Article by : Azhari Yusop
Kuala Lumpur, 21 July 2020 - Erth (E-waste Recycling Through Heroes) is a startup that provides electronic recycling collection service, authorized by the Malaysian Jabatan Alam Sekitar. connects recycling customers with freelance drivers who collect the e-waste for free from the customers' address, while paying boththe customers and freelance drivers cash reward equivalent to 50% of the recycling value of the items. The startup captured first prize at the national finals of the Entrepreneurship World Cup competition held yesterday at Istana Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
Mohamed Tarek, Founder and Managing Hero of Erth first decide to take the fight against the e-waste in 2016, when a meeting with Nahed Bedir, co-founder of Erth at Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Silicon Valley.
“A plastic bottle takes 500 years to break down, but e-waste actually NEVER breaks down and continues polluting the planet for centuries after we are gone. So, we decided to try to tackle this problem starting from Asia, which contributes 50% of the world's e-waste.”
The husband/wife team then decide to base their operations in Malaysia. “Malaysia combines modernity along with Islamic culture, it was most comfortable for myself and my family to live here. I'm very glad we started from Malaysia and we intend to continue growing internationally while keeping the HQ of the company in Malaysia. Moreover, Malaysia was just perfect, with its international-friendly atmosphere, legislation that allows foreign entrepreneurs to legally start companies here as well as good size of the local market which is estimated at RM 4bn per year, out of which only 25% is currently recycled while the rest ends up in landfills.”
Erth emerged victorious from a pool of 189 contestants who applied ranging from companies at the ideation, early and growth stage. Erth being the winner wins a fully funded trip to compete at the global final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in October 2020, a bootcamp at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia and the opportunity to win USD1Million in cash prize and USD75Million in in-kind prizes.
The Entrepreneurship World Cup is an initiative by Global Entrepreneurship Network, the Misk Global Forum and The Global Education & Leadership Foundation. It is supported by a range of global partners, including GSVlabs, TechCrunch, Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania as well as WebCongress. Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Malaysia is the local host of the national finals in Malaysia– each receiving access to free virtual training services to help them take their venture to the next level.
The Malaysia National Finals was witnessed by YB Datuk Wira Hajah Mas Ermieyati Binti Hj Samsudin, Deputy Minister of Entrepreneurs Development and Cooperatives, His Excellency Pascal Gregoire, the Ambassador of Belgium to Malaysia, Dr. Sebastian Weins, Counsellor of Economics, Commercial and Environmental Affairs, Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany to Malaysia, Mr. Ahmad Seifi, First Counsellor of the Islamic Kingdom of Iran Embassy to Malaysia, YBhg Datuk Mohd Sukor Abd Manan, Advisor of Global Entrepreneurship Network Malaysia, YBhg. Dato’ Mohd Azizan Che Omar, Advisor of Global Entrepreneurship Network Malaysia, YBrs. Dr Rosli Azad Khan, Advisor of Global Entrepreneurship Network Malaysia and YBrs. Mr Vincent Chin, Managing Director, Global Entrepreneurship Network Malaysia.
The Global Entrepreneurship Network operates a platform of projects and programmes in 170 countries aimed at making it easier for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a business. By fostering deeper cross border collaborations and initiatives between entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers and entrepreneurial support organisations, GEN works to fuel healthier start and scale ecosystems which create more jobs, educate individuals, accelerate innovation and strengthen economic growth.
As a part of the global platform, Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Malaysia was re-introduced in 2018 after a thorough discussion during Digital Thailand Big Bang 2018 and Thailand Big Data 2018. Upon further discussion on the needs of connecting Malaysian entrepreneurs on a global scale, GEN Malaysia
was officially registered by early 2019. GEN Malaysia aims to accelerate the growth of tomorrow's entrepreneurs by connecting them with development opportunities, stakeholders and other like-minded business communities on a global scale. As a part of the global network, GEN Malaysia is able to capitalise
on the extensive list of global programmes with one mission - facilitating entrepreneurs and empower them to create communal socio-economic impacts.
GEN Malaysia serves as the only country representative for the global network – Global Entrepreneurship Network (based in the United States). GEN aim is to empower local entrepreneurs by connecting them to global development opportunities. Through the platform, GEN Malaysia aims to create a global community with strong mission - accelerating their growths to create communal opportunities. GEN Malaysia works closely with other private sectors, government agencies, non-profit organisations and other high-profile individuals so that the members are able to get the best out of this platform.
