TileGreen

TileGreen Solves two of the most pressing environmental problems, plastic waste and construction materials sustainability. The world produces 400 million tons of plastic waste globally, and only 14% is recycled due to a technology gap that can recycle low-value, mechanically unrecyclable plastic waste. On the other hand, the construction industry contributes to more than a third of global greenhouse gas emissions due to the lack of building materials that achieve the golden formula of being green, highly performing, economic, and scalable at the same time.

TileGreen created a thermo-mechanical technology that convert all types of plastic waste into recycled polymer aggregate composite, which is an intermediate sub-solid material that can be used to make multiple building materials that are carbon negative, highly performing, and economic. The technology is based on two pillars, material intelligence model and continuous flow & modular production design of the manufacturing technology, allowing for scalable, consistent, and economic production. The first commercial product (interlocking outdoor paving tiles) is outperforming cement alternatives in terms of technical specifications as well as price. This way, our solution saves the environment, as well as adding functional and economic value to the construction market.

The target beneficiaries of our solutions are the construction industry and local municipalities.

The construction industry is severely lacking building materials that can achieve the formula of being green, highly performing, and economical at the same time. The absence of such a solution makes decreasing the carbon footprint of buildings and the built environment either a frustrating or very expensive endeavor. A single material such as cement contributes to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Our value proposition to customers (real estate developers and contracting companies) is offering highly performing, environmentally friendly, and economical concrete-alternative building materials that can help them achieve their sustainability goals without paying a premium, as well as saving money due to products' higher durability.

For local municipalities, decreasing the plastic landfilling rate is an ongoing goal to reduce its hazardous environmental impact as well as save the economic cost associated with waste disposal. Not only less than 14% of plastic globally is being recycled, but also there is a lack of technologies that can deal with a wide range of plastic waste types. Consequently, disposing of plastic waste through incineration is the current viable option. We add value to municipalities and customers by taking all types of low-value and unrecyclable plastic waste as a feedstock for the production of eco-friendly building materials.

Amr Shalan , the CEO Co-Founder of TileGreen. After graduating with a bachelor degree in material science from Zewail University, he occupied multiple business development roles in various industries such as real estate management, entrepreneurship support, and finally in the waste management sector.

Amr and his cofounder and CTO Khaled were work colleagues in two companies before, which made them work in good synchronization.

Khaled (CTO) with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and track record in leadership positions, made him the right person to be able to build a robust technology while making it commercially viable at the same time.

Within only one year after building the first pilot production line, they were able to achieve key milestones such as reaching product market fit, getting huge traction, reaching out to global audience, and establishing the first version of the technology. 

In the past year (2023), TileGreen has validated the product, technology, market, supply chain, and whole business model through the following:

1)) Designing a pilot production line and running an industrial pilot for one year

2)) Obtaining the necessary certification of the product according to ASTM and BSEN standards

3)) Delivering 9 projects (green outdoor paving tiles) to large real estate state developers and multinational companies ensuring their satisfaction with the product

4)) Got access to more than 40,000 tons of plastic waste annually from material recovery facilities and industrial establishments

5)) Featured by Forbes as one of the top 10 sustainability startups in the Middle East

6)In addition to the current capacity, TileGreen successfully got sales requests and more than 15 requests to license or franchise or business globally.

We are applying to Solve to strategically leverage its network and resources as we shift from pilot validation to commercial technology development and scaling. This stage demands refined expertise and a robust support system to navigate the complexities associated with launching a pioneering hardware technology.

First, we seek specialized guidance on technology development to ensure our solutions are not only innovative but also market-ready. Solve’s access to industry experts and mentors can expedite our technology refinement, allowing us to achieve commercial-scale deployment efficiently.

Secondly, our readiness for upcoming investment rounds is critical. We anticipate that Solve’s structured support in crafting a nuanced fundraising strategy and enhancing our investment appeal through personalized coaching will be invaluable. This support will help us target and secure the right industry-specific investors and strategically position ourselves in the market.

