The Ivorian based waste management startup Coliba, which has developed a recycling and waste management platform using an interactive and innovative waste management web and mobile application that connects households and businesses with affiliated plastic waste collectors. The new funding came through Belgian entrepreneur, Rudi De Kerpel.

The startup had earlier raised equity funding from the Dakar Network Angels last year, and grant cash from the GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator in 2018, and back in March secured investment from the Frankfurt-based GreenTec Capital. It has now raised more from De Kerpel, who has extensive experience in the circular economy and has invested an undisclosed amount.

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Coliba applies the principles of the circular economy to tackle the problem of plastic waste in Ivory Coast, allowing users to earn airtime or discounts on certain products by recycling. Its app tracks a user’s bottle collection progress and efficiently dispatches agents for collection. The invested funds will help Coliba, which also operates in Ghana, secure a few acres of land on the outskirts of Ghana’s capital Accra for a new PET washing line, and to increase its collection and processing rate.

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“Not only is Rudi an investor that sits on our board, he also brings decades of experience from the circular economy space as he is a known investor in Goodless, a circular economy company in Belgium. Rudi brings his deep passion for the environment and we are happy to have him join us as we move to the next stage as a company,” said Coliba founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Prince Agbata.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry