Canibal

Canibal provides an innovative solution for the collection and recycling of beverage containers like cans, plastic bottles, and cups. Founded in 2009 by Benoît Paget and Stéphane Marrapodi, the company was established with an initial investment of 25,000 euros each. Benoît Paget, a former communication and event management professional, and Stéphane Marrapodi, with a background in marketing and development, aimed to create a fun and rewarding recycling system to address the growing issue of out-of-home beverage container waste.

The core of Canibal's offering is the "Canibalette," a smart recycling machine that sorts and compacts waste at the source. These machines are designed for high-traffic areas such as corporate offices, universities, airports, and public spaces. The business model operates on a rental basis, where clients lease the machines and pay a monthly fee that covers maintenance and waste collection services. To encourage user participation, the system incorporates a gamified incentive mechanism. When users deposit a container, they are rewarded with points or digital vouchers redeemable with partner companies. This approach aims to make recycling an engaging and rewarding habit.

The company targets organizations looking to improve their environmental footprint and comply with waste management regulations. By compacting waste, Canibal's machines reduce the volume of collected materials by up to 90%, leading to lower collection frequency and associated logistical costs for their clients. The sorted materials are then sent to French recycling channels to be repurposed into new products. In 2012, the company successfully raised 1.2 million euros from investment funds Emertec and IRDInov to support its growth.

Keywords: waste management, smart recycling, circular economy, beverage containers, B2B recycling solutions, incentive-based recycling, waste collection, environmental services, cleantech, waste sorting