Plug and Play accelerateAZ Launches New Sustainability Accelerator Program

PHOENIX, AZ (May 9, 2024) -Plug and Play accelerateAZ, a program of the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), today celebrated the official launch of the new Sustainability accelerator program that will support the growth of sustainability-focused startups in Arizona. During the event, eight startups pitched as part of the Sustainability accelerator Program Selection Day for the Batch 1 cohort.

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs helped kick off the Sustainability accelerator program and Selection Day alongside Saeed Amidi, Founder and CEO of Plug and Play, Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority and corporate partners, sustainability startups and local innovation and community leaders.

"Arizona is at the heart of America's manufacturing resurgence," said Governor Katie Hobbs. "The Sustainability program highlights Arizona's growing clean energy economy and showcases Arizona's leadership as a destination for sustainable technologies and innovation. I would like to thank Plug and Play and the ACA for their efforts to advance Arizona's startup ecosystem and expand our sustainability footprint."

The Sustainability program will support startups in the areas of renewable energy, water resiliency, sustainable mining, circular materials and carbon neutrality. The program will accelerate two batches of startups per year, connecting them to leading corporate partners to foster sustainability-focused collaborations.

"We couldn't be more excited to launch the Sustainability Accelerator program," said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. "The Sustainability program represents an exciting new chapter to support sustainability-focused startups in our state and build on the success of the Advanced Manufacturing program. We are grateful to Saeed Amidi and the entire Plug and Play team for their valued partnership and look forward to supporting even more startups through the Sustainability program."

"We are committed to driving innovation that makes a real difference. Building on the success of our Advanced Manufacturing program, we are excited to bring the same momentum to a new focus in Sustainability. With our new program, we want to empower startups to build a more sustainable future for Arizona and beyond," said Saeed Amidi, Founder and CEO of Plug and Play.

The new Sustainability program marks the second accelerator program launched under Plug and Plug accelerateAZ alongside the Advanced Manufacturing program, which has selected 27 startups across two cohorts since launching in 2023. The Advanced Manufacturing program is supported by anchor partners Intel, Honeywell Aerospace, Raytheon Missiles & Defense and NXP.

In April, Plug and Play accelerateAZ hosted the Advanced Manufacturing Batch 3 Selection Day, which featured pitches from 14 startups. Once selected, the startups will complete a curriculum focused on workforce training, supply chain visibility, predictive maintenance, robotics, and automation. In March, Plug and Play accelerateAZ hosted an Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Expo, showcasing 11 startups in the Batch 2 cohort.

Plug and Play accelerateAZ, a program of the ACA, builds on the ACA's steadfast commitment to grow the state's startup ecosystem. These efforts include the launch of the Arizona Innovation Challenge, one of the largest business plan competitions in the country. That program has produced 130 awardees from over 2,700 applicants, representing a combined portfolio value of more than $2.5 billion. Read more about Arizona's innovation efforts HERE.

Plug and Play is a global innovation platform that runs programs in over 60 locations worldwide. This office in Arizona brings together stakeholders around the state who want to bring innovation to the forefront of their business. Plug and Play works with program partners to find the startups most relevant to solving problems in a specific industry.

For startups interested in learning more about Plug and Play accelerateAZ and the Sustainability and Advanced Manufacturing Accelerator programs, please visit: plugandplaytechcenter.com/arizona.

Media Contact
Alyssa Tufts, Arizona Commerce Authority, [email protected]

About Plug and Play accelerateAZ
Plug and Play Arizona Plug and Play accelerateAZ, a program founded by the Arizona Commerce Authority, is building a world-class innovation ecosystem in Arizona to attract the best entrepreneurs to the state and accelerate startup growth, and VC investment in the region. Together with the Arizona Commerce Authority, the accelerateAZ program is a partnership accelerator that helps entrepreneurs to scale through corporate engagement, mentorship, and workshops. To learn more, visit plugandplaytechcenter.com/arizona.

About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we're present in 60+ locations across five continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we've invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. For more information, visit pnptc.com.

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