Tim Schumacher’s Post

Discover how American business, The Rounds is redefining e-commerce in our latest Mini Tech Roundup.👇 Dive into how they're blending AI, tech and sustainability to transform household restocking. 🛍 Their promise? Efficient last-mile deliveries minus the plastic waste. With an expanded product range, strategies for growth and a future-focused 'psychic home manager' vision, their story is a must-read. Check out the full story on our website by clicking the link below 👇 #technology #technews #artificialintelligence #startups #startupnews

🌐 🛍️ In the e-commerce landscape, sustainability is particularly essential, as 75% of sustainable products sell better online than in physical stores. One brand that embraced this trend and soared to unprecedented heights is Allbirds. 🌿 From the outset, the Allbirds had two clear goals: 1️⃣ Create a comfortable running shoe. 2️⃣ Minimize their carbon footprint. Recognizing the eco-consciousness of their audience, Allbirds tailored their product to meet these environmental standards. True to their vision, they utilise eco-friendly materials like eucalyptus tree fibres and merino wool in their shoe production. 🌱 This commitment not only differentiates them from the competition but also resonates directly with their audience, tapping into shared concerns for the future of our planet. Starting as a crowdfunded startup, Allbirds has transformed into a $1.4 billion sneaker company. 🌟 By eliminating middlemen in their process, Allbirds maintains a closer connection with their customers and exercises greater control over production. They listen to their customers, meeting expectations at a reduced price. 🤝 In essence, Allbirds' success is rooted in their commitment to sustainable practises. 🌳 Now, the question for you is: What sustainable practises can you adopt into your business process? How else can you contribute to the green movement beyond your business? It's time to find answers to these crucial questions. ⏳ . . . #Sustainability #EcoFriendly #Allbirds #eCommerce #ShopOnCloud

Brands like Temu and SHEIN are flooding the world with poorly made, non-recyclable goods likely to end up in landfill within weeks of purchasing. It’s time to fight back against the waste being created by these irresponsible brands, and to promote re-use, re-sale and circularity.  At World Fund, we’re proud to announce our investment in Faircado, founded by Evoléna de Wilde d'Estmael 🌱 and Ali Nezamolmaleki. Faircado is an awesome AI-powered browser extension that prompts you to make better purchasing decisions online. You could be browsing the web looking for a book, a pair of headphones, or a new coat, and Faircado’s extension will show you an example of the same item available pre-used. Usually up to 80% cheaper than buying new. Whilst World Fund joins at pre-seed, Faircado has made incredible progress on the product side - they’ve integrated 60 million+ products, across electronics, books and fashion, from 50 different partners including eBay, Back Market, Grailed, rebuy and Vestiaire Collective. I spoke to Ivan Mehta at TechCrunch yesterday about Faircado, and why I am adding it to my portfolio of sustainable consumer internet tools, which includes Ecosia & eyeo (makers of AdBlock). Here's the TechCrunch article: >> https://lnkd.in/efjtrvfg And now - last, but not least - please install Faircado from your PC/Mac: >> www.faircado.com

🌍 In the shadow of a dwindling global circularity rate, the pressing question emerges: How do we steer towards sustainability on a grand scale? The answer might lie in the realm of circular marketplaces, potential "green unicorns" that redefine the essence of transactions towards repair, refurbishment, and recycling. 🔄✨ As we delve into the 2024 Circularity Gap Report, a grim reality surfaces with global circularity plummeting from 9.1% to a mere 7.2% over six years. This decline signals an urgent call for scalable solutions, particularly as we face looming shortages in critical resources like lithium and cobalt. 📉🚨 Circular marketplaces, thriving ecosystems connecting buyers and sellers of reused and refurbished goods, stand out as beacons of hope. These platforms are not just business ventures but movements, paving the way for a sustainable future. Companies like Patagonia and Caterpillar have initiated this journey, yet the true transformation lies in scalability - a feat best achieved through collective action in marketplaces. 🌟🔄 Enter the "green unicorns" - a rare breed of startups achieving billion-dollar valuations by championing circular business models. Back Market, Vestiaire Collective, and others exemplify how circular economy platforms are gaining momentum and investor interest, proving that sustainability and profitability can coexist. 🦄💚 The advantages of circular marketplaces are manifold. They lower transaction costs, making it easier and more appealing for people to buy and sell pre-owned goods. They benefit from positive network effects, where each new user adds value, creating a vibrant, self-sustaining ecosystem. Moreover, the integration of advanced technologies such as AI, tracing, and analytics enhances efficiency, trust, and user experience, setting these marketplaces apart from traditional linear models. 🚀🌐 For startups aspiring to become the next green unicorn, focus on high-value markets like electronics, invest in a robust technology infrastructure, and prioritize operational excellence. Remember, building a successful circular marketplace is about creating a seamless, trustworthy platform that not only serves but also inspires its users. 🌿💡 The journey towards a more sustainable future is complex, but with the right vision, circular marketplaces have the potential to lead the charge. It's time to embrace these green unicorns, not as mythical creatures, but as tangible solutions driving us towards a circular economy. 📲 For more insights into leveraging circular marketplaces for your business, feel free to reach out anytime. Let's shape a sustainable future together! 🌱🔗 #CircularEconomy #GreenUnicorn #Sustainability #TechForGood

