AKZONOBEL’S PAINT THE FUTURE REWARDS INNOVATIVE STARTUP TALENT

Connecting startups with industry knowledge and expertise to help accelerate their solutions in the paints and coatings industry. This is the global challenge of the Paint the Future Awards that was first launched on May 18, 2021 and attracted 245 submissions from 62 different countries.

In this new edition, three new companies have won the Paint the Future awards. These awards will allow them to continue working with AkzoNobel on sustainable business opportunities. The awarded companies had the opportunity to explore their solutions with their mentors and industry experts at every stage of the global startup challenge, including an intense three-day boot camp.

“Through Paint the Future, we unite innovation and sustainability as a key driver of our business,” says Thierry Vanlancker, CEO of AkzoNobel. “In our ecosystem, we collaborate with startups, suppliers, customers and academics around exciting solutions that will ensure a more sustainable future,” he adds.

The winners of the Paint the Future global startup challenge (SolCold, Aerones and SprayVision) received their awards after an intense three-day boot camp at AkzoNobel’s headquarters in Amsterdam. “Collaborative innovation is truly transforming the paints and coatings industry,” says Klaas Kruithof, chief technology officer at AkzoNobel and chairman of the Paint the Future jury. “I look forward to combining the skills of these passionate entrepreneurs with our knowledge of paints and coatings. Together, we will bring our customers new solutions that go beyond imagination,” he adds.

This is AkzoNobel’s second global startup challenge, following its first foray into the industry in 2019. Since then, regional start-up challenges have been held in Brazil (2020), China (2021) and, most recently, India (2022).

The Paint the Future ecosystem offers startups a unique opportunity to showcase their innovations on a global stage, giving them access to valuable resources and connections that will open up a world of possibilities. It is an opportunity for us to collaborate and develop pioneering, exciting and more sustainable innovations that will transform the paints and coatings industry.

“I couldn’t be prouder to see our collaborative innovation ecosystem thriving,” says Chief Innovation Officer Klaas Kruithof. “At the heart of Paint the Future is our belief in the power of collaborative innovation. Together, we are taking the paint and coatings industry beyond expectations, imagination and generations.”

Over the next few weeks, our experts will carefully evaluate each one before selecting participants for a three-day bootcamp from November 16-18 to be held in Amsterdam. Participating startups will receive a customized program of sessions where, together with experts, they will develop ways to accelerate innovative and more sustainable ideas that will revolutionize the paints and coatings industry.