Internship Diaries #51

Vijay Kumar

ZeroWaste

ZeroWaste (ZW) is developing an accessible and convenient, technology enabled reverse supply chain for used and waste electronics. ZW manages collection to refurbishment and recycling with use of mobile and IT. Providing convenient ways, like implementing exchange programs at popular consumer electronics, to dispose waste electronics opens up the locked value in e-goods stored at homes or being transferred to unscientific and unorganized channels, creating potential hazard to environment. Electronics bought via home pickups and collection center drop-offs are then segregated, refurbished & sold through Seconds distribution channels or recycled through authorized e-waste recyclers. Technology is used to ensure that the supply chain is efficient.

Indian e-waste and used electronics market is around $11B today, growing at a rate more than 50%.

Co-founders Mr. Prateek and Mr. Sunil have been working together for past one and half year. Mr. Prateek Goel (B.Tech Computers) is Founder Partner in a successful Software venture Teramatrix. He heads business & product development. Mr. Sunil Saradhna (B. Tech Electronics, MBA Marketing) is Founder Partner at a Jewelry Retail Brand (SKJ). He heads operations at ZeroWaste.

Untrustworthy and random valuation methods by kabadiwalas and local repair centers. Selling e-waste to unauthorized vendors is illegal, but approach to authorized recyclers is inconvenient. Thus most of the obsolete electronics remain buried under layers of dust occupying precious space at home.

For end consumers, ZW offers convenient and simple valuation along with home pickup, drop-offs coupled with exchange programs. ZW pays instant cash for the goods bought.

For retailers, e-tailers and Electronics OEMs – ZW provides optimized reverse logistics channel to liquidate the customer returned, transit damaged and factory seconds goods. Experience the conditions and task was fulfilling to every extent.We had to work in a team with individual projects, its expectations, implementations and its deadlines.The work culture had “No Door Policy” with gave us all the freedom to explore, experiment, learn and create a model which could be immediately implemented in business. I hope I have done justice to the brand we all carry as the reverse logistic business model we suggested was taken to implementation stage with lots of positive feedback.