Additionally, the development of a robust commercial deployment strategy is paramount. With Solve’s cross-sector community, we can gain insights into best practices for product rollout, geographical expansion, and sustainable growth, tailoring our approach to meet diverse market demands effectively.

Lastly, the collective knowledge and collaborative opportunities within Solve's community are vital for a hardware startup like ours. Being part of this ecosystem will not only facilitate development and scaling but also open doors to potential partnerships and additional funding avenues beyond immediate monetary needs.

Our goal in joining Solve extends beyond funding; it is to embed ourselves in a community that champions innovation through actionable support and collaborative engagement. We believe Solve's comprehensive program and community can significantly accelerate our progress and amplify our impact in the industry.

Our solution is revolutionary in the construction materials sector due to its unique approach to sustainability and performance. We offer a carbon-negative building material made from recycled plastics that surpasses existing products in technical specifications. This innovative blend of environmental benefits and superior functionality, coupled with competitive pricing, facilitates the widespread adoption of green building materials, especially in developing countries. Our product not only meets the technical and budgetary requirements of these markets but also provides strong economic and financial incentives for customers to embrace environmentally friendly solutions.

Furthermore, the breadth of plastic waste types that our technology can process enhances business sustainability and broadens our market applicability. This capability positions us as a global solution, increasing the viability of our operations across diverse geographies. By enabling local municipalities and industrial companies to meet their plastic waste landfilling targets more effectively, our solution catalyzes broader environmental impacts. It sets a precedent for the industry, encouraging other market players to pursue sustainability goals more vigorously.

The introduction of our product could significantly alter the landscape of both the building materials and waste management industries. By proving that high performance and environmental sustainability can go hand in hand, we challenge current market norms and pave the way for a new standard in the construction and recycling sectors.

Our theory of change is grounded in the principle that sustainable building materials can drive substantial environmental and economic benefits. Our solution—producing carbon-negative building materials from recycled plastics—addresses several critical issues simultaneously.

Activities: We collect and process various types of non-recyclable plastic waste, transforming them into high-quality, durable building materials. This process involves technological innovation to ensure the materials meet stringent performance standards.

Immediate Outputs:

1. Reduction in Plastic Landfilling: By utilizing plastic waste as a raw material, we significantly reduce the volume of plastic sent to landfills, thus also saving the costs associated with waste disposal.
2. Decrease in Carbon Emissions: Our materials replace traditional concrete, thereby avoiding the carbon emissions associated with concrete production. Additionally, by diverting plastic from incineration, we prevent carbon pollution from this process.

Longer-term Outcomes:

1. Environmental Impact: The adoption of our materials leads to a sustained reduction in material and carbon pollution. This contributes to broader environmental goals such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and less environmental toxicity.
2. Economic Savings for Customers: Due to the durability of our products, as demonstrated in our testing, customers will incur fewer replacement costs over time. Additionally, the water-saving aspect of our materials, compared to the water-intensive process of creating concrete, results in further resource conservation and cost savings.
3. Job Creation: By establishing a new supply chain for the collection and processing of plastic waste, our solution indirectly creates jobs, particularly in areas where plastic would otherwise be incinerated.

Evidence to Support Links:

• Third-party research and industry studies support the environmental benefits of using recycled materials in construction, demonstrating a decrease in overall carbon footprint and resource utilization.
• Our pilot tests confirm the superior durability and performance of our products compared to traditional materials, providing empirical evidence for our claims about economic savings.
• Interviews with municipal waste management officials and local businesses confirm both the feasibility of our waste supply chain model and the economic benefits of reducing landfill use.

In sum, our activities lead directly to specific, measurable outputs and contribute to meaningful long-term outcomes for our target population, substantiated by empirical evidence and aligned with broader sustainability goals.

