A sustainability platform for the textile industry, a biodegradable packaging made of hemp and mycelium, an independent sourcing platform for sustainable packaging, a digital marketplace for used electrical and electronic equipment, a technology-driven platform to connect informal waste pickers to the recycled plastic market and a technological machine to analyse plastic composition – these are the ideas developed by the six Green Alley Award finalists of 2023.
Let’s start with introducing BCome Certified from Spain.
The fashion industry has a waste problem that needs to be addressed: fast fashion, which is the turnover of cheap and mass-produced-clothing. According to the World Economic Forum about 73% of clothes are burned or end up in landfill, only 12% is collected and recycled, and only 1% is recycled within the fashion industry. Luckily, brands as well as consumers are now becoming aware of this huge sustainability challenge! Here, the Spanish startup BCome comes into play!
The company developed a digital sustainability platform for the fashion industry that aims at enabling fashion businesses to build responsible supply chains, while guaranteeing transparency and bringing it to the final customer. Reading their interview makes us understand the importance of their digital solution and what are the challenges women might face when founding a startup!
The technology industry is not only one of the fastest-growing sectors on the market, but also one of the most competitive ones. What sets your apart from your competitors?
We have a multidisciplinary approach to sustainability, we provide answers from an environmental, social, and economic perspective. This transversality gives our product a different value proposition! it’s a fact, our 360° vision makes us different. Our platform is a comprehensive solution based on 3 key points: First, we provide meaningful sustainability data. We collect relevant data from the whole value chain and transform it into sustainability knowledge. Second, we offer business decision-making tool. We enable brands to make data-based decisions according to their global impact. The third aspect is the Engagement. We enhance the connection with consumers through main sustainability insights.
For us, sustainability doesn’t need to be hard, we make it simple and turn it into a competitive advantage for the business.
Was there a particular moment or situation that triggered the idea to found BCome?
We have always kept the same goal in mind: to help the fashion industry getting the answers it needs. First, we started BCome as a fashion consultancy in 2016. But after a few years working with suppliers in Asia, we decided to follow our instincts and began to develop the global sustainability management platform that BCome is today. We realised that the market did not need a greater product offering, but the knowledge and answers that would make the sustainable transformation of the industry easier. So, all the knowledge acquired in the field was applied into a digital product that sought to offer solutions to achieve this change.
There are so many challenges that startups must face. Do you feel that women encounter an even wider range of challenges when founding a startup?
We feel comfortable being women in the tech business industry but it’s true that there are still many prejudices to tear down. Despite all the obstacles that we might have found on the path, we have been fortunate to have a strong support network of people who have always believed in our mission and have provided valuable guidance along the way. Finding enablers of success, who are good people and share your vision, is crucial for any startup, and we are grateful for those who have supported us on our journey. We believe that strong feminine references are necessary, and we hope that women of future generations would have easier access thanks to projects like BCome having paved the way.
You are still in an early stage, where do you see your startup in 5 years from now?
We really want to transform the fashion industry. In 5 years from now, we see BCome as a leading platform for sustainability in the fashion business. Our goal is to expand our reach and impact, and we plan to achieve this by enhancing our technology and further improving the accuracy we provide to our customers. We imagine a future where sustainable fashion is not a trend, but a standard, and we believe that our platform can play a crucial role in making this a reality. By empowering consumers with information and providing businesses with tools to track and reduce their environmental impact, we aim to create a more sustainable future for the fashion industry and beyond.
Please complete our sentence: The world needs a circular economy …
… because we have the responsibility to protect the supply of resources for future generations. With a linear model of consumption and disposal, we are depleting resources at an alarming rate, creating a future where these resources may not be longer available. This is particularly important in the fashion industry, where the production of textiles and garments requires significant amounts of water, energy, and other resources. By embracing circularity, we can reduce waste and the need for virgin materials, while also promoting more responsible and sustainable practices throughout the industry. This is essential if we want to create a world that is not just sustainable, but also equitable and prosperous for all.
Register now and watch our six finalists pitch their idea live in Berlin on 27th April 2023!
