UK-based sustainable kidswear maker wins €100K grant from Amazon

The free-to-enter competition saw thousands of applications across Europe. A panel of expert judges then shortlisted 20 entrepreneurs with innovative products, with these runners-up awarded a featured placement, according to a press release by Amazon.

“Winning Amazon Launchpad’s ‘European Start-up of the Year’ is a big moment for Petit Pli,” said Ryan Mario Yasin, founder of Petit Pli. “We want to be an innovation catalyst for the next generation and play a pivotal role in accelerating the move to a more sustainable fashion industry, by leveraging innovation to show that more sustainable products need-not have trade-offs. Having recognition like this from a retailer like Amazon is great – we’re excited about the exposure and connection with other forward-thinking sellers on Amazon, and we’re also particularly fond of Amazon’s zero-emission last-mile deliveries. Petit Pli winning the 2022 Amazon Launchpad prize is a testament to the team’s persistence to not let good ideas die.”

Winning products were initially judged by a panel consisting of three industry experts: Aditi Singh, head of consumer start-ups at Amazon Web Services; Jamie Siminoff, CEO of Ring; and Andy Fishburn, managing director of Virgin StartUp. Submissions were judged on their aesthetic, design, and uniqueness as well as social, ecological, economical and sustainability factors.

“We’re delighted to announce Petit Pli as our Start-up of the Year – offering parents an alternative option which is better for the people and planet,” said Xavier Flamand, VP of Amazon Launchpad. “We are proud to celebrate pioneers who come up with clever concoctions to make the world a better, brighter place. Blending simple, obvious things in unexpected ways to create something new and exciting is at the heart of Amazon Launchpad. We’re a destination for innovative new products from small businesses. Amazon Launchpad has supported over 2,200 start-ups in Europe, and these awards demonstrate both our commitment to supporting emerging brands and how we love to delight our customers with new and innovative products.”

To celebrate the Innovation Awards, Amazon ran the Amazon Launchpad Innovation Week in September. The event featured a curated collection packed with forward-thinking products designed by the UK-based winner and other European finalists, all still available to shop at the Innovation Week storefront.

Amazon Launchpad was introduced in 2015 and is now available across Europe in France, Germany, UK, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands as well as in the US, Canada, Mexico, India, and Australia. Since its launch, Amazon Launchpad has worked with over 200 leading venture capital firms, start-up accelerators, and crowd-funding platforms to help start-ups launch industry-changing products.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)