Based on last year’s success, Stora Enso has announced a second Accelerator program in partnership with Aalto ENT and Vertical Accelerator. For startups, the program brings new opportunities as well as unprecedented access to Stora Enso talents and leadership, working side-by-side for innovative solutions. Source: Timberbiz
In the 2017 program, six startups were selected and collaboration projects focused on digital solutions particularly around smart factories, supply chain, customer experience and renewable products.
One example was Sulapac. Following on the Accelerator program, Stora Enso and Sulapac signed a joint development agreement to combat the global problem of plastic waste by accelerating the use of fully renewable, recyclable and biodegradable materials in packaging.
This year, the Accelerator program will focus on the circular economy, especially in regard to circular solutions, raw material management, packaging, separation and sorting, and fuel. Stora Enso is looking for startups with current offerings in supply chain technologies, IoT, big data, analytics, machine learning, AI, VR, robotics, automation, or hardware systems that can be the basis for solutions in the circular economy.
“Our first Accelerator program was a big success and I’m confident that this second one will be even better,” Markus Mannström, Executive Vice President, Biomaterials division said. “Working with startups that have ideas around recycling and reuse will be a unique opportunity to explore the circular economy further. It may be self-evident, but to work with a startup for months is a great experience in itself.”
Malin Bendz, Executive Vice President, HR says that together, Stora Enso and the startups will actively ideate and innovate to create new solutions with renewable materials at the foundation.
“Startups work with dedicated Stora Enso teams, and can tap into our executive competence and network to further develop their business,” he said. “Merging the corporate and startup mindsets, Stora Enso benefits from the entrepreneurial approach, while startups work with a world-class company that could potentially become a future partner.”
