*By Bridgette Webb* The world's largest brewer, AB InBev, is about more than beer. The company, which owns major brands including Budweiser, Corona, and Stella Artois, recently announced its "100+ Accelerator," a program for start-ups working on the most pressing global issues ー from clean water to climate change. "We had a robust plan on how we were going to achieve those goals, but we knew we couldn't do it alone," Maisie Devine, the global director of the initiative, said Monday in an interview with Cheddar. "We needed to go to the market to engage innovators, entrepreneurs, and technologists to see what other solutions were out there that we could quickly test, prove, and then scale," she said. The investment pairs with AB InBev’s ($BUD) commitment to its 2025 [Sustainability Goals](https://www.ab-inbev.com/sustainability/2025-sustainability-goals.html). Among other goals, the brewer has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions by 25 percent and have 100 percent of its products in packaging that is returnable or made from mostly recycled content by 2025. The move comes amid heightened concerns about the threat of climate change. The United Nations issued a report last week that warned the planet is on a catastrophic path unless carbon emissions are dramatically slashed by 2030. Devine said that now is the time for companies to really get involved in the effort. "These are shared challenges," she said. "It's the time for us to enter the market. We can really push change, we can implement solutions quickly and effectively." The problem is not just for government to solve. "It's time for the private sector to play its part as well," she said. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/ab-inbevs-new-accelerator-program).
