Alumni WasteBase presented at the Dutch Design Week 2023

3 Nov 2023 09:47 | Entrepreneurship

This year, the start-up WasteBase has made its presence at the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven. WasteBase, founded by AUAS and Venture Centre Alumni Romaike Slikker and Ramon de Iongh, is a start-up that connects manufacturers and designers by providing a platform on which manufacturers can offer their waste such that it can be repurposed by designers. Slikker: “As we hoped, the DDW gave us insights in the needs and demands of designers, architects and other creators. Unexpected but super valuable was that also many manufacturers came to the DDW providing us with an enormous array of materials that we can add to our database.”

Reimagining Waste with WasteBase
Ever wondered if (reimagining) waste could be the key to a more sustainable future? WasteBase is an innovative startup that reimagines waste, with the mission to repurpose valuable residual materials from product manufacturing. WasteBase aims to increase the find-ability of these valuable materials by connecting manufacturers and designers through a platform. This circular design not only allows to reduce waste and costs, it also facilitates direct connections between parties for larger-scale collaborations. We are excited to announce that our former 10K team WasteBase was selected as one of the businesses in the category of 'Service en Innovatie' at the #DDW! WasteBase’s stand invited visitors to experience the power of repurposing firsthand and to envision a world where waste is no longer discarded but embraced as a valuable resource.

Dutch Design Week 2023

The Dutch Design Week (DDW) is not just a celebration of creativity; it’s a showcase of innovation, #sustainability and the far-reaching potential of entrepreneurship. From the 21st of October until the 29th of October, the city of Eindhoven was transformed into a hub of creativity and #innovation. During the DDW, entrepreneurs from all over the world showcase their ideas, concepts and innovations. It’s a place where traditional ‘inside of the box’ boundaries of design are pushed, and fresh perspectives on the future are explored. Visitors could delve themselves into a multitude of exhibitions, talks and workshops, which all spark the power of design.

Repurpose of Residual Materials

Apart from WasteBase’s presence at the DDW,  Inge Oskam (Professor Circular Design & Business at the Faculty of Technology of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences) gave a lecture about her research on repurposing during the DDW. Oskam has a similar view on creating value from waste as Slikker and de Iongh. From her perspective, repurposing – meaning giving waste a fresh purpose in new products – requires analytical and creative design effort, since residual materials already have a function, form and quality. WasteBase is a concrete application of this notion of ‘repurpose’ of Oskam, and Oskam has guided WasteBase throughout its development.