Sirsak, a packaging waste management startup from Indonesia, has raised $600,000 in pre-seed funding to grow its main technology, the Packaging Recovery Program (PRP), and boost waste collection and recycling across the country.
The funding round was led by Openspace Ventures, with support from The Radical Fund, the company said on Tuesday.
The money will help Sirsak improve its system for tracking waste, do more research on recycling low-value packaging, and add more recycling partners.
Sirsak also plans to recover 4,000 tons of packaging waste and set up 1,000 waste collection points in the coming months.
“Indonesia’s packaging waste crisis demands innovative solutions that complement, rather than disrupt, existing value chains,
“Our PRP platform formalizes the waste ecosystem by providing financial and in-kind incentives to different stakeholders, including the waste pickers, while helping brands meet Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mandates with transparent, auditable documentation,” said Angeline Callista, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Sirsak.
Founded in 2023, Sirsak is working to solve the problem of EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) in Indonesia’s messy and scattered waste management system.
Indonesia creates over 60 million tons of waste every year, and about 30–40% of it is packaging waste.
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Sirsak’s tech-based solution helps track packaging waste from start to finish. It connects brands with waste pickers, waste collectors, and recyclers.
While many new waste management startups are appearing in Indonesia, Sirsak stands out by working with traditional waste collectors instead of competing with them. It uses the country’s large workforce to improve recycling.
The platform plans to give social security to 50,000 waste workers and help waste collectors and recyclers earn more by turning low-value waste into something useful and rewarding them for using digital tools. This creates a fairer and more sustainable recycling system.
“Sirsak is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands and Indonesia’s informal waste sector,
“Their localized approach addresses both regulatory compliance and socioeconomic inclusion, making them a key enabler for Indonesia’s transition to circular economy practices,” said Alina Truhina, Managing Partner of The Radical Fund.
It is noted that the Radical Fund emphasized the venture’s commercial and climate impact potential.
“Their model demonstrates how technology can formalize waste management at scale, delivering commercial returns while creating meaningful social impact,
“By targeting 100,000 tons of packaging waste diversion by 2030, Sirsak directly addresses Indonesia’s waste crisis while reducing carbon dioxide (COâ‚‚) emissions,” she added.
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