Trash4Goods, a gamified sustainability platform, is preparing for nationwide expansion, the introduction of a new data-driven product layer, and a seed funding round in 2026, as it moves from pilot projects into broader deployment.
“We will be launching our analytics dashboard tool, which will be a crucial part of the product, because we will be able to provide our clients with near real-time data on their recycling volumes and citizen engagement,” Afonso Ravasco, co-founder and CEO of the Portuguese startup, told Portugal Startup News.
Trash4Goods aims to increase participation in recycling by combining incentives, data, and clearer guidance for citizens. Its free mobile app allows users to locate nearby recycling bins, scan product barcodes to understand correct waste separation, and earn points after properly disposing of waste.
These points can then be exchanged for rewards including digital subscriptions such as Netflix and Spotify Premium, mobility services like Bolt rides, and other benefits.
The company’s approach is designed to respond to what it describes as a disconnect between citizens’ willingness to recycle and the limited incentives or feedback on the impact of their actions.
“Trash4Goods is a data-driven company, bridging the gap between municipalities and citizens, as well as between brands and consumers, when it comes to recycling,” Ravasco said.
He explained that the company is preparing its software to be adaptable to multiple smart bins, recycling machines, and sensors, with the aim of remaining fully hardware-agnostic and bringing all smart-bin technology under a single platform.
According to the CEO, Trash4Goods is also working to ensure compatibility with pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) and reward-as-you-throw (RAYT) mechanisms for municipalities, as well as with Deposit and Return Systems (DRS).
PAYT and RAYT are waste management approaches that link individual behavior to disposal outcomes. Pay-as-you-throw systems typically charge households or businesses based on the amount of waste they generate, while reward-as-you-throw models use incentives to encourage proper sorting and disposal.
DRS, meanwhile, requires consumers to pay a refundable deposit on certain products, which is returned when the item is brought back for collection or recycling.
Scaling in 2026 through data, coverage, and capital
Looking ahead, Trash4Goods plans to conclude its ongoing pilot projects and expand its user base in the early months of next year, as it moves toward wider operational deployment.
Ravasco said the company is targeting approximately 5,000 active citizens using the Trash4Goods app and aims to be present in every municipality in Portugal. “We currently cover 60% of the entire Portuguese territory,” he noted.
To close out 2026, Trash4Goods plans to raise a seed round to reinforce its presence in Portugal and support further scaling.
Foundations laid during 2025
According to the company’s CEO, 2025 was largely focused on preparing the foundations for long-term growth.
The company prioritized securing key grants and closing a pre-seed investment round to ensure sufficient resources for product development, pilot execution, and initial team scaling.
During the year, Trash4Goods also participated in several programs, including Sociedade Ponto Verde’s Re_source 4.0 and From Start-to-Table by Unicorn Factory Lisboa.
Ravasco said these programs enabled the company to pilot its solution with future clients and institutional partners, including municipalities, consumer brands, and companies in the HoReCa (hotels, restaurants, and cafés) sector.
He added that Trash4Goods – co-founded by CTO António Monte Pegado – was the startup with the highest number of pilot collaborations within the Re_source 4.0 program, working with partners such as DIG-IN, Colibri, and Resíduos do Nordeste.
Recycling performance in Portugal and across the EU
Trash4Goods’ expansion plans come amid persistent recycling challenges at both national and European levels.
Around 2.5 billion tonnes of waste are generated annually across the EU, or about 5 tonnes per person. Despite the scale of waste generation, a recent report by the European Court of Auditors shows that only a small minority of Member States are on track to meet EU targets for municipal waste recycling.
The report identifies Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Slovenia as the countries leading in recycling performance. These Member States are expected to meet the EU’s targets of recycling at least 55% of municipal waste and 65% of packaging waste by the end of 2025, as set out in EU legislation.
Despite EU waste policy frameworks being in place for decades, the auditors pointed to continued shortcomings in monitoring and enforcement across the bloc. According to them, household, office, and retail waste still accounts for 27% of total waste generated in the EU, while many countries continue to rely on landfilling and incineration as primary waste treatment methods.
The European Court of Auditors also highlighted implementation challenges in EU-funded waste management projects, including delays and cost overruns. Portugal, along with several other Member States, was identified by EU auditors as showing slow progress toward effective municipal waste management.
Selective packaging collection for recycling in Portugal increased by just 2% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to Sociedade Ponto Verde – a private entity promoting packaging recycling and sustainability in Portugal – reinforcing concerns about the pace of progress.
Data released by the organization shows uneven performance across materials, with glass recycling declining by 1% and cardboard packaging for liquid foods falling by 9% in the first half of the year. Modest increases were recorded for paper and cardboard, plastics, and aluminium.
Sociedade Ponto Verde says improving results will require a substantial enhancement in the level of service provided by municipal and multi-municipal waste systems.
From academic project to national ambitions
Driven by frustration with low recycling rates and limited incentives for citizens, particularly younger generations, Trash4Goods originated as a university project. Over time, the initiative evolved into a platform with a clear mission to “give waste the value it deserves.”
“Trash4Goods is now a growing movement that transforms how we look at waste – not as trash, but as a resource,” the team behind the platform says.
Featured image: Trash4Goods co-founders Afonso Ravasco, CEO (right), and António Monte Pegado, CTO, at SIM Conference 2025 (Photo courtesy of Trash4Goods/via LinkedIn)
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