Apple has opened up applications for its second Impact Accelerator, a program that provides training to minority-owned businesses in the environmental sector.
Following the success of the first Impact Accelerator from 2021, launched in 2020 as part of Apple's Racial Equity and Justice Initative, Apple is running the program once again with a new batch of companies.
The program is designed to support equity and opportunity in the environmental sector for Black-, Hispanic/Latinx-, and Indigenous-owned businesses on "the cutting edge of green technology and clean energy," as well as combatting systemic barriers to opportunity.
The three-month program includes customized training for selected participants, including access to Apple expert mentors and an alumni community. This includes an opportunity for the firms to expand their opportunities within Apple's expansive supply chain.
After the original program completed, Apple continued working with several businesses that took part, including Rickman Enterprise Group, Diversified Chemical Technologies, Argent Associates, and the Oceti Sakowin Power Authority.
"We cannot build a greener economy without building a more just one, where communities most impacted by environmental harms lead us toward solutions," said Apple VP of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson. "Our Impact Accelerator models the approach we need - bringing bold, innovative, and diverse businesses together to speed progress to a carbon-neutral future."
Potential applicants have until April 30 to submit their proposal, and are required to be a US-headquartered firm with at least 51% ownership and controlled by an African American, Hispanic/Latinx American, or Indigenous American individual. The firms also need to be late-stage startups or mature firms, who can contribute to one or more of Apple's environmental priority areas.