Recyclops
Recyclops is a subscription-based curbside recycling platform serving U.S. households without municipal recycling access, with a franchise/independent-driver network across 30+ states, an enterprise sustainability partnerships arm, and a premium Recyclops+ add-on for hard-to-recycle materials.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSalt Lake City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Recyclops does
Recyclops, Inc. is a Salt Lake City-based subscription recycling platform founded in 2014 by CEO Ryan Smith to address the roughly 50 million U.S. households without access to curbside recycling. The company's core offering is a residential curbside pickup service that uses company-provided teal 13-gallon bags for mixed recyclables (plastics #1–#5 and #7, paper, aluminum/steel cans, cardboard) on weekly or bi-weekly schedules, with optional glass collection in select markets. Operationally, the company dispatches independent contractor drivers using their personal vehicles (pickup trucks, SUVs, trailers) executing pre-programmed GPS routes through the Cigo driver app, which the company cites as producing approximately 7x lower emissions than conventional waste collection trucks. The technology stack combines the Cigo driver application with iOS/Android customer apps for signup, scheduling, and notifications, plus proprietary smart-routing optimization. An AI-powered waste analytics layer is layered in through a Greyparrot/Closed Loop Partners partnership at recycling facilities.
Recyclops monetizes through monthly residential subscriptions, premium add-on fees for the Recyclops+ tier (hard-to-recycle materials such as batteries, light bulbs, textiles, styrofoam, plastic films, and clamshells — with styrofoam at +$5/month and clamshells at +$1.50/month), franchise fees from local operators, and custom commercial/enterprise sustainability partnerships. The go-to-market blends product-led self-serve signup, a franchise/independent-contractor driver network, and field sales into national brands and large businesses. Named enterprise customers include Once Upon a Farm (mail-back flexible plastic pouches — 120,000 collected in 2024), DYPER (compostable diaper pickup), Grove Collaborative, Imperfect Foods, DPR Construction, and Sparkle. Specialty downstream processors — Trex (plastic film), D2F (textiles), AMP (batteries) — handle hard-to-recycle material streams.
The company has scaled to 30+ states and 100+ cities, reporting over 1 million households reached and 6.72 million pounds of material recycled in 2022. It carries 11–50 employees, is headquartered in Salt Lake City with a 77,330 SF warehouse/distribution site in Forest Park, Illinois, achieved B Corp Certification in September 2023, and has raised approximately $4.85M in disclosed funding across rounds led by University Growth Fund (2019), Glad Products Company and Lerer Hippeau (2021), Kickstart (2021), The Larry H. Miller Company (2022), and BDev Ventures (2024).
Recyclops firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Recyclops
- Legal name
- Recyclops, Inc.
- Website
- https://recyclops.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Recyclops is a subscription-based curbside recycling platform serving U.S. households without municipal recycling access, with a franchise/independent-driver network across 30+ states, an enterprise sustainability partnerships arm, and a premium Recyclops+ add-on for hard-to-recycle materials.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Recyclops industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Waste Management & Recycling Services
- NAICS
- Waste Collection (56211), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Materials Recovery Facilities (56292)
- SIC
- Sanitary Services (4950), Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Source-Separated Recyclables Collection (Dual/Single-Stream) (EUAIAAAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- On-site Recycling Programs (Single-Stream, Source-Separated) (BPABALAB), Refurbishment, Remanufacturing & Recommerce Enablement (TLAIAHAC), Recyclables Transfer & Consolidation (Single/Source-Separated) (BPALABAD), Recycling Transfer & Consolidation (Single-Stream, Dual-Stream, Source-Separated) (EUAIABAC)
Keywords
Where Recyclops is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Salt Lake City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Recyclops business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Residential Subscription: Monthly subscription fees for curbside recycling pickup services. Customers pay for weekly or bi-weekly pickup of recyclables including cardboard, plastic, aluminum, and glass.
- Recyclops+ Premium Service: Additional monthly subscription for beyond-the-bin materials including clothing, batteries, plastic films, light bulbs, styrofoam, and clamshells.
- Enterprise Commercial Partnerships: Custom solutions for national brands and businesses requiring regular pickups and sustainability reporting across multiple locations.
- Franchise Fees: Revenue from franchise operators who pay to operate Recyclops services in their local markets.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Standard Recyclops+ with Beyond the Bin materials |
| Subscription | Monthly | Weekly or Bi-weekly Residential Pickup |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Recyclops product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Recyclops is a subscription-based curbside recycling pickup service that collects mixed recyclables from residential households and businesses on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule using company-provided bags. The core residential offering is augmented by Recyclops+, an add-on subscription for hard-to-recycle materials such as batteries, light bulbs, textiles, styrofoam, and clamshells. A separate enterprise commercial line delivers custom nationwide recycling and sustainability solutions for national brands.
Product overview
Recyclops operates a technology-driven, subscription-based recycling platform centered on curbside pickup services. The core offering is residential recycling (weekly or bi-weekly curbside collection of mixed recyclables in company-provided bags), supplemented by the Recyclops+ add-on for hard-to-recycle materials (batteries, light bulbs, styrofoam, textiles, plastic films, clamshells). Commercial solutions serve businesses via small-account regular pickups and large enterprise sustainability partnerships. Access is via iOS/Android mobile apps and a web customer portal. The company also operates franchise and driver (independent contractor) programs to scale operations across 30+ states.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Recyclops+: An enhanced recycling service for hard-to-recycle materials including batteries, light bulbs, textiles, styrofoam, and clamshells.
Products and services
- Recyclops Residential Curbside Recycling Pickup Subscription-based weekly or bi-weekly curbside pickup of mixed recyclables (plastics #1-#5 and #7, paper, aluminum/steel cans, cardboard) using company-provided teal 13-gallon bags, with optional separate glass collection in select areas. Targets U.S. households lacking municipal recycling access.
