specifically to firms working on software, applied tech and new business models related to climate tech.
How do I filter which ones get my attention? In my view, the most effective initiatives are solidly aligned with large corporations that can help determine pretty quickly what will work at commercial scale — and what won’t.
Several programs jump to mind, such as Techstars, which partners with big companies to help run accelerators such as the one it supports for Stanley Black and Decker. This year’s focus was electrification. At the top of my list is 100+ Accelerator, launched in 2018 by Anheuser-Busch InBev with a mission to support “sustainable innovations in supply chains.” As AB InBev CSO Ezgi Barcenas put it last week during the annual Demo Day for the accelerator: “Sustainability is the ultimate design strategy … this is not about building a sustainability strategy, but about a business strategy that is sustainable.” Read more…
