What Design Can Do (WDCD) launched the No Waste Challenge, in partnership with IKEA Foundation. Designers and creatives from around the world are invited to submit their innovative solutions to reduce waste and rethink the current production and consumption cycle. Winners receive a prize fund and a 6-month accelerator programme co-created with Impact Hub the Netherlands!

We’ve launched a chain accelerator, commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, to help startups and scaleups working to create a more sustainable food system. Over 13 days of training and strategy sessions, they prepare their company for investment, growth and increased impact. In this accelerator, Impact Hub the Netherlands and the ministry unite their networks to stimulate and innovate chain parties, ranging from farmers to startups and SMEs. The result is bottom-up, systems-based food chain innovation that will help accelerate the transition to a sustainable and diverse food system.

Amsterdam Impact, which is part of the municipality of Amsterdam, asked us to create a program to support the cohesion and strengthen impact entrepreneurship in local communities. The “Boost je Buurt” challenge is Amsterdam’s effort to improve impact entrepreneurship. Starting impact entrepreneurs from Amsterdam who have solutions for social challenges found around the neighborhood are welcome to participate. Those that show the most potential will win an entrepreneurship program worth € 2,500, and get a chance to win an additional development grant of € 2,500, € 5,000, or € 7,500. Impact Hub the Netherlands is hosting the entrepreneurship program, together with Voorjebuurt, Starters4Communities and Innofest, and offers support in the scouting and final phases.

With plastic waste getting into the ocean at a rate of 1 dump truck per minute and a bleak prediction of more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050, the time to act is now. WWF and Impact Hub the Netherlands joined forces to accelerate 10 startups that develop innovative solutions to reduce plastic pollution.

Learn more about our accelerator programs.