AMSTERDAM — AkzoNobel recently announced that it is launching its Paint the Future regional startup challenge in India. Discovering creative solutions to improve the digital consumer experience is the focus of the 2022 Paint the Future regional startup challenge. Startups are being invited to tap into the company’s broad knowledge and extensive expertise to help enrich their own business and build the best value proposition for their digital solutions.

Creating a large collaborative innovation ecosystem in the paints and coatings industry, Paint the Future global challenge was launched in 2019. Since then, it has expanded with two regional programs in Brazil and China and two supplier challenges. AkzoNobel is now organizing its second global startup bootcamp, which is scheduled for this year.

“We’re excited to share our pioneering spirit and centuries of paints and coatings expertise, work with startups and help to accelerate their innovative solutions,” said AkzoNobel CEO, Thierry Vanlancker. “India’s startup ecosystem is the third largest in the world, a real powerhouse. So we’re looking forward to actively collaborating on disruptive digital solutions and exploring how we can paint the future together.”

Klaas Kruithof, AkzoNobel’s Chief Technology Officer, added, “Paint the Future is both a challenge and our promise to the brightest Indian startups that we’ll partner with them in a win-win approach to accelerate digital innovations into the market to delight our consumers.”

The Paint the Future India startup challenge officially opens for submissions on March 1, 2022. Selected startups will then be invited to a collaboration event in late 2022, when the winners will be announced.

Rajiv Rajgopal, Managing Director of Akzo Nobel India, commented, “India’s growing startup ecosystem is fast becoming a global hub of emerging technologies. The Paint the Future India startup challenge aims to discover digital solutions that can boost the magic of Dulux paints and transform the way consumers experience our products and services.”

The successful participants will be offered partnership opportunities as they join AkzoNobel’s accelerator program to support the further development and deployment of their solutions. Learn more at https://letspaintthefuture.com/india-challenge.