EcoMatch
EcoMatch is a B2B web application designed with the intention of providing fungi innovating companies with a platform that allows them the opportunity to connect with waste-producing businesses (big or small), reinforcing the notion of a circular economy.
Placed First Place at Toast Dash 2.0 Hackathon
Hackathon Topic: Sustainability
Identified Gap
While researching waste-utilizing businesses, we discovered a disconnect between businesses that utilize waste to produce fungi based products, and those that actually produce that waste.
Solution
A B2B circular brokerage web application connecting businesses with companies seeking organic waste (i.e., sawdust and straw) for fungi-based packaging, textiles, and more.
Predicted Impact
Environmental: waste is repurposed instead of being sent to landfills.
Social: creation of more jobs working within sustainability.
Governance: >50% of users uphold sustainable practices.
Discovery
We researched the various aspects of reusing waste and the different industries involved to locate our target customer - those that reuse waste to produce fungi based products.
What we found is that many businesses that produce waste don’t know about this highly profitable market
Competitive Analysis
FV Recycling, Bank & Vogue, Orbis Waste Recovery Inc.
sustainability market is rapidly growing
there’s an interest in reducing landfill input
growing demand for circular brokers
prices aren’t stable for recyclables
Development
Style Guide
When exploring ideas for our mood board, we knew we wanted hues of deep green to encompass it's universal correlation to environment.
We included orange to bring some balance and warmth.
Mid-Fi Wireframes
When brainstorming, we questioned, what if business’s had a platform that provided them with a visual of where they can locate the waste they need?
With limited time, we decided to use the concept of Facebook Marketplace and Google Maps, creating a database of sorts.
Purpose
Businesses can select what waste they’re looking for within their state/province
Users can save results, message other companies, and post the waste they produce for other companies to purchase
Create a dashboard UI
Make it so the user flow is short and easy, without having the user have to locate what they’re looking for
Delivery
Reflection
Challenges
Like any hackathon, we had limited time to research, design, and present a functioning project that encompassed the topic of sustainability. Our biggest challenge was determining our target audience was and which industry to tackle, which took majority of the week. The final challenge was with no time for user testing, it was important we justify that EcoMatch could solve a real world problem for the growing fungi industry.
What I Learned
Creating EcoMatch gave me the opportunity really focus on not re-inventing the wheel when I don't have too. With a time crunch, simplicity was the answer. A simple user journey to ensure both buyers and sellers of waste could complete the task at hand with as little steps as possible.
As well as practicing my skills in storytelling along with my team mates. We spent at least a full day working on the presentation and re-ordering slides figuring out what story would have the most impact.