Turning waste into wins

It’s been just over a year since University of Auckland law student Jean-Luc Ellis and two friends founded WasteXpert, a start-up designed to divert construction and demolition waste from landfill.

Since then, the trio has achieved remarkable success.

They won the Velocity $100k Challenge in 2023, have partnered with major organisations like Auckland Council and launched a cutting-edge software platform to track, analyse and report waste data in real-time.

This week, Jean-Luc’s efforts were recognised with a University of Auckland Blues Award for Most Meritorious Innovation. And with big plans in the works, the WasteXpert team is on track to take their business global.

For most construction and demolition projects, waste is a given. Debris is tossed into a general waste bin and sent to landfill, contributing to environmental damage and higher project costs. But for Jean-Luc and WasteXpert co-founders, Max Lawton and Logan Soole, this waste represents a significant opportunity.

“The typical way of doing things increases the industry’s carbon footprint. We offer contractors a way to combat inefficiency, save money and reduce emissions and waste.”

The company provides consulting services to help clients improve their on-site waste management systems, from waste separation to diversion recommendations.

The team’s software platform, WasteX, takes things further, enabling companies to track and report on their waste in real-time.

“Currently, we are tracking waste on over 20 projects,” says Jean-Luc.

Winning the Velocity $100k Challenge in 2023 was pivotal for WasteXpert, providing financial backing and validating the start-up’s vision.

The experience encouraged the team’s entrepreneurial spirit, which has been vital to their success.

“To me, an entrepreneurial mindset revolves around finding ways to positively impact the world," says Jean-Luc. “Constant problem-solving, market understanding, and adaptability have been really important for growing WasteXpert.

“Being adaptable, in particular, has allowed for quick changes to ensure our solutions always maintain value for customers.”

Starting a business in the construction and demolition industry, which is notoriously resistant to change, has come with challenges.

Jean-Luc says convincing contractors to explore new waste management methods has required persistence and adaptability.

“We’ve had to work through this by talking with industry players across the board to increase awareness and find the current champions leading the change.”

Looking ahead, Jean-Luc and his co-founders have big plans.

“Over the next year, we’ll develop version two of our software platform, continue to grow and begin our expansion into the UK and European markets.”

To fuel this growth, the team is engaging with investors and venture capital firms, working toward their first funding round.