AkzoNobel and StartupDelta have teamed up to strengthen their approach to innovating with start-ups. The partnership will focus on developing business opportunities stemming from AkzoNobel’s start-up challenge Imagine Chemistry, which drew more than 200 submissions to solve real-life chemistry challenges.

AkzoNobel will contribute to the mission of StartupDelta, a public-private partnership established to strengthen the Dutch start-up ecosystem. The parties are working together to support start-ups in the chemical industry. AkzoNobel will also be a founding partner in StartupFest Europe, an event organized by StartupDelta to connect European start-ups with investors, scientists and corporate organizations.

“When start-ups and multinationals like AkzoNobel team up, they can play a decisive role in solving societal challenges and contribute to building a sustainable world,” explained Constantijn van Oranje, Envoy for  StartupDelta, who will attend the Imagine Chemistry finals in June. “Initiatives like Imagine Chemistry also help to strengthen the position of the Netherlands as an international hub for innovation.”

Added Thierry Vanlancker, AkzoNobel’s Executive Committee member responsible for Specialty Chemicals: “We are committed to developing new solutions through a model of open innovation, based on cooperation with like-minded partners and start-ups. We are honored that Constantijn van Oranje and StartupDelta recognize these efforts and we can collaborate to accelerate the success of start-ups in chemistry.”