Chad Robertson (Regenize)
Overview
Chad Robertson is a prominent social entrepreneur from Cape Town, South Africa, who co-founded Regenize, an innovative startup focused on waste management and recycling. Regenize offers a unique approach by integrating community-centric recycling services with an emphasis on environmental sustainability and social impact. The company utilizes a virtual currency, "Remali," to incentivize recycling, thus making it both accessible and rewarding for residents of lower-income areas who typically do not recycle. Since its founding, Regenize has won multiple awards for its innovative solutions and positive impacts on communities.
Recent Developments
In the past few years, Chad Robertson and Regenize have made significant strides in expanding their reach and impact:
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June 2025: Regenize secured substantial funding from E Squared Investments as part of a new venture philanthropy model aimed at scaling innovative social enterprises. This funding will enable Regenize to expand its network of decentralized recycling hubs, providing more than 26,000 households with free recycling services and creating over 180 new jobs.
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2024: The GSMA partnered with Regenize to provide support for scaling their services. This included onboarding additional households to their recycling services and integrating their apps into a super app platform for broader access.
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2023: Regenize launched new decentralized recycling hubs in communities such as Lwandle, South Africa. This initiative aims to provide residents with free recycling services while incentivizing environmentally responsible behavior through their virtual currency model "Remali."
Personal Information
| Attribute | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Chad Robertson |
| Born | Undisclosed, resides in Cape Town, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Occupation | Social Entrepreneur, Co-Founder & CEO of Regenize |
| Known For | Social entrepreneurship, waste management innovation |
| Net Worth | Not publicly disclosed |
| Education | MPhil in Inclusive Innovation |
Early Life and Education
Chad Robertson was raised in Cape Town, where he was influenced by an environment rich in natural beauty but plagued by socio-economic challenges. These factors contributed to his early interest in environmental sustainability. He pursued higher education at the University of the Western Cape, where he studied Information Systems. Robertson's time at the university was pivotal, as it was there that he met his future business partner, Nkazimlo Miti. Together, they explored the intersection of technology and environmental sustainability, which eventually led to the creation of Regenize. Robertson pursued further education with an MPhil in Inclusive Innovation at UCT Graduate School of Business, focusing on the informal waste sector in South Africa.
Career and Notable Achievements
Chad Robertson's career is marked by his commitment to innovation in waste management:
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2016: Co-founded Regenize with the aim of creating accessible and rewarding recycling solutions tailored to South Africa's unique socio-economic context.
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2019: Regenize was awarded the SAB Foundation Social Innovation Award, providing significant funding to expand their recycling services.
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2021: Winner of the GreenPitch Challenge for innovative approaches in waste management.
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2018-2020: Partnered with informal waste collectors, offering them training, uniforms, and mobile technology to enhance their efficiency and working conditions.
Current Work and Impact
Currently, as the CEO of Regenize, Chad Robertson is deeply involved in expanding the company's impact across South Africa. Under his leadership, Regenize is not just providing recycling solutions but is also transforming the informal waste sector. By partnering with waste collectors and setting up decentralized recycling hubs, the company is creating jobs and fostering economic growth in underserved communities. Robertson's focus on education and community engagement ensures that the solutions provided by Regenize are sustainable and widely adopted.
Conclusion
Chad Robertson's work with Regenize is a testament to the power of social entrepreneurship in addressing systemic social and environmental issues. By creating frameworks that align economic incentives with environmental stewardship, Robertson has positioned Regenize as a leader in sustainable waste management. As the company continues to expand and refine its model, the potential for wider societal impact grows. Robertson's journey exemplifies the significant role local entrepreneurs can play in driving global environmental change.