Recyclops is an Uber-like service, leveraging a tech-driven smart routing app and local drivers to provide curbside recycling in rural areas, doorstep recycling for urban apartments, and in-office or curbside recycling for businesses. “The innovative solution has eliminated many of the logistical problems that have previously kept recycling from these areas,” explains Ryan Smith, founder and CEO.
Smith’s inspiration came when, living in an apartment as a BYU student, he discovered there was a lack of recycling solutions available to residents of multi-family housing and in rural communities. Recognizing both residents’ demand for recycling and the challenges property managers and municipalities face implementing recycling programs, he set out to develop a solution. He founded Recyclops the following year, in 2014.
The challenges went beyond recycling, itself. Says Smith, “In developing Recyclops, I quickly realized we weren’t just solving a recycling issue, but also a logistics issue. Every community
has a distinct set of logistical challenges, and we had to figure out different strategies to make recycling work in each city.”
In developing and growing his company, Smith practices advice he was given to test everything. “‛If you’re not applying the scientific method to your startup, you’re not doing it right.’
This has shaped the way we do everything at Recyclops. If we haven’t tested it, we won’t do it. Every time we’ve failed to test an aspect of our business, we’ve quickly paid for that mistake
in bigger failures — which, typically, means with cash.”
Recyclop is currently providing recycling for apartments and businesses in Phoenix.
