• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind

2

Scott Bessent casually says the U.S. has more than $1 trillion in gold—and that it doesn’t matter for the dollar

3

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

1

The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind

2

Scott Bessent casually says the U.S. has more than $1 trillion in gold—and that it doesn’t matter for the dollar

3

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
TechAmazon

Amazon Wants to Be the Go-to Store for Emerging Gadgets

By
Kif Leswing
Kif Leswing
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kif Leswing
Kif Leswing
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 16, 2015, 12:06 PM ET
Amazon boxes are organized to be delivered in New York
Amazon boxes are organized to be delivered in New York July 24, 2015. Amazon.com Inc's shares surged more than 20 percent in early trading on Friday, adding more than $46 billion to the company's market value, after strong growth in the e-commerce giant's cloud business drove a surprise quarterly profit. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz - RTX1LOWVPhotograph by Eduardo Munoz — Reuters
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Companies making innovative and quirky new gadgets often sell their first batch through crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. But after the crowdfunding round, Amazon (AMZN) wants startups to sell their gadgets through its massive online store.

The e-commerce giant expanded its Launchpad program to the U.K. on Monday, giving European startups an easy way to expand shipping to the United States and reach a larger audience of customers. The program focuses on “cutting edge products from startups” and bills itself as “where inventions take flight.”

Launchpad first opened to U.S. startups in July of this year, offering products ranging from a Sansaire sous vide machine to a $950 king-sized mattress made by bedding startup Casper.

According to the Financial Times, products sold on the U.K. Amazon Launchpad site will include Kano, a computer for children that uses a Raspberry Pi board as its brain; a smartphone made by startup WileyFox; and a Wi-Fi enabled kettle called iKettle. Currently, Amazon is displaying a selection of Launchpad products on the front page of its U.K. website, including a Pebble smartwatch, and a connected speaker called Trilby. And some Launchpad products aren’t even technology. For example, Chilgrove’s artisinal gin is sold through the program (and won’t ship to the United States).

Amazon Launchpad offers several advantages for startups. First, Amazon has a enormous customer base, which can give startups continuing visibility and promotion (even after the intitial spike of interest trails off), sort of like an end-cap display on the Internet’s largest big box store. But more importantly for many startups, it gives them access to Amazon’s fulfillment infrastructure, which can help startups manage their inventory and ship its products to customers through 10 different international Amazon stores. Startups can even offer free shipping to Amazon Prime members.

Companies participating in Launchpad also get product pages that are more embellished than most Amazon sales pages, including larger images and custom specifications tables.

MORE: Amazon Just Launched Its Etsy Killer, Handmade

Amazon is handpicking and individually inviting the startups it wants to participate in Launchpad for the UK. However, interested companies can apply for the program. In order to qualify for Amazon Launchpad, startups need to have received funding through crowdfunding, venture capital firms such as Andreessen Horowitz, or selected startup accelerators such as Y Combinator.

Amazon says it’s working with over 25 VC firms and crowdfunding platforms. If it succeeds in becoming the first-choice marketing and sales portal for hot startups, that could spell bad news for e-commerce platforms like Shopify (SHOP) and Etsy (ETSY). It could also affect websites like Product Hunt, which provide a forum for discussion and promotion of emerging products.

“We appreciate that startups have different needs than more established companies. Amazon Launchpad has been designed to meet these needs while giving you the marketing benefits typically reserved for our more established Amazon vendors and sellers, from day one,” Amazon says in its FAQ.

Sign up for Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about the business of technology.

For more Fortune coverage of Amazon and Etsy, watch this video:

About the Author
By Kif Leswing
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Tech

OpenAI Sam Altman sitting on a chair waving.
NewslettersEye on AI
AI labs have a trust problem, and the Hugging Face hack just proved it
By Beatrice NolanJuly 23, 2026
2 hours ago
Alphabet’s SpaceX stake fuels a $98 billion gain, beating estimates
Big TechMarkets
Alphabet’s SpaceX stake fuels a $98 billion gain, beating estimates
By Barbara Ortutay and The Associated PressJuly 23, 2026
4 hours ago
Benjamin Franklin's experiment with the kite.
AIScience
The Trump administration is revamping the era of the ‘gentleman scientist.’ It’ll cost $200 billion
By Eva RoytburgJuly 23, 2026
5 hours ago
All hail London—whatever the U.K.’s new Prime Minister says 
EuropeLetter from London
All hail London—whatever the U.K.’s new Prime Minister says 
By Kamal AhmedJuly 23, 2026
7 hours ago
MoonPay to launch universal AI shopping wallet for non-technical Claude and ChatGPT consumers
CryptoAI agents
MoonPay to launch universal AI shopping wallet for non-technical Claude and ChatGPT consumers
By Jeff John RobertsJuly 23, 2026
8 hours ago
AI coding company Cursor, soon to be acquired by SpaceX, expands its CFO council
NewslettersCFO Daily
AI coding company Cursor, soon to be acquired by SpaceX, expands its CFO council
By Sheryl EstradaJuly 23, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
Real Estate
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
1 day ago
Scott Bessent casually says the U.S. has more than $1 trillion in gold—and that it doesn’t matter for the dollar
Economy
Scott Bessent casually says the U.S. has more than $1 trillion in gold—and that it doesn’t matter for the dollar
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 22, 2026
1 day ago
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
Success
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
3 days ago
'The man who dies rich dies disgraced': The last time America had such wealth inequality, Andrew Carnegie knew he had to give it all away
Success
'The man who dies rich dies disgraced': The last time America had such wealth inequality, Andrew Carnegie knew he had to give it all away
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
1 day ago
Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
AI
Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
By Eva RoytburgJuly 21, 2026
2 days ago
Despite a $156 million contract, Knicks star Jalen Brunson still calls his parents for financial advice any time he makes a big purchase
Success
Despite a $156 million contract, Knicks star Jalen Brunson still calls his parents for financial advice any time he makes a big purchase
By Emma BurleighJuly 21, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.