Zero Waste Cities

About ZWC

The Zero Waste Cities Challenge is MEF's circular economy startup accelerator — built on the conviction that urban waste crises are resource misallocation problems, not disposal problems. MEF served as the core Business Incubation Support Partner, delivered in partnership with WasteAid's Circular Economy Network. The programme ran simultaneously across three urban clusters facing severe waste infrastructure bottlenecks: Guwahati in India, Johannesburg in South Africa, and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam — markets where the gap between waste generated and waste recovered is wide enough to back a serious startup ecosystem.

Selected founders entered a 3-month virtual intensive track covering pitch deck construction, financial forecasting, and cash flow modelling — the instruments needed to move from prototype to institutional investment conversation. Startups also received design and communication workshops, including sessions with specialist firms focused on product usability and consumer communication. The top circular innovations competed for a €10,000 cash prize to scale their operations.

The Guwahati cohort illustrated the breadth of circular opportunity in a single city: 12 startups tackling waste loops across construction, textiles, sanitation, and community collection. RecycleX converted industrial and plastic waste into sustainable construction materials. Golden Feather pioneered recycling chicken feather waste into handloom fabrics and paper. PampEarth built biodegradable alternatives to sanitary and diaper waste. The Midway Journey drove grassroots plastic collection and zero-waste public awareness. Care North East Foundation and Shree Guru Plastics scaled organized plastic collection and mechanical recycling infrastructure across northeast India — each startup built for the place it came from.