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Phase: Ideas Opportunity Areas: Products to People – Reimagine Delivery Models

Stopping waste before it happens - new technology for the retail supply chain.

A technology and processing system which enables the transport, sale, and purchase of goods while minimizing packaging and food waste.

Photo of Petr Baca
20 17

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MIWA (MInimumWAste) is a technology and processing system which enables the transport, sale and purchase of goods while minimizing packaging and food waste. The MIWA system’s distinctiveness lies in its complexity as it covers all members of the supply chain from producers to consumers.

By creating a business ecosystem interlinked by technology and information structures, MIWA sets the conditions for trade and consumer behavior so that participating in the system brings a win-win situation to all active subjects. In addition to a strong social and environmental impact, MIWA generates economic results and prerequisites for further development and innovation.

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While providing the technological solution to suppliers and retailers we educate people about the concept of PREcycling since we believe that recycling is not sufficient solution and thus creating system change when PREcycling is the new standard.

Our company key outcomes:

  • Waste-less distribution chain: technologies for manufacturers as well as merchants paired with an information system linking the whole distribution chain (a so-called ‘commercial ecosystem’)
  • New customer experience: smartphone application for packaging-free sales and purchases of both edible and non-edible goods.
  • Research and studies: topics include the prevention of waste production with the promotion of pre-cycling methods
  • Proposing legislative changes: adoption of pre-cycling as the new standard for society as well as business.

Idea Title

System change leading to eliminating disposable packaging from the supply chain.

Company / Organization Name

MIWA

Website

http://www.miwa.eu http://www.miwa.eu/about-us http://www.miwa.eu/miwa-in-use http://www.miwa.eu/how-it-works

Where are you / your team located?

We are located in Prague, CZ. We are an international team (CZ, NL, IT, US) with global reach.

How does this Idea redesign unrecyclable small format plastic items that often end up as waste?

MIWA prevents the production of the unrecyclable small format plastic items. The whole system brings substantial savings in packaging material at the level of transportation (tertiary, secondary packaging) and purchasing (consumer’s own, returnable or degradable packaging). Producers, distributors, and retailers are given a strong device for efficient planning, simple trading, and process rationalization. A consumer is provided with full control over the purchasing process.

Which use cases does your Idea apply to?

Since our mission is to change the mindset we do target all cases. However, our current technology can handle the first 2 cases (packaging for liquid consumer products and bottle cups).

In what geographical context or area does your Idea plan to operate / solve?

Global. We are launching our solution in Europe and scaling it up to the US.

How do you envision scaling up your Idea?

st1 We build community around our strong purpose > in full progress st2 We launch own and community formats for testing and proof > in full progress st3 We sell to 3rd party retailers and franchise > we are establishing first contacts st4 We expand and innovate > prepared CH1: To deliver on all aspect of environmental impact we need to consider transportation footprint and build local distribution/logistic centers. CH2: Larger retailers need to see the working case to apply and then scale.

At what stage of development is your Idea?

  • Prototyping: You have conducted some small tests or experiments with prospective users and will continue developing idea through these tests.
  • Piloting: You have started to implement your solution as a whole with a first set of real users. You may have started to develop a business model for your idea, including identifying key customer segments, relevant partnerships, go-to-market strategy, and draft financials.

Please describe how becoming a Top Idea and working with the Think Beyond Plastics Accelerator Program will help to accelerate your solution.

1) We would accelerate our activities in areas of education and legislation with added know-how and network possibilities. 2) The actual funding would support our entry to the market. We would use it as an investment into "first small production" after prototyping. The first production will be used in pilot outlets (as per above). 3) If any funding left we would invest in boosting our sales activities to 3rd parties retailers (team + sales activities).

Please describe from where your Idea emerged

The idea of creating a retail solution based on PREcycling, meaning developing a way of effectively selling goods without packaging, was born at the beginning of 2014. Until then my main business focus was creating packaging solutions for different companies, so I actually had the first-hand experience with the strengths and the dark sides of the packaging. Work on the project started immediately in 2014. With the start of 2017, we introduce our project to the world.

Tell us about your work experience

I am an entrepreneur and business leader, I have been working in marketing services and design industry over 20 years. https://www.linkedin.com/in/petrbaca/ For key personnel see enclosed document.

Please describe your legal and organizational structure

We are a joint-stock company established in 2015 in the Czech Republic: Arancia Europa, a.s.

Attachments (1)

MIWA images gallery.pdf

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This inspired (2)

A zero waste solution for liquids
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Photo of Gunjan Navare
Team

HI Petr Baca ,
I really like your idea, being in Australia and the massive super markets here?what do you have to say about closing the supply chain?

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