"Green Unicorns" Leading the Charge in Circular Economy In a new Forbes article, Peter C. Evans, PhD, discusses the potential for circular marketplaces to drive greater sustainability and circularity at scale. 🔄 Circular Marketplaces Gain Momentum: With global circularity rates dropping, circular marketplaces offer a sustainable lifeline, promoting the reuse and refurbishment of goods to combat resource depletion. 🦄 The Emergence of Green Unicorns: A select group of startups, including Back Market, Carousell, Vestiaire Collective, Wallapop, Letgo, StockX, Depop, and Grover, have reached over $1 billion valuations by facilitating circular business models. This achievement not only highlights their status as "green unicorns" but also underscores the significant market potential of circular economy platforms. 🛒 Transformative Power of Circular Marketplaces: By revolutionizing sustainable shopping, these platforms stand out through lower transaction costs, positive network effects, and the adoption of innovative technologies like AI, tracing technology, and embedded insurance. This makes engaging in circular economy practices more efficient and appealing to a wider audience. Discover more: https://lnkd.in/gP4EF2uR #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #Innovation #GreenTech #EcoFriendly

A list of 28 companies funded in roughly the past two years at the intersection of apparel or fabric and sustainability. #sustainability #circulareconomy #slowfasion #resale #startups If you want to read more about how brands make better products that last longer, subscribe to Unsustainable: https://lnkd.in/e4PnGKuC https://lnkd.in/eRp8pRrp

Just finished working on an exciting project for a new regenerative/sustainable products company. Their innovative DTC startup idea got me really energized about the future of sustainable materials. (I helped them get clear about their brand look/feel, position, and initial product offerings.) While we heard last year about Stella McCartney's mycelium leather and North Face's regenerative rubber, it seems like the fashion industry has gone quiet on sustainable materials. There are a few beauty companies using re/gen for packaging, but I really hope this year will see sustainable materials become a bigger deal overall. Are you working on anything interesting in this field? Please share here or DM me! #sustainability #regenerative #fashion #beauty #sustainablematerials #innovation #branding #startups

Can shopping contribute to sustainability? 500-backed recommerce platform Carousell Group proves it can by launching their inaugural Circular Economy Impact Report to quantify it. A first-of-its kind for e-commerce and recommerce marketplaces in Southeast Asia, the report shows that the Carousell community avoided 116,577 tonnes of carbon emissions in 2022. To put that number into perspective, that’s equivalent to 5.3 million trees absorbing carbon dioxide per year, or the production of 179 million plastic bottles! Co-founder & CEO Siu Rui Quek shared, “Our mission is to make secondhand the first choice for everyone. We have stayed true to this mission over the past 11 years, and we remain committed to making selling and buying secondhand even simpler, more trusted and convenient. With the release of the report, we hope more people realize how easy it is to embrace secondhand as a lifestyle and contribute to a greener world, without compromising on the things they enjoy.” Get the full report: https://bit.ly/3NI3Lsr #500Global #500SoutheastAsia #500Strong #startups #technology #innovation #venturecapital #asia #southeastasia #recommerce #secondhand #ecommerce #shopping #sustainability Photo credit: Carousell

The Circular Economy. Our online ReCommerce platform StyleBarn.ie is all about the circular economy. We sell bracelets, made from abandoned, lost fishing nets. We sell notebooks, made from used coffee cups. We sell tumblers and carafes, made from used wine bottles. We sell throws, made from recycled yarn. The Netherlands, has vowed to have a fully functioning circular economy by 2050. This means that every product must have its end of life planned. The days of happily buying an e-scooter on impulse and saying, "Sure I can just bin it If I hate it" are over. Products should now be built to be repairable and recyclable at end of life. This is of course, a no brainer and is just a return to how all consumer products were made until the late 1980's. It is just common sense. Or, as some would see it, it is an existential threat to the consumerist boom and everlasting growth. Many multinationals now rely on endless sales growth to support share value, a reduction in growth, let alone sales, will impact this wealth chain. Expect to see a LOT of discreet lobbying for extensions to these deadlines. By building products that can be repaired, reused, reimagined or recycled, we create local businesses, albeit at the expense of multinationals. Imagine towns with repair shops, cars being repaired locally, not replaced with new cars. Imagine local manufacturing industries establishing, using existing materials, not newly mined or newly made. There will always be room for mass manufacturing, mining and heavy industry, but there is a great opportunity to do better too. Don't panic, I'm still an unreformed capitalist with a conscience, but I just think we need to bring things back in scale. Beag is álainn. #circulareconomy #sustainability #stylebarn #reducereuserecycle #ecommerce #recommerce #shoplocal #repair