You can read the full article on TerraCycle which is billed as one of the coolest startups in USA.
To me it illustrates how lead entrepreneurs manage to create buzz , inspire people and run operations on a shoestring. At Terracycle the lead entrepreneur is 23 and has managed to surround himself with talented individuals where no one is paid more than $30,000 a year but have options. He now has 11% of the company.
At one point he gave away 1% of the company for $2000. Terracycle does not buy furniture/computer equipment etc. and their office is in a dangerous neighbourhood.
I am not sure what exact lessons can be learned from this but it is inspiring to read.
On another note. India could lay claim to being the garbage capital of the world ( lots of garbage available). Worms should not be a problem and soda /mineral water bottles are a lot. Would Terracycle’s model of making vermicompost tea work in India?
A couple of issues could be. Is there enough consumer demand for “Miracle Gro” type products ? The regulatory process of getting approval to sell maybe a nightmare. Maybe there could be interesting variations that would work in India.
Vermicompost tea anyone ?
- Community Platform For Ward 103 - November 22, 2012
- Municipal Elections New Delhi-16 days for rolls to close - October 15, 2011
- The next Facebook ? - September 17, 2011
We are a small company into recycling of plastics / rubber and other materials and are commited to make useful materials from waste
I think its a great idea, but see no need to make it liquid. Just bottle the worm casings, they are clean and don’t smell bad, just smell like dirt.
Have you read the book: Towing Icebergs? Now there’s an idea that would take a Bill Gates or Warren Buffet to make it happen, but what if people who live in flood prone areas, saved their empty plastic bottles and bottled the flood water? It could be used to water gardens later. Or perhaps a large storge tank could be pumped full of the flood water and after it was purified it could be bottled and shipped to dry reagions.. Just a thought…