Starbucks launches $100,000 challenge for plastic-free cup and lid materials

Starbucks has launched a global innovation challenge seeking new material solutions for single-use cold beverage cups and lids, with a total prize pool of $100,000 available to selected proposals.

The challenge is focused on identifying materials that could provide an alternative to traditional plastics and bioplastics while meeting the performance requirements of cold beverage packaging.

Starbucks is specifically seeking solutions capable of producing cups and lids that are transparent, plastic-free and compostable. Proposed materials will also need to address functional performance, customer experience and regulatory requirements, with the potential for further testing and eventual use across different international markets.

The company said the initiative comes as the global consumption of cold beverages continues to grow and existing cup and lid materials involve a range of performance and environmental trade-offs.

Proposals submitted through the challenge will be assessed against a set of technical and practical requirements. Starbucks is looking for material technologies that can progress beyond an initial concept and potentially be tested, refined and scaled.

Selected solutions will undergo concept validation followed by prototyping in subsequent months. Entrants behind successful proposals will be expected to participate directly in these stages.

A total of $100,000 is available through the challenge, with individual awards of up to $50,000 for proposals meeting the specified requirements. Solutions that partially meet the criteria may also receive an award, with the company stating that individual prizes will be no lower than $20,000.

The challenge requires entrants to submit a written proposal, which will be evaluated theoretically against Starbucks' stated solution requirements before awards are made.

Intellectual property arrangements form part of the competition conditions. To receive an award, successful entrants will generally be required to assign exclusive ownership of the intellectual property rights associated with their proposed solution to Starbucks. Entrants will retain the rights to proposals that do not receive an award.

Starbucks said it may consider a collaboration agreement in cases where an organisation submitting an existing technology is unable to assign exclusive intellectual property rights.

The initiative is intended to identify potential new material pathways for future cold beverage packaging while addressing changing regulatory requirements across different markets.

Submissions for the challenge are open until 14 September 2026 at 11:59pm US Eastern Time.