Regenize

The company

Regenize is a waste management startup that recycles waste collected from households, apartments and offices. The waste is organised and tracked through mobile technology.

Problem

South Africa’s recycling sector depends on the roughly 90,000 waste pickers who collect material from households and businesses – up to 90% of all recycled paper and packaging waste. They work in dangerous conditions, searching through bins or landfills as they do not have access to clean, separated recyclables.

GSMA project

In March 2022, Regenize received a GSMA grant to scale its solution, It established new decentralised recycling hubs (DRH) and developed the Recycling app and Remali app (virtual currency). The virtual currency can be redeemed for various rewards, such as airtime, data and grocery vouchers.

Outcomes

Raised funding from EEP Africa and E-squared to scale its solar-powered hubs.

Traction

As of March 2025, more than 6,600 households use the Regenize waste collection service for recycling and to earn Remali. They also established 10 DRHs in low- and low-middle-income communities in South Africa.

A message from the founder

“We are not just integrating waste pickers, but also dignifying their role, and assisting them with getting bank cards, providing training on technology and customer service, getting a stable income, enabling access to PPE and to micro-loans.”
– Chad Robertson and Nkazimlo Miti, Co-founders