- Recyclops+ (Beyond the Bin) Add-on monthly subscription service for hard-to-recycle materials including clothing/textiles, batteries, light bulbs, styrofoam, plastic films, and clamshells. Customers receive a dedicated Recyclops+ box and specialized bags; materials are collected at the door and routed to specialty partner facilities (Trex, AMP, D2F) for reuse or recycling.
- Recyclops Commercial & Enterprise Recycling Solutions Custom recycling and landfill diversion solutions for small businesses with regular pickup needs and for national brands seeking enterprise-scale sustainability partnerships. Includes dedicated programs with Once Upon a Farm (mail-back for flexible pouches), DYPER (compostable diaper pickup), Grove Collaborative, Imperfect Foods, DPR Construction, and Sparkle, with sustainability reporting across multiple locations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced 6,720,000 lbs of materials from entering landfills in 2022
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Recyclops
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Recyclops technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability1 record
Feature3 records
Recyclops partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Once Upon a FarmminorMail-back program partnership for flexible plastic pouches. Collected 120,000 pouches in 2024 through collaborative recycling initiative.
- TrexminorPartner for plastic film recycling - converts plastic bags and films into construction and building materials.
- D2F (Don't Flush)minorTextile recycling partner that handles clothing and fabric materials collected through Recyclops+ program.
- AMP (Advanced Material Processing)minorBattery recycling partner that shreds, melts and separates batteries into component metals for reuse.
- DYPERcoreCompostable diaper brand with pickup service in select locations. Drivers collect compostable bamboo diapers for composting.
- Grove CollaborativeminorSustainable cleaning products company with partnership to further sustainability efforts and recycling accessibility.
- Imperfect FoodsminorFood retailer partnership focused on sustainability and reducing food waste.
- SparkleminorEnterprise partnership for sustainability solutions.
- DPR ConstructionminorConstruction company partnership for enterprise recycling solutions.
- Closed Loop PartnersminorCollaboration on AI-powered waste analytics project with Greyparrot at recycling facilities.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Recyclops competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Compology: Smart-sensors and route-optimization software for waste and recycling haulers. Comparable as a technology layer that could either compete with or complement Recyclops' smart-routing and Cigo driver platform.
- Rubicon Technologies: Tech-enabled waste and recycling marketplace connecting haulers to customers via software and routing tools. Comparable in applying software and routing optimization to the recycling value chain, though B2B rather than residential subscription.
Direct peers
- Trash Butler: Subscription valet trash and recycling door-to-door pickup for apartments and multi-family housing. Comparable in subscription economics and last-mile convenience positioning, though multi-family rather than single-family focus.
- Ridwell: Subscription-based, beyond-the-bin residential pickup service for hard-to recycle materials (textiles, batteries, light bulbs, films). Most direct functional and business-model competitor to Recyclops+ premium tier.
- Simple Recycling: Subscription and municipal-contract curbside textile and small-recyclable collection service. Closely comparable to Recyclops' on-demand and franchise pickup model, especially the beyond-the-bin materials stream.
Broad incumbents
- Waste Management, Inc. Largest North American waste and recycling hauler with national route density, transfer stations, and MRFs. Comparable as the dominant incumbent Recyclops must differentiate against on last-mile convenience and customer experience.
- Republic Services: Major U.S. residential and commercial recycling and solid waste hauler with national footprint and recycling processing infrastructure. Comparable as a scaled incumbent competing for the same end customers and tonnage.
- Casella Waste Systems: Regional vertically integrated solid waste, recycling, and organics hauler operating across the Northeast. Comparable as an incumbent that competes for the same recycling tonnage and offers parallel residential/commercial services.
Others
- Greyparrot: AI-based computer vision for waste sorting and material recovery analytics at MRFs. Comparable as a downstream technology partner already engaged with Recyclops via Closed Loop Partners and as an indirect enabler of recycling yield economics.
Regional players
- GreenWaste Recovery: California-based hauling, recycling, and MRF operator serving municipal and commercial customers. Comparable in residential and commercial recycling services but concentrated in a single U.S. region.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Recyclops social profiles
Digital presenceRecyclops compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Recyclops financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Recyclops leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Recyclops funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Recyclops M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Recyclops
What does Recyclops do?
Recyclops is a subscription-based curbside recycling pickup service that collects mixed recyclables from residential households and businesses on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule using company-provided bags. The core residential offering is augmented by Recyclops+, an add-on subscription for hard-to-recycle materials such as batteries, light bulbs, textiles, styrofoam, and clamshells. A separate enterprise commercial line delivers custom nationwide recycling and sustainability solutions for national brands.
Is Recyclops a public or private company?
Recyclops is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Recyclops founded?
Recyclops was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Recyclops based?
Recyclops is headquartered in Salt Lake City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Recyclops make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Residential Subscription is the primary driver. The others are recyclops+ Premium Service, enterprise Commercial Partnerships and franchise Fees.
Who are Recyclops's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Compology and Rubicon Technologies. Direct peers are Trash Butler, Ridwell and Simple Recycling. Broad incumbents are Waste Management, Inc., Republic Services and Casella Waste Systems. Greyparrot is listed as an others. GreenWaste Recovery is listed as a regional player.
Does Recyclops have an API?
No public API is recorded for Recyclops.
What industry is Recyclops in?
Recyclops's product category is Waste Management & Recycling Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAAAN, Source-Separated Recyclables Collection (Dual/Single-Stream), with a secondary code of BPABALAB, On-site Recycling Programs (Single-Stream, Source-Separated). Its NAICS code is 56211 and its SIC code is 4950.