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Innovation Showcase

Starbucks

Starbucks aims to be the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world

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Starbucks aims to be the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world.

Inspiring and nurturing the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.  Our coffeehouses are designed to feel warm and familiar, places where people can show up as they are, enjoy their favorite handcrafted beverage, and feel a genuine sense of connection.

We bring our mission to life through the everyday experiences we create and the way we operate. That means high-quality Arabica coffee, an inviting place to gather and a clear focus on the people and places behind every cup.

What Challenge will you solve today?

Closing date: 14th Sep 2026

Award: $100,000

Innovation helps us move this work forward, allowing us to evolve how we serve our customers, support our communities and deliver meaningful impact at scale. Progress comes to life when diverse perspectives and expertise come together to turn ideas into real-world impact.

Your expertise and creativity can help identify promising pathways and inspire future innovation.

Packaging Innovation

Sustainable Starbucks cold cups are made with up to 20 percent less plastic

Learn more

Packaging Circularity

Polypropylene Cups Earn Widely Recyclable Designation

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Cold Beverage Innovation

Starbucks summer menu arrives with new Tropical Butterfly Refresher and horchata-inspired beverages

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Better Cup For All

Know your Starbucks cup options

Learn more

Hot Cup Innovation Challenge

Closed Loop Partners Announces 12 Winners of the NextGen Cup Challenge

Learn more

Continuing to Build Impact

Our goal is to reduce our water and carbon footprint by half by 2030

Learn more

Visit the Challenge Homepage to view all open Challenges

New to Innocentive? Learn more about Challenges and how to Become a Solver

How does the Challenge process work?

Follow these steps to participate in Innocentive challenges and potentially win awards.

1

Register as a Solver

To register for a Solver account and join Innocentive:

  • Go to the Innocentive Challenge Center registration page.
  • Enter an email address, which will be used to login to your account.
  • Complete the remaining required fields including: (1) Name, (2) Display Name and (3) Location.
  • Create a password. You will be guided to ensure you create a strong password to protect your account.
  • Click the Register button.
  • After you complete the registration form, you will receive an email notification confirming your registration and containing instructions to activate your account.
  • Click the link in the email. You will be asked to accept the Innocentive Terms of Use to complete the account activation process.
2

Review the Challenge Agreement

The Challenge Agreement (formerly Challenge Specific Agreement or CSA) is a legal document that outlines a Solver's rights and responsibilities if they elect to submit a solution in response to an Innocentive Challenge. The Challenge Agreement specifies if and how IP will be transferred between Solver and Seeker; it may also specify any special rules, such as exclusionary rules for categories of Solvers, that apply to the Challenge.

You must accept the Challenge Agreement to be able to submit a solution to the Challenge. Be sure to read and understand the Challenge Agreement for each Challenge because you will be subject to the applicable Challenge conditions.

Challenge Agreements provide Solvers with clear details around participation, legal IP transfer (if applicable), and details around Prize and Scouting Challenges.

3

Submit a Solution

To submit a Solution to an Innocentive Challenge as a member of the Solver community:

  1. Go to the Innocentive Challenge Center.
  2. Select a Challenge.
  3. Click Register Interest & Accept Agreement.
  4. Agree to the Challenge Agreement.
  5. Click Add Solution.
  6. Enter any required information.
  7. Attach your solution files.
  8. Click Publish.

You will receive an email confirmation of receipt of your solution to your registered email address.

4

Win

Receive cash awards or collaboration agreements if your solution or proposal is accepted by Seeker organizations.

Your solution will be evaluated following the due date for submissions. You will then be notified via email as to whether your solution has been successful. In some challenges, you will also receive feedback on your submission.

Award Potential

We've awarded more than $60 million to thousands of Solvers from around the world.

The average award amount is approximately $20,000, but some challenges come with awards of over $100,000 or collaboration agreements.