Vancouver-based startup Reusables.com secures $2.6 million seed round to grow its hardware-enabled SaaS platform that helps institutions reduce single-use packaging waste through smart reusable containers and automated return systems.
Reusables.com, a Vancouver-based startup focused on reducing single-use packaging waste, has secured $2.6 million in an oversubscribed seed funding round. The round was co-led by StandUp Ventures and Amplify Capital, with participation from Sandpiper Ventures and Emend Vision Fund. The company plans to use the funds to expand its hardware-enabled software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform for institutional food service providers across North America.
Founded by entrepreneurs Jason Hawkins and Anastasia Kiku, Reusables.com has shifted its focus from restaurants to institutional operators such as universities and hospitals. The company’s system combines reusable food containers with smart “Tap to Reuse” technology and uniquely designed Smart Return Bins that enable automated, contamination-free returns around the clock. This approach helps institutions track container usage, decrease costs related to disposable packaging, and reduce emissions by utilizing existing on-site cleaning infrastructure.
Hawkins emphasized the need for practical solutions over surface-level green initiatives, stating, “Our approach is simple: make reuse more cost-effective and convenient than waste. We’re thrilled to be backed by the best tech and climate investors as we scale real impact, not just optics. Greenwashing won’t solve the waste crisis—technology and execution will.”
The startup has seen fast growth and is expected to triple its revenue in 2025. Its Smart Return Bins are currently deployed in more than 34 locations. Anastasia Kiku highlighted the environmental and economic benefits observed so far, noting that clients reuse over 500,000 containers per two semesters, avoiding more than 25 tons of packaging waste and over 100 tons of carbon emissions annually, all while maintaining labor costs and saving on packaging and waste management expenses.
In a notable recent development, Reusables.com’s system has been introduced at the University of California’s Riverside and UCLA campuses, marking a significant step toward integrating sustainable reuse in higher education. Meredith Powell of StandUp Ventures praised the technology’s seamless and scalable nature, saying, “Reuse isn’t a trend — it’s an inevitability. We believe the winning solutions will be invisible to the end user… With strong traction, a clear go-to-market, and a category-defining product, we’re excited to back their bold vision as institutional leaders like UCLA and UC Riverside join the zero waste mission.”
The company’s leadership team combines experience in sustainability and high-growth business development. Hawkins previously led business development for a major online grocery IPO, while Kiku, a former professional skier, now leads operations and product innovation. Amplify Capital’s Louis Delorme underscored the broader impact, saying, “Driving large-scale decarbonization requires more than breakthrough tech, it also demands the infrastructure and platforms that make sustainable choices effortless and accessible… Reusables is building a system that removes friction, drives adoption, and delivers real impact at scale.”
As institutions and corporations seek more sustainable packaging solutions, Reusables.com aims to expand its partnerships and continue developing its integrated reuse platform, working toward the goal of eliminating single-use waste in food service industries.
Source: Noah Wire Services
