Client
Startup, Royal College of Art,

Client
Startup, Royal College of Art,

Year
2024

Year
2024

Category
Sustainability

Category
Sustainability

MatSwap

MatSwap

MatSwap

To create an ecosystem where artists and designers ethically reuse materials, driving sustainability and cost savings.

To create an ecosystem where artists and designers ethically reuse materials, driving sustainability and cost savings.

To create an ecosystem where artists and designers ethically reuse materials, driving sustainability and cost savings.

Context

Context

Context

Art and Design students typically spend £70 - £100 pounds per project on materials (survey with 95 students). However, upon completing their modules, they encounter significant challenges in storing unused materials due to space constraints. Consequently, they resort to disposal, thus increasing their carbon footprint and education expenses.

Art and Design students typically spend £70 - £100 pounds per project on materials (survey with 95 students). However, upon completing their modules, they encounter significant challenges in storing unused materials due to space constraints. Consequently, they resort to disposal, thus increasing their carbon footprint and education expenses.

Art and Design students typically spend £70 - £100 pounds per project on materials (survey with 95 students). However, upon completing their modules, they encounter significant challenges in storing unused materials due to space constraints. Consequently, they resort to disposal, thus increasing their carbon footprint and education expenses.

Why Now?

Why Now?

Why Now?

Today's consumption rates would demand resources of 2/3 of the planet. Only 7.2% of used materials are recycled significantly impacting the climate crisis. Art and Design universities generate substantial waste, including project materials which are often incinerated or sent to landfills. Prioritizing circularity would notably cut our carbon footprint.

Today's consumption rates would demand resources of 2/3 of the planet. Only 7.2% of used materials are recycled significantly impacting the climate crisis. Art and Design universities generate substantial waste, including project materials which are often incinerated or sent to landfills. Prioritizing circularity would notably cut our carbon footprint.

Today's consumption rates would demand resources of 2/3 of the planet. Only 7.2% of used materials are recycled significantly impacting the climate crisis. Art and Design universities generate substantial waste, including project materials which are often incinerated or sent to landfills. Prioritizing circularity would notably cut our carbon footprint.

Market Opportunity

Market Opportunity

Market Opportunity

Taking the global market for waste produced to be £12B and narrowing it down to 5% of university students in the UK as our market share, we can estimate it to be £24M.

Taking the global market for waste produced to be £12B and narrowing it down to 5% of university students in the UK as our market share, we can estimate it to be £24M.

Taking the global market for waste produced to be £12B and narrowing it down to 5% of university students in the UK as our market share, we can estimate it to be £24M.

Introducing

Introducing

Introducing

MatSwap

MatSwap

MatSwap

Vision

Vision

Vision

To create an ecosystem where artists and design students ethically reuse materials, driving sustainability and cost savings.

To create an ecosystem where artists and design students ethically reuse materials, driving sustainability and cost savings.

To create an ecosystem where artists and design students ethically reuse materials, driving sustainability and cost savings.

Solution

Solution

Solution

Our app-based material-swapping platform addresses critical challenges faced by Art and Design students: high material costs, storage constraints, and environmental impact.

The platform works by enabling students to sell unused materials, generating extra income and freeing up valuable storage space. The platform fosters connections among students, enhancing community and collaboration.

Buyers benefit from access to cheaper second-hand materials, significantly reducing project expenses. By purchasing second-hand materials, students help reduce the demand for new resources and their associated environmental impact.

Our app-based material-swapping platform addresses critical challenges faced by Art and Design students: high material costs, storage constraints, and environmental impact.

The platform works by enabling students to sell unused materials, generating extra income and freeing up valuable storage space. The platform fosters connections among students, enhancing community and collaboration.

Buyers benefit from access to cheaper second-hand materials, significantly reducing project expenses. By purchasing second-hand materials, students help reduce the demand for new resources and their associated environmental impact.

Our app-based material-swapping platform addresses critical challenges faced by Art and Design students: high material costs, storage constraints, and environmental impact.

The platform works by enabling students to sell unused materials, generating extra income and freeing up valuable storage space. The platform fosters connections among students, enhancing community and collaboration.

Buyers benefit from access to cheaper second-hand materials, significantly reducing project expenses. By purchasing second-hand materials, students help reduce the demand for new resources and their associated environmental impact.

Impact

Impact

Impact

MatSwap addresses the urgency of climate change by directly reducing the waste generated in educational institutions and promoting the reuse of materials. In RCA alone, in the year 2023, over 230 tonnes of waste was produced, out of which around 50% of it was incinerated. Now imagine this in universities across the globe, that would be a staggering 4.6 million tonnes. 


MatSwap's initiative to facilitate material reuse in academic environments can substantially reduce waste generation, potentially aligning with practices that have achieved net carbon savings of up to 4.3 million tonnes CO2e annually through recycling, as seen in broader waste management data. By reducing the need for new materials and minimising reliance on energy-intensive waste processes like incineration (2.7 million tonnes CO2e) and landfill (0.9 million tonnes CO2e), MatSwap aims to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions from material wastage. 

MatSwap addresses the urgency of climate change by directly reducing the waste generated in educational institutions and promoting the reuse of materials. In RCA alone, in the year 2023, over 230 tonnes of waste was produced, out of which around 50% of it was incinerated. Now imagine this in universities across the globe, that would be a staggering 4.6 million tonnes. 


