Today, four UK start-ups join this year’s Amazon Sustainability Accelerator, a Europe-wide programme that helps new businesses with innovative ideas create a more sustainable future.
As part of this 10-week programme, the selected start-ups will benefit from an equity-free grant, expert-led workshops, specialised mentorship from Amazon, and access to cutting-edge computing resources through Amazon Web Services.
To date, the Accelerator has helped more than 50 start-ups scale their businesses, helping them increase sales by more than 700%. The first two cohorts have gone on to secure £40 million in funding.
The four British start-ups participating in this year’s accelerator are tackling issues from circular economy to ethical working conditions. Participants include:
Bantu Chocolate: Bantu Chocolate aims to address environmental and ethical challenges within the cacao industry through its vertically integrated production model. Their payment structure provides wages above Fairtrade industry standards. Bantu offers cacao products made with wholesome natural ingredients obtained through means like regenerative agriculture, with verified ethical production credentials that provide transparency from farm to shelf.
Composty: Composty aims to tackle microplastic pollution and climate change caused by conventional cleaning tools by producing durable, plastic-free alternatives. Their sponges and cloths maintain cleaning effectiveness while naturally breaking down after their useful life. Designed for extended use, Composty’s products offer practical household solutions that perform effectively while reducing persistent environmental impact.
Grace & Green: Grace & Green is a B Corp (a business certified for meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental responsibility) offering a range of period products – from certified organic tampons and pads to reusable period underwear. With the goal of promoting sustainability and safety, all of their products are made with organic materials free from harmful chemicals, toxins, and artificial dyes. By prioritising reusable designs and innovative materials, Grace and Green works to help reduce the environmental impact of traditional menstrual products while delivering reliable, effective protection.
KWERKY: KWERKY has developed an additive-free powdered milk alternative made from oats and peas. According to its lifecycle analysis, the British start-up’s production process results in lower carbon emissions than traditional dairy and oat milk. With 82% of ingredients sourced from Europe, their concentrated powder format also avoids water weight during transportation.
These businesses join four other start-ups from across Europe in the 2025 cohort:
- AuraSkin (Greece), which upcycles spent coffee grounds into everyday skincare products, providing coffee shops with a circular solution to reduce waste.
- Horée (France), a fresh cosmetics brand creating vegan, plastic-free skincare using seasonal fruit and vegetable ingredients through a zero-waste, cold manufacturing process.
- Hygge (Italy), a pet food company using locally sourced, human-grade ingredients to create high-quality, sustainable nutrition for pets.
- Omuu Pet (Ireland), which develops insect-based pet products grounded in nutritional science, aiming to improve pet health while significantly reducing environmental impact.
“It’s inspiring to see entrepreneurs put sustainability at the heart of innovation,” said Priyanka Wadhawan, director of seller services at Amazon. “Since its launch, the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator has already helped over 50 start-ups build and scale products with reduced impact on the environment. I’m thrilled to welcome these innovative companies to our 2025 cohort and see how they bring their ideas for a sustainable future to life.”
The Amazon Sustainability Accelerator works with Europe’s leading climate innovation agency Climate-KIC and innovation strategy consultants Growth Studio to help start-ups grow and develop their business plans.
“We’re excited to be supporting our fourth Amazon Sustainability Accelerator cohort, with the hands-on mentorship that sets this programme apart,” said Paul Finch, Co-Founder of Growth Studio. “We’ll be stepping in as each team’s fractional Heads of Growth, working side-by-side with founders to secure investment, scale sales and get retail ready. Our previous cohorts raised over £40 million, got their products listed in retail giants such as Boots and Target, and won major design awards across Europe and the US, and this year we are looking to raise the bar even higher.”
“As we embark on our fourth year supporting the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator, at a time when the world is sorely in need of solutions that help us all see that transforming our economy is good for business and for everyday life, Climate-KIC is more determined than ever to help start-ups achieve their full climate potential and life transformation potential. Our goal is to catalyse a new generation of businesses that make a significant contribution to reducing and removing emissions, to helping us achieve climate resilience and to affordable, healthy living within planetary boundaries,” said Dr. Kirsten Dunlop, chief executive officer of the Climate-KIC Group.
The Amazon Sustainability Accelerator is intended as a springboard for start-ups with consumer products that address sustainability issues. Two participants from previous cohorts received funding from the BBC’s hit reality TV business programme Dragon’s Den: Omni, a company creating allergy-friendly dog food and supplements, and Seep, a start-up designing plastic-free kitchenware.
“We are honoured and excited that Grace & Green has been accepted onto the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator Programme, joining a community of other purpose-driven companies committed to making a difference,” said Frances Lucraft, founder of Grace & Green. “This opportunity allows us to accelerate our impact, learn from leaders in the space, and take bigger and bolder steps toward a more sustainable future—for our business, our communities, and the planet. We cannot thank the Amazon team enough for this opportunity.”
