Today marks the opening of the public vote for who should be named Amazon Launchpad’s first ever Startup of the year. Amazon announced they were launching the competition earlier this year in order to support and champion emerging and innovative European startups. They received over 1,800 applicants from 26 different European countries who were all vying to be named as the best and most innovative startup of 2021. Amazon’s judges, who were assessing the applicants’ products on their aesthetics, social and ecological sustainability and uniqueness, have whittled the applicants down to 5 finalists. All of these finalists will receive $10,000 in prize money but only the winner, who will decided by the public vote, will receive the first placed prize of $100,000. So let’s take a look at the five finalists. Read to the end to find out how you can vote and be in with a chance of winning a £50 Amazon voucher.
Finalist Number 1: CasusGrill
CasusGrill are a Danish startup who are really passionate about the environment and promoting sustainability. This can clearly be seen in their product – also named the CasusGrill, the grill is made from cardboard, bamboo and lava rocks. The product is a green alternative to the disposable aluminium foil BBQ’s that are so popular throughout the summer.
Did You Know? Bamboo produces up to 35% more oxygen than trees.
Finalist Number 2: Callaly
Callaly was a stratup founded by a gynaecologist and garment technologist who teamed up to create a better sanitary product for women. The result was the ‘Tampliner’, a product that combines a tampon and a liner to give women added comfort and protection. The product has already been named a ‘gamechanger’ by Cosmopolitan magazine and was named as one of Time magazines best inventions of the year. Could they also win Amazon Launchpad Startup Of The Year award?
Did You Know? The average woman will spend roughly $1,500 on sanitary products in her lifetime.
Finalist Number 3: Påhoj
Påhoj is a company based in Sweden who are attempting to make it easier for parents to ride bikes with small children. To do so, they have invented the Påhoj bike seat. The seat has a dual functionality as it can be transformed into a stroller, promoting environmentally-friendly modes of transport. This product has already received a lot of admiration, as is evidenced by the fact it won baby product of the year in Sweden for 2020.
Did You Know? According to Forbes, bike riders save up to $4.6 billion a year by commuting using a bike rather than a car.
Finalist Number 4: WeWALK
The fourth brand vying for the Amazon Launchpad Startup Of The Year award is WeWALK. WeWALK’s product is an attachment for walking canes used by visually impaired people. The attachment is Bluetooth connected to an app on your phone and gives the user above ground obstacle detection, navigation and voice commands, meaning the user can use all the functions of their phone without using their hands.
Did You Know? Reduced sight affects 253 million people worldwide.
Finalist Number 5: PlanetCare
PlanetCare is another brand who has strong ambitions to transform our society to a more environmentally aware population. Their product is a filter for washing machines that stops microplastics being washed away with wastewater so they’re kept out of the ocean. The brand also continually strive for legislative rules against microplastics in our oceans.
Did You Know? 35% of all microplastics in the ocean comes from washing machines.
Conclusion – Cast Your Vote For The Winner Of The Amazon Launchpad Startup Of The Year!
You can head over to Amazon to cast your vote here. Not only will you be championing innovation, you will also be in with a chance of winning a £50 Amazon spending voucher. Amazon will be selecting random winners from those who vote. If you are lucky enough to win, you will be contacted by Amazon within 10 days of the Prize Draw period. Voting closes on 7th July and the winner will be crowned on the 12th July.
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