Impact Goals:

1. Environmental Impact Reduction:

   • Goal: Significantly reduce the environmental impact associated with building materials through the use of carbon-negative, recycled plastic products.
   • Indicators:
     • Volume of plastic waste diverted from landfills annually.
     • Reduction in carbon emissions through the avoidance of concrete production and plastic incineration.
     • Water saving through avoidin intensive use of water in making concrete

2. Economic Impact on Customers:

   • Goal: Deliver economic benefits to customers by providing more durable and cost-effective building materials.
   • Indicators:
     • Customer savings from reduced need for material replacement over time.
     • Water saved due to the adoption of our less water-intensive materials, compared to traditional concrete.

3. Job Creation in Waste Management and Material Production:

   • Goal: Create new job opportunities in the collection, processing, and manufacturing sectors linked to our innovative materials.
   • Indicators:
     • Number of jobs created in the supply chain for collecting and processing plastic waste.
     • Number of jobs created in the manufacturing of recycled building materials.

Measuring Progress:

To track our progress towards these impact goals, we have implemented a robust data collection and monitoring system:

• Environmental Impact: We monitor the volume of plastic waste processed and the corresponding reduction in carbon emissions.

• Economic Impact: We regularly survey our customers to gather data on their maintenance and replacement expenditures, comparing these costs before and after adopting our materials. We also monitor water usage records to quantify savings.

• Job Creation: We maintain employment records through our HR department and conduct annual economic impact assessments to evaluate job growth within our operations and broader supply chain.

These measures not only help us gauge the direct impact of our solution but also ensure alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically those related to responsible consumption and production (SDG 12) and climate action (SDG 13).

TileGreen has developed a cutting-edge thermo-mechanical technology that transforms all types of plastic waste into a recycled polymer aggregate composite. This intermediate material serves as the basis for producing various building materials that are not only carbon-negative but also superior in performance and cost-effectiveness.

Our technology is anchored by two key innovations:

1. Predictive Material Intelligence Model: This sophisticated model is at the heart of our technology. It is meticulously trained on a vast dataset of plastic waste types, encompassing diverse conditions and additive combinations. This training enables the model to accurately predict the optimal processing conditions for each batch of incoming material. By leveraging the power of predictive analytics and material science, our system can efficiently process a wide variety of plastic wastes, maximizing utility and minimizing waste.

2. Continuous Flow & Modular Production Design: Our manufacturing process is built on a modular design, allowing for scalability and adaptability in production. This system was refined through an extensive evaluation of our initial production line and incorporates advanced, internally developed molding technologies. These technologies are specifically tailored to handle low-value plastic waste, converting it into high-value building materials through an optimized, continuous flow process.

Together, these technological pillars enable TileGreen to produce sustainable building materials on a commercial scale, reducing plastic waste and carbon emissions significantly. Our approach not only addresses critical environmental challenges but also offers a scalable and economically viable solution that can be adapted in various geographic and market contexts.

By integrating advanced data analysis with innovative manufacturing techniques, TileGreen is setting new standards in the recycling and building materials industry, paving the way for a more sustainable future.

Our confidence in the effectiveness of TileGreen's technology is grounded in rigorous pilot validation, where we tested the technology under real-world conditions. The pilot provided compelling evidence that our thermo-mechanical process successfully converts various types of plastic waste into high-quality, carbon-negative building materials.

Evidence from Pilot Validation:

1. Material Quality Tests: Our pilot produced several batches of recycled polymer aggregate composite, which were then used to manufacture building materials. These materials underwent extensive testing to assess their durability, strength, and environmental performance. The tests revealed that our products not only meet but often exceed industry standards for building materials. For example, the durability tests showed that our materials have a significantly longer lifespan compared to traditional concrete.

2. Certifications: We have successfully obtained certification for our products under both ASTM and BSEN standards, which are recognized benchmarks in the industry. These certifications validate the quality and reliability of our materials, ensuring they meet rigorous safety and performance criteria.

