{"id":15416,"date":"2024-09-11T09:48:23","date_gmt":"2024-09-11T08:48:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/europe.republic.com\/insights\/?p=15416"},"modified":"2024-09-11T09:48:24","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T08:48:24","slug":"using-the-power-of-community-to-accelerate-recycling-rates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/europe.republic.com\/insights\/blog\/using-the-power-of-community-to-accelerate-recycling-rates","title":{"rendered":"Using the Power of Community to Accelerate Recycling Rates"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b> Don&#8217;t invest unless you&#8217;re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. <a href = \"https:\/\/europe.republic.com\/pages\/risk-warnings\">Take 2 mins to learn more.<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>The global waste crisis is escalating. Seven billion tonnes of plastic waste are generated globally every day, but less than 10% of plastic is recycled.<\/p>\n<p>On top of this, many consumer brands struggle with low-price shelf competition and a lack of digitalization.<\/p>\n<p>Enter Bower: aiming to help brands increase their sorting and recycling rates while simultaneously building a loyal fan base and accessing real-time market and consumer insights. <\/p>\n<p>We sat down with co-founder Berfin Mert to find out more about their mission and their <a href = \"https:\/\/europe.republic.com\/bower1?utm_source=wordpress&#038;utm_medium=blog&#038;utm_campaign=inv-bower-blog\">live fundraising campaign.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>   <center><button type=\"button\"><a href = \"https:\/\/europe.republic.com\/bower1?utm_source=wordpress&#038;utm_medium=blog&#038;utm_campaign=inv-bower-blog\"><\/a>View Pitch<\/button><\/center><\/p>\n<p><b>1.\tWe know that global waste is an escalating crisis. But what inspired you to take the leap and begin a business aiming to improve recycling rates?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The waste crisis is something that affects all of us, and it\u2019s getting worse. Seeing how much potential recycling has in reducing waste, yet realizing how little is actually recycled, was a real eye-opener for us. We knew there had to be a better way to make it easier, more accessible, and even rewarding for people. The idea that we could leverage technology to not only make recycling more convenient but also engage communities and create positive behavioral change\u2014that\u2019s what really motivated us. We believe people want to do the right thing; they just need the right tools and incentives.<\/p>\n<p><b>2.\tWe are so excited to be supporting your fundraising campaign. What made you choose equity crowdfunding at this time to raise investment for your business?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Crowdfunding felt like the perfect fit for us because we\u2019re a community-driven business. Our mission is all about creating a collective effort toward a more sustainable future, so we wanted our community to be part of that journey as investors. Equity crowdfunding allows us to give our supporters\u2014who already believe in what we\u2019re doing\u2014a chance to own a piece of Bower and share in our success. Plus, it\u2019s a bold, democratic way to fund a company that is built on the power of people coming together for a cause.<\/p>\n<p><b>3.\tTo date, you\u2019ve raised \u20ac5M+ and been awarded \u20ac1.75M in grant funding from Google.org. How have you used that funding?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>That funding has been a game-changer. We\u2019ve used it to fuel our growth in several key areas: building our platform, expanding into new markets, and strengthening our tech infrastructure. A portion of the funding has also gone into partnerships with brands to integrate Bower into their sustainability strategies, which helps increase sorting and recycling rates. Additionally, the support from Google.org has allowed us to keep innovating, especially in how we leverage AI to make recycling information accessible worldwide. It\u2019s helped us scale up while staying true to our mission.<\/p>\n<p><b>4.\tHow would you define the market opportunity for Bower, and in your opinion how do you stand out from competitors?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The market for sustainability solutions, especially in recycling, is massive. Consumers are demanding more from brands\u2014they want to support companies that take responsibility for their environmental impact. At Bower, we stand out because we\u2019re not just focusing on compliance or ticking a box. We\u2019re building an ecosystem that brings together consumers, brands, and local recycling infrastructures in a way that benefits everyone. Our app makes recycling not only easier but rewarding. Plus, we provide brands with real-time data on consumer behavior and recycling patterns. That kind of insight is invaluable in today\u2019s competitive landscape.<\/p>\n<p><b>5.\tYou must be thrilled at the traction you\u2019ve seen so far. What\u2019s been your proudest achievement?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d say our proudest achievement is the sheer number of people who\u2019ve joined us on this journey. We\u2019ve created a community of recyclers who are genuinely excited about making a difference. Seeing people embrace Bower and actively participate in recycling\u2014knowing that every action is having a positive impact on the environment\u2014has been incredibly rewarding. Another milestone I\u2019m proud of is our partnership with major brands who now see Bower as a key part of their sustainability strategy. It proves that we\u2019re creating real, lasting change.<\/p>\n<p><b>6.\tWhat are you most excited about for Bower\u2019s next six months?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s so much to be excited about! We\u2019re looking at expanding our presence in new markets, onboarding even more brands, and introducing some exciting new features to the app that will make recycling even more accessible and engaging for users. But what really excites me is the potential to make a tangible difference on a global scale. Every new user, every new recycling bin added to our platform, takes us one step closer to solving a critical environmental issue. We\u2019re just getting started.<\/p>\n<p><center><button type=\"button\"><a href = \"https:\/\/europe.republic.com\/bower1?utm_source=wordpress&#038;utm_medium=blog&#038;utm_campaign=inv-bower-blog\"><\/a>View Pitch<\/button><\/center><br \/>\n&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>Thank you so much Berfin, we&#8217;re so excited to be supporting Bower&#8217;s mission!<\/p>\n<p>Bower is inviting everyone to support a solution to a critical environmental problem.<\/p>\n<p>Find out more about their fundraising campaign and get involved by visiting <a href = \"https:\/\/europe.republic.com\/bower1?utm_source=wordpress&#038;utm_medium=blog&#038;utm_campaign=inv-bower-blog\"><b>their pitch<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Don&#8217;t invest unless you&#8217;re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more. The global waste crisis is escalating. Seven billion tonnes of plastic waste are generated globally every day, but less than<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":15431,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,297,2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-15416","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-founder-stories","8":"category-investing-features-insight","9":"category-blog"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Using the Power of Community to Accelerate Recycling Rates - Republic Europe Insights<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/europe.republic.com\/insights\/blog\/using-the-power-of-community-to-accelerate-recycling-rates\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Using the Power of Community to Accelerate Recycling Rates - Republic Europe Insights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Don&#8217;t invest unless you&#8217;re prepared to lose all the money you invest. 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