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Sustainability gains weight among Spanish investors to finance startups

According to an Amazon study, 85% of Spanish investors intend to invest in more sustainable startups. 72% of investors who plan to promote this type of company in Spain ask for more details about their sustainability strategy before investing in them. Furthermore, according to these investors, having a strong sustainability profile can help startups attract a 17% higher valuation than if they did not. An opportunity for those entrepreneurs who are developing more sustainable products and businesses.

The majority (84%) of the Spanish investors who participated in the study affirm that startups achieve better long-term results if they incorporate sustainability into their business from the beginning. Investors also predict that one of the biggest challenges new businesses will face in the coming year will be reduce its environmental impact (38%)followed by obtaining and securing financing (35%).

Almost all (93%) of the Spanish investors surveyed consider it “important” or “very important” that the startups in which they participate develop internships designed to reduce their environmental impact. In addition, 45% maintain that to invest in a start-up it is “crucial” that it meets the sustainability commitments of its organization. More than half (58%) of the investors surveyed in Spain say they have ruled out at least one opportunity to invest in startups in the last year, due to concerns related to the environmental impact of the startup itself or its products.

The most influential aspects in Spanish investors when promoting or not promoting a startup that is defined as sustainable are: its neutrality in net carbon emissions (determining for 43% of those surveyed), the reduction of waste in the manufacturing process of its products (43%), the use of environmentally friendly materials (39%), the sustainability of its supply chain (38%) or the fact of having some external sustainability certification (38%).

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First edition of the Amazon Launchpad Sustainability Accelerator

The results of the study have been presented to coincide with the announcement of the 12 European startups that will participate in the first edition of the Amazon Launchpad Sustainability Accelerator, an initiative of Amazon and the EIT Climate-KIC, the European center for innovation on climate change, to support startups in the launch phase dedicated to creating sustainable products. The program has received over 1,200 applications, from across Europe and the UK. Each of the participating startups is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its products, an increasingly important factor when it comes to obtaining financing.

The Amazon Launchpad Sustainability Accelerator will provide startups a package valued at more than 35,000 euros, consisting of a free capital grant, AWS Activate and Amazon Advertising credits, expert advice, and tailored curriculum through the Accelerator. Start-ups will be able to use dedicated Accelerator space at Amazon’s London headquarters for the duration of the program, and will receive free access to Amazon Launchpad for one year, which includes account management and marketing services.

Finally, all Amazon Launchpad Sustainability Accelerator participants will pass an Impact Forecast Climate Impact Assessment, which will help make their products quantitatively more sustainable than those already on the market. This evaluation will also help them take into account new components, raw and recycled materials and other innovations to develop and offer more sustainable products.

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