Result description
As a participant in Catalyse NEB 2025, Wastespresso strengthened its business model, product portfolio and international growth strategy through targeted mentoring, technical and sustainability support, and access to European innovation ecosystems.
Key results achieved during and following the programme include:
- Launch and scaling of innovative upcycled products (Cupcycle, StrawCo, Bio Candle)
- 79+ tonnes of coffee waste upcycled, avoiding 32 tonnes of virgin plastic and reusing 103+ tonnes of biomass
- Creation of 70+ traceable collection points and onboarding of 13+ recurring enterprise customers
- Improved production quality, process stability and scalability
- Securing B Corp and ISCC+ certifications
- International expansion, with operations established in the Netherlands and deployments across Europe
- New revenue generation and preparation for investment, reaching a company valuation of $9M
The project demonstrates how Catalyse NEB effectively supports NEB-aligned start-ups in translating environmental innovation into scalable, commercially viable solutions.
Addressing target audiences and expressing needs
- Venture Capital
Following successful acceleration, market uptake and recent investment, Wastespresso’s next phase focuses on scaling impact rather than proving viability. Key needs include access to new European markets and large-scale adopters (corporate, municipal and infrastructure partners), industrial and manufacturing partnerships to scale production while maintaining quality and sustainability standards, regulatory and market-entry support across countries, and continued ecosystem integration to enable replication, long-term adoption and impact scaling.
- Others/ No specific audience
- Private Investors
R&D, Technology and Innovation aspects
Wastespresso’s solutions are market deployed, with validated products, recurring enterprise customers and operations in multiple European countries. Next steps focus on scaling impact through expanded production and waste collection capacity, entry into additional markets, and partnerships with industrial, municipal and corporate adopters.
Programme level (Catalyse NEB):
Catalyse NEB supports scalability by connecting start-ups to European markets, investors and industrial partners, enabling solutions to grow beyond local pilots to pan-European deployment.
Result level (Wastespresso):
Wastespresso has demonstrated scalability through increased production capacity, international expansion and deployment with large enterprise customers, showing clear potential for further growth across Europe.
Programme level (Catalyse NEB):
Catalyse NEB is a structured and repeatable accelerator model that can be applied to other NEB-aligned start-ups across sectors. Its modular approach – from mentoring to market access – allows replication in different European contexts.
Result level (Wastespresso):
Wastespresso’s circular model is replicable across regions by adapting its waste collection, processing and production system to local coffee waste streams and market needs.
Programme level (Catalyse NEB):
Sustainability is embedded through a design-led acceleration model that integrates environmental impact, inclusive innovation and long-term business viability. By combining mentoring, technical support and ecosystem access, Catalyse NEB enables start-ups to continue delivering impact beyond the funding period through market uptake and investment readiness.
Result level (Wastespresso):
Wastespresso delivers environmental sustainability by upcycling organic waste into bio-based products that replace virgin materials, while economic sustainability is ensured through validated revenue streams, certifications and long-term customer contracts.
