Hardware Podcasts

Building the Rails to Eliminate Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles with Manuela Zoninsein, CEO and Founder at Kadeya

Hardware to Save a Planet · 27 Apr 2023 · 48m · Episode 25

What this episode covers

Manuela Zoninsein, CEO and Founder of Kadeya, explains how her company is eliminating single-use plastic water bottles by deploying vending machines that wash, sanitize, and refill reusable glass and stainless steel containers on-site. She details the hardware's inspection and cleaning subsystems, the regulatory hurdles regarding capping, and the business model targeting industrial workplaces like construction sites and military bases. Zoninsein highlights that 66% of a beverage's carbon footprint comes from trucking, arguing that their localized 'liquid railroad' model reduces emissions by up to 95% compared to PET or aluminum.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Kadeya, Newsweek, Boston Consulting Group, World Economic Forum, Air Force, Climate Tech VC
Materials
PET
Also
OSHA, Boundless Impact, SBIR

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Hardware Entrepreneur · 34m

    #065 - How to care about sustainability to get rid of plastic bottles (and still make a profit), with Moritz Waldstein of Mitte, Germany

    Moritz Waldstein-Wartenberg, co-founder of Mitte, explains how his company replaces plastic bottled water with a home purification system that adds essential minerals to distilled water. He details the company's journey from a Berlin fab lab to a €10.6 million funding round, highlighting the strategic use of Kickstarter and Indiegogo to validate demand and attract investors like Manifesto Ventures and Kärcher. Waldstein also discusses the technical innovation of using heat-pump distillation to mimic nature's mineralization process and the organizational shift to agile 'work streams' to manage multidisciplinary hardware development.

    Crowdfunding & preordersFundraising & investors
    7 chapters

  • People of Packaging · 27m

    186 - Landfill degradable water bottles?? Kahle Wightman from Serum

    Kahle Wightman, founder of Serum, explains her company's approach to plastic waste by using an additive that allows recycled plastics to biodegrade in landfills and aid methane capture. She discusses the technical details of landfill gas-to-energy systems, the reality of waste management, and why embracing managed landfills is a pragmatic sustainability strategy. Wightman outlines Serum's initial focus on single-use water bottles made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic and addresses concerns about the additive's impact on the recycling stream.

    Sustainability & circular productsStarting a product company
    5 chapters

  • People of Packaging · 34m

    227 - Drink Plink is a GAME CHANGER! Luke Montgomery-Smith, CEO

    Luke Montgomery-Smith, co-founder of Plink, explains how his company uses effervescent tablet technology to create a beverage with 99% less packaging and 98% fewer CO2 emissions than traditional bottled drinks. He details the significant challenge of finding contract manufacturers willing to move away from standard plastic tubes, which are required for the high barrier properties needed to protect volatile tablets from moisture and oxygen. Plink currently uses aluminum foil with an LDPE liner, a solution that is recyclable in Europe but not in the US, while the industry awaits non-plastic alternatives with sufficient barrier performance.

    Materials & manufacturing processesManufacturing partners & offshoring
    6 chapters

  • How I Built This · 1h 06m

    S'well: Sarah Kauss

    Sarah Kauss, founder of S'well, explains how she launched a $100 million reusable water bottle company in 2010 by combining industrial design with a social mission to eliminate plastic waste. She details her bootstrapped journey, from designing the bottle in PowerPoint and manufacturing 3,000 units in China to securing early retail placements with Crate and Barrel and a breakthrough feature in O, The Oprah Magazine. Kauss also discusses the critical decision to remain 100% owner-controlled, the strategic use of TED conference sponsorships for influencer marketing, and the legal battles against counterfeiters who copied her logo and design.

    Industrial & consumer product designStarting a product company
    9 chapters

  • People of Packaging · 51m

    40 - Santiago Navarro, CEO of Garcon Wines

    Santiago Navarro, CEO and co-founder of Garcon Wines, explains how his company is disrupting the wine industry by replacing traditional round glass bottles with a flat, space-efficient bottle made from 100% recycled PET. He details the history of wine packaging, the logistical inefficiencies of glass, and the environmental benefits of their design, which reduces carbon footprint and shipping costs. Navarro discusses the company's collaboration with major partners like Amcor and DS Smith to scale production and their strategic focus on the mass-market wine segment where their solution offers the greatest impact.

    Packaging designSustainability & circular products
    5 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Hardware to Save a Planet. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.