Global nonprofit organization Alliance to End Plastic Waste and early stage startup accelerator Plug and Play have announced the expansion of their 8th End Plastic Waste Innovation Platform partnership, with a new hub in Riyadh for the Middle East region.

The Alliance and Plug and Play first launched the platform in Silicon Valley, Paris, and Singapore in October 2019. Since then, the program expanded its operations to Sao Paulo, Johannesburg, Shanghai and Tokyo, attracting more than 6,000 startups, with 153 of them placed in accelerator programs across the seven hubs. The new Riyadh hub of the End Plastic Waste Innovation Platform targets tech startups and scaleups developing solutions to end plastic waste and is the first to be located in the Middle East region. 

The goal of the program is to accelerate the growth of high-potential technology companies and help scale their impact through mentorship, support, connections to potential customers or partners, and financing. With Plug and Play’s experience in accelerating innovative companies combined with the Alliance’s resources and large base of corporate members, the program acts as a catalyst that brings together meaningful technology with industry needs to catalyze impact.

Since inception, the End Plastic Waste Innovation Platform has helped enable more than $185 million in capital to be invested and deployed into the startups and over 220 commercial pilots between the startups and Alliance member companies.

Nicholas Kolesch, VP of projects for the Alliance, said: “The End Plastic Waste Innovation Platform has been a great way for the Alliance to actively engage with the startup community, identifying solutions from across the world including new technologies and business models. With the launch of the eighth edition of the program in Riyadh, we are excited to tap into the innovation potential of the dynamic Middle East region, nurturing entrepreneurs and innovators on their journey. 

“Through the joint efforts of Plug and Play and the Alliance, the Riyadh program will enable impact — leveraging a proven platform to connect startups with investors and mobilizing capital to support our mission to end plastic waste and drive forward plastics circularity.”

Matthew Claxton, global director of Plug and Play’s Sustainability Program, said: “With the continued success of the End Plastic Waste Innovation Platform across the seven locations, we are excited to bring the power of Plug and Play and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste to the Middle East with the launch of our eighth and newest hub.”

We are confident that we will be able to bring a group of inspiring startups, corporations, investors, and passionate individuals together to tackle plastic waste and create much needed solutions,” 

Abdullah Alakeel, country director, Saudi Arabia, said: “By officially launching this platform in Riyadh, we are proud to further our commitment to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 focused on promoting clean energy, reduction in emissions, environment protection, and enhancing the overall quality of life in Saudi Arabia.”