Amazon has opened applications for the third edition of its Amazon Sustainability Accelerator (ASA) Climate Tech programme in Europe and the UK, targeting startups and scaleups with proven technology ready for deployment inside its fulfilment network.
"Founders at this stage don't need another mentorship programme," said Vishnupriya Gupta, who leads the programme. "They need access to the decision-makers, the data, and a clear answer."
The eight-week programme ends with a pitch for a fully funded commercial pilot within Amazon's European operations.
This year's cohort focuses on six areas of building decarbonisation, including advanced energy storage, high-efficiency renewable generation, and AI-powered energy management. A water stewardship track runs for the second consecutive year.
Nature tech now in scope
New for 2026 is a biodiversity track. Amazon says it is looking for companies that can monitor and improve ecological performance across its European sites using remote sensing, AI-powered habitat assessment, and soil health tracking.
Richard Charlesworth, biodiversity lead on Amazon's EU Ops Sustainability programme, said the firm was looking for tech solutions to offset the impact on nature of its operations.
"Amazon operates hundreds of sites across Europe, each with unique ecosystems," he said in a statement. "We want to find companies who can help us monitor and improve ecological performance at scale."
Applicants across all the climate tech verticals must have reached Technology Readiness Level 8 or above and have existing or planned European operations.
Amazon operates the programme with Founders Intelligence, an innovation consultancy under Accenture. Applications close 10 July.
The alumni
Since its 2024 launch, Amazon says it has backed 28 companies from more than 1,100 applicants and funded over $3m in equity-free pilots across 16 projects.
Past participants include London-based Greyparrot, an AI waste analytics company that has raised around $27m across four rounds and closed an estimated £24.3m Series B earlier this year, and US-based Blue Frontier, an energy-efficient HVAC startup that has raised a total of $38m with backing from Breakthrough Energy Ventures.
The ASA sits alongside Amazon's broader climate investment activity. The company's Climate Pledge Fund is a $2bn venture investment programme supporting the development of sustainable technologies and services, with a portfolio that includes Rivian, Redwood Materials, and CarbonCure.
The programme's expansion comes despite Amazon's own emissions having climbed in recent years. Despite investing heavily in renewables, the firm's emissions increased by 6% in 2024.