![Marc Wetselaar of Smartfill receives the Startup World Cup regional winner trophy in London[87].jpg](https://spnews.com/downloads/5526/download/Marc%20Wetselaar%20of%20Smartfill%20receives%20the%20Startup%20World%20Cup%20regional%20winner%20trophy%20in%20London%5B87%5D.jpg?cb=8e226321655f8e538d311e012927c4ca&w={width}&h={height} "Marc Wetselaar of Smartfill receives the Startup World Cup regional winner trophy in London[87].jpg")
Smartfill, the pioneering company behind next-gen smart dispensers for packageless retail, has taken first place among stiff competition at the London regional event of the Startup World Cup held at Reset Connect, the UK's premier sustainability and net-zero event where leaders, investors and innovators in green technologies gather to collaborate on achieving environmental goals during Climate Action Week. This prestigious win propels Smartfill to the Grand Finale in San Francisco in October, where the company will compete on a global stage for the ultimate prize of US $1,000,000 in investment.
The Startup World Cup is organised by Pegasus Tech Ventures, a venture capital firm headquartered in Silicon Valley that funds innovators and businesses with the potential to become industry leaders. Pegasus connects its portfolio companies with its network of over thirty international corporate partners to create business development opportunities, scale company growth, and advance innovation. The competition included rigorous stages, from submission to the announcement of the top 10 finalists, culminating in the regional finale. Finalists included CLUBZERØ, Windscope, Dashel Helmets, Firstplanit, Solivus and GT Wings. Smartfill’s innovative approach to tackling the $400 billion FMCG packaging challenge, outlined in a final live pitch, impressed judges and attendees alike to secure the win.
“Cleantech and Greentech are steeply rising investment areas globally,” said Nevo Hadas, CEO of Smartfill. "Winning the London regional event at Climate Action Week’s flagship event for innovation highlights the importance of this kind of innovation in packageless technology as we struggle with overwhelming plastic pollution and outdated business models and transform the retail packaging landscape.”
Smartfill’s innovative dispensers have already made significant strides in addressing the source of packaging waste and improving consumer affordability, particularly in developing markets. Recently, Smartfill launched two new dispenser models aimed at furthering these goals:
- Liquid dispenser: Developed in collaboration with Transform, Unilever, and BOPinc, this dispenser targets the reduction of sachet usage in low-income markets. Released as an open-source project, it aims to cost less than $50 per unit. This cost-effective approach allows widespread adoption, with the second set of trials underway in Bangladesh with Unilever.
- Dry food dispenser: The next-gen dry food dispenser features an enhanced user experience, allowing consumers to easily select and dispense precise quantities of nuts, grains, or powders. It also includes a large-scale circular bulk packaging model using standardised food-safe containers as product hoppers, facilitating easy refilling and transportation.
Smartfill advances build on numerous successful pilots, including pilots with Unilever in Kenya dispensing Sunlight washing powder; a pilot with SPAR in South Africa dispensing rice, sugar, coffee granules and coffee creamer, and a pilot dispensing chocolate-covered almonds, cashews and muesli in London, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), to name a few. The technology’s IoT-powered capabilities provide manufacturers and retailers with valuable real-world data, optimising logistics and marketing strategies.
“With four years of R&D and extensive pilot feedback, we have developed a robust technology platform that drives rapid innovation,” said Marc Wetselaar, COO of Smartfill. “In 2023 alone, we conducted over 16,000 customer transactions across a range of products and retail environments, refining our products to meet real-world needs. It’s very exciting as this enables the connected, eco-friendly stores we need in the future."
Smartfill has garnered substantial support from major accelerators, including a grant from the AgriTech Innovation Centre at the UK Research and Innovation Centre and acceptance into two prestigious programs: Level 4 of the Microsoft Startup Founders Hub and the Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA). This recognises Smartfill’s potential and supports its mission to combat household plastic and packaging waste while enhancing consumer accessibility and sustainability.
As Smartfill prepares for the Startup World Cup Grand Finale, the company aims to have a lasting impact on global retail as it continues to light the path for manufacturers, brands, and retailers to join the packageless retail movement and build a more sustainable future.
For more information, please visit www.smartfill.store