A friend asked me today (despite knowing her for a whole year already!) "What does BEEcycle do?". So I thought that it would be good to couple that question with how I started up.
BEEcycle focuses its business on Food Waste recycling. There are currently 3 sides to the business.
1. The OvO is an educational toy that help teachers teach about food waste recycling especially composting with worms. The OvO contains a self watering system rendering it easy to use and manage. The children will make their own compost from the food waste and in the end of the process then can plant a seed and grow a plant, taking them through the whole food cycle. The system comes with teaching materials and lesson plans.
2. Wormcast. BEEcycle sells wormcast produced by a local worm farm. Wormcast is a rich organic fertilizer produced by the feeding of food waste to worms. The worms munch through this waste and poop out the wormcast material. Through the digestive system, beneficial micro-oganisms and plant growth factors are added making the wormcast rich, natural and organic.
3. Consultation. BEEcycle consults organizations and community groups on setting up food waste recycling systems. There are many different ways of food waste recycling such as in-vessel composting, anaerobic digestion and bokashi, but each are only appropriate for different cases. BEEcycle helps in clarifying issues and source products for the groups and organizations to start their recycling programme. BEEcycle is currently working with local councils, a social enterprise and the University.
So how did BEEcycle start up? Finishing university with a biochemistry degree in 2006, I didn't want to become just a scientist but to be able to do business where I can apply my scientific skills. At the same time I can across the Enviroentrepreneur school
I had to come up with an environmental business plan in order to get a place for the school. So with a bit of research I found a pretty good potential market in the food waste and composting industry. I spent a further year in doing more research on the sector and the business before applying to Lancasters Enviroment Centre Business Plan Competition in 2007. I became one of the winners for the competition, giving me a year of free office accommodation and business support. I have to admit that this move to Lancaster is a pivotal point for my business. The University helped tremendously and resulted in the incorporation of the company, a business website, stationary, business consultations and access to the laboratories for research.
Even though the competitions has gotten me this far, and with products and services ready, I know that there is still a long way to go... and its still not the time to relax!
Posts
1 comment:
wow!! I had heard a bit from susan, but it was really interesting reading your website and learning more about BEEcycle.
Post a Comment