The Philippines faces a significant challenge in managing its solid waste, generating at least 61,000 million metric tons daily. Disjointed recycling and collection initiatives contribute to improper disposal, inefficient collection, and a lack of disposal facilities. Iloilo-based waste management startup Rezbin aims to address these issues.
Founded in 2023 by siblings Mari and Mica Martirez, Rezbin’s mission is to make waste disposal fun and easy for Filipinos. The startup builds the technology and framework to formalize the waste industry, decreasing the amount of plastic entering landfills and oceans, and helping brands compensate for their plastic manufacturing.
Past initiatives of Rezbin include providing plastic recovery bins to drop-off points in Iloilo, including barangays, schools, offices, hotels, and sari-sari stores, where refillable options were also encouraged to help reduce plastic use.
More recently, the startup has even received grants from a number of environmentally conscious organizations, including Coca-Cola Philippines and Save Philippine Seas. Just last month, Rezbin was also awarded the Impact Startup category at the ASEAN Startup Award 2024, winning a $10,000 research fund to support its expansion plans alongside the award. The $10,000 pre-event award serves as a research grant for category winners, partnering them with E-DISC, allowing Rezbin to expand its network within the startup ecosystem.
“From the start, Rezbin has been driven by a clear mission to reduce plastic waste, demonstrating relentless dedication and creativity in tackling this crucial environmental issue. Winning the Impact Startup category at the ASEAN Startup Award 2024 is a clear indicator of their commitment and success,” said Thomas Abentung of Founders Launchpad. Rezbin was notably a part of Founders Launchpad’s first-ever cohort in 2023, where the startup received mentoring and access to the resources it needed to succeed.
According to Mari Martirez, Rezbin’s recent win will fuel the startup’s plans to eventually expand into the rest of the Philippines. “We’re currently raising a seed round which we will use to expand to municipalities and cities across Panay Island and Visayas. We’re also building more tech solutions to cater to different areas of the waste value chain and more features to encourage better waste segregation at source throughout the country,” he revealed.
Martirez emphasized Rezbin’s desire to work with a like-minded investor, especially those who understand the value of disrupting the waste disposal industry. “Several solutions have been made for the waste industry in Asia and the Pacific, but none have tackled the habit-forming aspect nor have they been tailor-fit for developing countries,” he said.
“Our unique approach involves both consumers and businesses working together to be part of the solution. We understand that there is no exact science to this yet but we’ve been successful so far and will keep on growing,” Martirez concluded.