4 Companies Addressing Today’s Challenges & Building a Better Future

By Closed Loop Partners

April 22, 2020

We interviewed four of our portfolio companies’ CEOs to hear how their circular solutions are addressing COVID-19, how their business models are being impacted and what lies in store for the future. Together, they are championing robust, sustainable systems that help to accelerate our transition to a more resilient circular economy.

AMP Robotics

AMP Robotics: Matanya Horowitz, CEO

AMP is an AI and Robotics company focused on increasing the quantity and quality of sortation processes at recycling facilities.

What are the impacts of COVID-19 on your business today?

Demand for our A.I. sorting technology has significantly accelerated. Our technology directly addresses COVID-19 workplace safety risks, keeping people out of harm’s way, and keeping the public service of recycling going. We’re seeing repeat orders from existing customers and much larger orders from new customers.

How are you keeping people safe while still operating?

As an ‘essential business’, we’ve continued to deploy robots in customer facilities. Logistics are challenging, but we’ve worked closely with our customers to vigilantly adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols.

What developments in the recycling industry will accelerate as a result of COVID-19?

Recycling is vital to the supply chain. This is evidenced as producers race to meet demand for packaging, tissue, and medical supplies. Without recycling there wouldn’t be enough raw materials to keep up. We expect infrastructure investment to increase addressing this vulnerability, while further elevating the importance of recycling.

For Days

For Days: Kristy Caylor, CEO

For Days is a direct-to-consumer apparel brand, operating with a fully circular business model.

What does the fashion and apparel industry look like post COVID-19?

Sustainability will be more important than ever before as customers reevaluate their personal priorities and make decisions based both on value and values. Digital sales will continue to grow and there is a good chance we will all be wearing masks for a while…

What are you doing to help frontline workers today?

Over 4 weeks ago, we pivoted manufacturing to make masks based on requests from front line workers. We have been both selling and donating masks and total volume has exceeded 70K masks.

How has your business model been impacted?

We have an authentically optimistic message that is resonating with our community and we are a digitally based business, so that has not changed. Our branded product is doing really well and the mask project has been a big success. We’ve seen strong engagement across all channels and will continue spreading the good vibes!

HomeBioGas

HomeBiogas: Oshik Efrati, CEO

HomeBiogas creates modular household anaerobic digester units that convert household food and yard waste into renewable energy and liquid fertilizer.

Where do you see the most need for HomeBiogas systems?

There are 3 billion people around the world who are still cooking on firewood and charcoal, inhaling toxins from the smoke and suffering from indoor air pollution. Having free and clean cooking gas from HomeBiogas systems would drastically improve and extend the lives of these people.

How does HomeBiogas reduce the risk of disease in emerging markets?

Unfortunately, epidemics and natural disasters will always happen. HomeBiogas systems provide families with independent and reliable access to energy, food security, and sanitation. Families that can make their own fuel and food, and have a solution for waste management will be more resilient and prepared to face challenging times.

What is the change that you would like to see in the world post COVID?

I hope that the world, both governments, and private consumers alike, will wake up to our collective need to take better care of our planet. It’s time we widely adopt green technologies and renewable energies that use the resources we already have like, biogas, solar, wind, rain, etc. COVID showed us that it’s also possible to lessen our impact- we are all capable of consuming less and recycling more. Let’s keep going and keep awareness post-COVID as well.

Algramo: José Manuel Moller, CEO

Algramo builds a “smart dispensing system” for CPG products that incentivizes the reuse and refilling of packaging.

What are the impacts of COVID-19 on your business today?

COVID-19 has pushed us to turn our efforts to our delivery system. Our sales in this area have increased since our service allows people to buy essential cleaning products from their homes, reducing any unnecessary exposure to health risks.

How are you keeping people safe while still operating?

We are taking all the necessary measures to take care of our team and our customers. We have protocols in place that promote social distancing and reduce human contact while interacting with our services. Also, we have equipped our sellers with overalls, masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and we clean our tricycles constantly.

What developments in the recycling industry will accelerate as a result of COVID-19?

Recycling services that include home collection are experiencing accelerated growth and so are product refill systems as fewer people touch the containers, therefore reducing the possibility for spreading the virus.

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