3. Client Projects: We have delivered nine projects featuring our green outdoor paving tiles to large real estate developers and multinational companies. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with clients expressing satisfaction regarding the performance and environmental benefits of our products.

4. Environmental Impact Assessment: A detailed analysis of the carbon footprint associated with our production process compared to traditional building material production was conducted. The results, verified by third-party environmental consultants, confirmed that our materials are carbon-negative, effectively reducing the carbon footprint by a substantial margin.

5. Economic Viability: Cost analysis from the pilot phase demonstrated that our materials are competitively priced, making them economically viable for widespread adoption in both developed and developing markets.

While we do not have a publicly available academic paper at this stage, the data collected from our pilot tests are compiled in a comprehensive report that outlines the methodology, execution, and results. This document is prepared for review by potential investors and partners and can be made available upon request.

The success of the pilot validation not only proves the operational feasibility of our technology but also demonstrates its potential for large-scale impact on reducing plastic waste and carbon emissions in the construction industry.

Our solution team is composed of 14 dedicated individuals. This includes 4 full-time staff members who manage day-to-day operations and core development tasks. Additionally, we have 3 part-time staff members who contribute to various aspects of our project on a less frequent basis. We also engage 4 workers who are integral to specific tasks such as manufacturing and logistics. Finally, our team benefits from the expertise of 3 advisors who provide strategic guidance and industry insights to ensure our solution is aligned with market needs and technological advancements

Our solution has been in development for three years, with the project initiated and led by our two founders who have been working on it full-time since its inception. Over this period, our team has expanded to include the current composition of 14 members, comprising full-time staff, part-time staff, workers, and advisors, as detailed previously.

At TileGreen, our team of 14 includes 3 women and members from four different regions across Egypt, reflecting our commitment to diversity. Our recruitment focuses on skills and learning attitude, ensuring fair and equitable hiring practices.

To foster inclusion, we provide all employees with access to training programs aimed at professional development. We are setting a specific goal to increase female representation in technical and leadership roles by 25% within the next three years.

We track DEI progress through recruitment outcomes and employee surveys, and we're establishing partnerships with educational institutions to reach a more diverse applicant pool. These efforts are integral to our mission and enhance our team's innovation and effectiveness.

Our business model centers initially on producing and selling environmentally friendly paving tiles, made from recycled plastic waste. We procure this waste through contracts with material recovery facilities and industrial facilities, transforming it into high-quality green building materials.

Our customers, acquired through online channels and direct meetings, value our products for their sustainability and performance. This offering not only meets the growing demand for eco-friendly construction materials but also helps reduce plastic waste and carbon emissions.

Looking ahead, we plan to scale our operations by adopting a franchise manufacturing model by the end of 2026. This expansion strategy is supported by our proprietary smart design, IP, and TileGreen data model, which ensure the consistency and quality of our products across different locations. This approach will enable us to broaden our impact and revenue streams as we deploy our commercial technology more widely

To date, we have successfully raised $600,000 to fund our project. This funding comprises 30% from grants provided by organizations such as Hivos, Catalytic Africa, EBRD, EU, and Shell, demonstrating strong support from development-focused entities. The remaining 70% stems from capital investments from angel investors and venture capital firms, including Dar Al Handasah’s Venture Arm.

Our initial revenue has been generated through paid pilot projects aimed at validating our technology, rather than from regular sales. These pilots have not only helped refine our product but have also proven our concept to potential customers and investors.

We are currently transitioning from pilot validation to commercial technology deployment. The rollout of our technology into the market is expected to begin generating substantial revenue, enabling us to reach financial breakeven. Our business model, based on selling high-demand, sustainable building materials, is designed to ensure long-term financial sustainability. We plan to expand our revenue streams by scaling production and adopting a franchise manufacturing model by the end of 2026, further enhancing our market reach and profitability.