MatSwap's initiative to facilitate material reuse in academic environments can substantially reduce waste generation, potentially aligning with practices that have achieved net carbon savings of up to 4.3 million tonnes CO2e annually through recycling, as seen in broader waste management data. By reducing the need for new materials and minimising reliance on energy-intensive waste processes like incineration (2.7 million tonnes CO2e) and landfill (0.9 million tonnes CO2e), MatSwap aims to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions from material wastage. 

MatSwap addresses the urgency of climate change by directly reducing the waste generated in educational institutions and promoting the reuse of materials. In RCA alone, in the year 2023, over 230 tonnes of waste was produced, out of which around 50% of it was incinerated. Now imagine this in universities across the globe, that would be a staggering 4.6 million tonnes. 


MatSwap's initiative to facilitate material reuse in academic environments can substantially reduce waste generation, potentially aligning with practices that have achieved net carbon savings of up to 4.3 million tonnes CO2e annually through recycling, as seen in broader waste management data. By reducing the need for new materials and minimising reliance on energy-intensive waste processes like incineration (2.7 million tonnes CO2e) and landfill (0.9 million tonnes CO2e), MatSwap aims to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions from material wastage. 

Key Features

Key Features

Key Features

Selling Used Materials

Selling Used Materials

  • Sellers post pictures and details of materials to be sold as per provided guidelines.

  • Price suggestions given by the app and finalised by seller

  • Sellers post pictures and details of materials to be sold as per provided guidelines.

  • Price suggestions given by the app and finalised by seller

Buying Cheap Materials

Buying Cheap Materials

  • Viewing postings by buyers @communicating for the purchase

  • Paying though the secure gateway in the app and collecting materials from the seller.

  • Viewing postings by buyers @communicating for the purchase

  • Paying though the secure gateway in the app and collecting materials from the seller.

Aggregrated Calendars for Smart Material Sourcing

Aggregrated Calendars for Smart Material Sourcing

  • Syncs important events across universities into a complied updated calendar

  • Enables univerties to plan purchases of materials

  • Syncs important events across universities into a complied updated calendar

  • Enables univerties to plan purchases of materials

Promotion of Sustainable Brands

Promotion of Sustainable Brands

  • Emerging sustainable brands like the eco- board, Vinted, and Petitpli run advertisements for better visibility.

  • Emerging sustainable brands like the eco- board, Vinted, and Petitpli run advertisements for better visibility.

App Features

App Features

App Features

Go to Market Strategy

Go to Market Strategy

Go to Market Strategy

Traction

Traction

Traction

Testing our service's appeal via a material exchange pop up

Testing our service's appeal via a material exchange pop up

Testing our service's appeal via a material exchange pop up

We asked students how much would they be willing to sell their materials for and what would influence their purchase decisions if they were to buy it from someone else online.


We asked students how much would they be willing to sell their materials for and what would influence their purchase decisions if they were to buy it from someone else online.


We asked students how much would they be willing to sell their materials for and what would influence their purchase decisions if they were to buy it from someone else online.


"Knowing demand in advance will ensure we are always ready for student's needs and would reduce our dead stock sustainably."

"Knowing demand in advance will ensure we are always ready for student's needs and would reduce our dead stock sustainably."

"Knowing demand in advance will ensure we are always ready for student's needs and would reduce our dead stock sustainably."

Jonathan Carter,
Shop Manager, RCA

Jonathan Carter,
Shop Manager, RCA

Potential Revenue Streams

Potential Revenue Streams

Potential Revenue Streams

First Year Estimations

First Year Estimations

First Year Estimations

Financial Plan Details

Business Model Canvas

Business Model Canvas

Business Model Canvas

Service Design Blueprint

Service Design Blueprint

Service Design Blueprint

Roadmap

Roadmap

Roadmap

Business Launch

Year 1

  • MatSwap pilot run at RCA

  • Marketing and creating awareness

  • Expand service to top design universities in London

  • Identifying and partnering with recycling companies

Fundraising

Network Expansion

Year 2

  • Expand service to all art & design colleges in London

  • Identify and Partner with other sustainable brands

Brand Visibility

Year 3-4

  • Introducing Eco-friendly materials

  • Expand service to different organizations

  • Ad Campaigns across all social media ,
    influencer marketing

Business Expansion

Year 5

  • Expand service across schools, community
    spaces, and large-scale organizations

  • Expand across the United Kingdom

Ethical Considerations

Ethical Considerations

Ethical Considerations

Sustainability & Environmental Impact

Ensuring the business operates in a way that promotes environmental sustainability reducing waste and encouraging the reuse of materials.

Inclusivity and Accessibility

Design the service to be inclusive, providing equal opportunities for all students to participate. This could involve ensuring the platform is user-friendly for people with disabilities.

Privacy and Data Protection

Implement robust data protection measures, adhere to privacy laws (like GDPR in the European Union), and be transparent with users about how their data is used and protected.


Economic Impact

Promote a model that complements rather than competes with local businesses, possibly by encouraging partnerships or collaborations.

Quality and Safety of Materials

Establish guidelines for what can be listed, perform quality checks if feasible, and provide a clear way for users to report issues with materials they receive.

Fairness and Equality

Monitor transactions for fairness, possibly implementing a rating system or feedback mechanism to ensure equitable exchanges.

  • More Works More Works

Business

Business

2022

2022

Business

Business

2022

2022

Business

Business

2022

2022

Business

Business

2022

2022

©2024 ATHARVA SHELKE

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©2024 ATHARVA SHELKE

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