Page 52 - Print21 March-April 2022

Materials
Materials developer Avery Dennison is seeking to disrupt and evolve the market with its AD Stretch programme, which aims to enable start-up businesses to make more of their labels and packaging.
Seeking start-ups to Stretch
Avery Dennison has launched AD Stretch, the first labels industry programme globally to partner with start-up innovators to solve key challenges around sustainability, customer experience, and value chains.
The company intends to engage with start-ups in the region, and across the world, to disrupt and evolve the labels and packaging industry and strengthen its innovation capabilities.
The aim is to address some of
the industry’s most urgent business challenges by collaborating with promising start-ups in Asia Pacific, allying them to Avery Dennison’s experience and size so both
can grow. “From our first day in business nearly ninety years ago, Avery Dennison has a long and
proud heritage as an innovator,”
says Anil Sharma, vice president
and general manager, Labels and Graphic Materials Asia-Pacific, Avery Dennison. “AD Stretch will help us stay on the cutting edge of innovation by reaching out to the brightest talent and
start-ups, working together to realise shared goals and values and solve the key challenges of the next decade.”
The core themes will focus on connecting consumers to brands through new experiences; creating sustainable, responsible and efficient value chains (SRE); and the development of materials and packaging 2.0.
“AD Stretch will help us stay on the cutting edge of innovation, by reaching out to the brightest talent and startups.”
— Anil Sharma, vice president and general manager, Labels and Graphic Materials Asia-Pacific,
Avery Dennison.
supply chain in emerging economies. The programme, in partnership with venture studio Highline Beta,
aims to attract the best and brightest start-ups and innovators. Following a period of review and consultation, the applicants will be narrowed down to 10 finalists, that will go on to execute a pilot project.
Avery Dennison says its mission
is to create innovation in packaging that generates positive impact. It says as an industry leader, it is looking to partner with the “brightest and best” innovators and start-ups in this space.
The company says AD Stretch is a non-dilutive start-up accelerator, that aims to pilot new technologies, with a focus on value chain efficiency, sustainability, and materials innovation. Its aim is to drive external innovation focus, by engaging
with startups in key disruptions and evolutions in labels and packaging.
As part of the AD Stretch programme, it is looking for ambitious businesses that are focused on solving industrial challenges, namely – maximising consumer experiences, developing innovative materials and packaging solutions, and creating sustainable, responsible and efficient value chains.
Its engagement with these start-ups is based on addressing challenge statements, and not limited to any particular materials.
It is looking to work with start-ups that are already in market, or have sales traction in the market. Earlier stage companies may also apply,
but will be considered on a case-by- case basis. Avery Dennison’s partner
is Highline Beta, which it says has “fantastic experience” in co-developing corporate accelerator programmes, and are helping it reach out to exciting start-ups. Start-ups can also apply via the Avery Dennison website.
Avery Dennison says it is itself essentially an 80-year old start-up, and knows this process of developing something new and bringing it to
the market, which is why it wants to help other start-ups succeed. It says innovation is at the heart of what Avery Dennison does. 21
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Specifically within Asia Pacific, areas the AD Stretch teams will
focus on include solutions that help brands connect with end users more effectively, new biodegradable labeling and packaging products and materials, and solutions that help perishables survive the last leg of the
Seeking start-ups to disrupt labels: AD Strech