Trashin, a cleantech startup dedicated to waste management and reverse-logistics programs, started during the 2012 Webdesign International Festival in Limoges, France. Two entrepreneurs from Rio Grande do Sul, cousins Gustavo and Sérgio Finger, had the innovative idea of transforming waste into a bargaining chip to acquire sustainable products. Back in Brazil, they slowly validated their idea, and in 2018, joined the Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS) incubator in Porto Alegre along with three more partners: Daniel Petersen, Rafael Dutra and Renan Vargas. "Porto Alegre was one of the first cities in Brazil to implement selective waste collection,” says Sérgio.  “It already had a recycling culture. We are in a very well-structured innovation ecosystem with accelerators, incubators, investors and support from the public sector. With this, we could really build a new model of waste management and reverse logistics, and implement the circular economy." 

Today, Trashin operates in twenty-six states in Brazil. "We opted to operate throughout the country to handle the reverse logistics of large national and international brands in addition to managing waste for regional clients or clients with operations dispersed throughout the country," he says. Trashin’s clients include names such as Natura (Brazil's leading cosmetic company), Havaianas and Nike. Its large commercial success, however, hasn’t come without its challenges. The startup still struggles to reach recycling-collection associations and cooperatives, and it has to identify new ways to support qualification and training to improve the management and productivity of these partners. This is a crucial social aspect of the startup and a fundamental stepping stone in improving the local economy and waste collection.

"Our team is a group of people that we admire and respect, who share the same values and purpose, and who commit to contributing to the sustainable development of society. And we also consider it a family business, even though we have two partners there who are friends," laughs Sérgio, who works with a sibling, a cousin, and two childhood friends. "It makes it much easier to tackle the challenges because we have this long-standing friendship." This fits with Trashin's team culture, a mix of interdisciplinary and multicultural professionals who embrace adversity and go after solutions. 

Innovation and collaboration are at the core of Trashin's success, and the team seeks to be connected to local startup hubs and actively participate in major events, including South Summit Brazil, Gramado Summit, Mind7, Mercopar, Startup Day Porto Alegre, and other events held by SEBRAE and Amcham.