POLEN

Name

POLEN

Legal name

Polen - Solução e Valoração de Resíduos

Website

https://brpolen.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reverse Logistics Compliance Software

NAICS

Packaging and Labeling Services (561910)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability Testing, Certification & Compliance (LCA, Recyclability/Compostability Testing, FSC/PEFC) (IMALAMAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL)

Keywords

• Reverse logistics platform
• Packaging compliance management
• Recycling credit certificates
• Environmental compensation services
• Circular economy software

Headquarters

HQ city

Rio

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Packaging Compensation Plans: Companies pay for environmental compensation of their packaging based on weight (tonnes) placed on the market annually and the percentage they wish to compensate (22%, 30%, 50%, 100%, 200%). Plans include Certificação, Engajamento, and Enterprise tiers with increasing levels of service, tracking, and customization.
2. Operator Partner Compensation: Operators (cooperatives, recycling companies) receive payment for each tonne of material they collect, sort, and sell that is validated in Polen's system through electronic invoices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

POLEN provides a blockchain-based reverse logistics platform that enables packaged goods manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers to comply with Brazil's National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) by compensating for the environmental impact of their packaging. The platform tracks packaging mass placed on the market, validates recycling credits through operator electronic invoices (NF-e), issues regulated certificates (CCRLR, CERE, CCMF), and delivers state-by-state compliance reporting across all 27 Brazilian states. It also offers a consumer-facing Polen Seal (with optional QR Code) to communicate sustainability commitments on packaging.

Product overview

POLEN (Polen - Solução e Valoração de Resíduos) is a Brazilian environmental technology company offering a platform-based suite of reverse logistics solutions for packaging compliance. The core product is the Polen Platform, which manages the end-to-end reverse logistics process — from packaging impact compensation to regulatory reporting across all 27 Brazilian states. This platform is supported by three certificate products: the Certificado de Crédito de Reciclagem (CCRLR), the Certificado de Estruturação e Reciclagem de Embalagens (CERE), and the Certificado de Crédito de Massa Futura (CCMF). The Selo Polen and Selo Polen + QR Code are brandable certification seals companies apply to their packaging to communicate sustainability commitments to consumers. Supporting programs include the Recicla Orla beach collection initiative, a consultant training program, and an operator partner program that validates recyclable material invoices. A content portal (creditodelogisticareversa.com.br) provides educational resources on circular economy and reverse logistics regulation. The company offers three service tiers: Plano Certificação (basic compliance), Plano Engajamento (consumer engagement via QR Code and customized landing pages), and Plano Enterprise (fully customized platform with dedicated team).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plataforma Polen Core digital platform enabling companies to compensate for the environmental impact of their packaging through Brazil's recycling chain. Provides real-time reverse logistics tracking, state-by-state compliance reporting, granular material-level data, geographic traceability via interactive maps, and detailed data on cooperatives and waste picker organizations. Targeted at packaged-goods manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers needing PNRS compliance.
• Selo Polen Certification seal placed on company packaging to signal that the company neutralizes the environmental impact of its packaging through POLEN's reverse logistics system. Communicates the company's sustainability commitment to end consumers. Targeted at client companies in the Engajamento and Enterprise plans.
• Selo Polen + QR Code Augmented Selo Polen with an interactive QR Code that transforms company packaging into a consumer engagement tool. Consumers scan the QR Code to access a customized landing page with the company's sustainability positioning and a real-time neutralization dashboard, while also capturing leads. Targeted at Engajamento and Enterprise plan clients seeking consumer-facing sustainability communication.
• Certificado de Crédito de Reciclagem (CCRLR) Recycling Credit Certificate issued by POLEN as a managing entity, proving the restitution of equivalent mass of post-consumer packaging to the productive cycle. Regulated by Federal Decree No. 11,413/2023, it serves as the primary instrument for companies to demonstrate compliance with reverse logistics obligations in Brazil.
• Certificado de Estruturação e Reciclagem de Embalagens em Geral (CERE) Certificate for structuring and recycling of general packaging, aimed at structuring projects with waste picker organizations. Issued under Federal Decree No. 11,413/2023, it certifies companies as holders of structuring recovery projects for recyclable materials.
• Certificado de Crédito de Massa Futura (CCMF) Future Mass Credit Certificate issued by POLEN, allowing companies to anticipate fulfillment of their reverse logistics targets relative to recyclable mass to be reintroduced into the productive chain in subsequent years. Introduced under Federal Decree No. 11,413/2023.
• Recicla Orla Beach recycling initiative in Rio de Janeiro, founded by POLEN in partnership with Orla Rio and sponsored by iFood. Installs collectors for recyclable materials (paper/cardboard, plastics, metals, and glass) at beach kiosks along Leblon, Ipanema, Copacabana, and Leme. Collected materials are sorted in a recycling warehouse and sent directly to the recycling industry, bypassing intermediaries. Collected over 800 tonnes of recyclable materials from Rio de Janeiro beaches in H1 2022.
• Plano de Logística Reversa (Collective Reverse Logistics Plan) Collective Reverse Logistics Plan developed and managed by POLEN for submission to state environmental agencies. The plan details all actions undertaken by POLEN in its reverse logistics solution based on environmental compensation of packaged product mass placed on the market by member companies, structured per Brazilian state regulations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2.7 billion packaging units compensated using blockchain technology
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Orla RiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Strategic partnership to create Recicla Orla project, promoting collection and management of recyclables on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Installed collectors for major recyclable material groups (paper/cardboard, plastics, metals, and glass) in all kiosks of Leblon, Ipanema, Copacabana, and Leme beaches. Materials are collected, separated in a recycling warehouse, and destined directly to recycling industry.
• iFoodminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Sponsor of the Recicla Orla project, supporting beach cleanup initiatives and recyclable collection efforts in Rio de Janeiro.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• euReciclo: Brazilian reverse-logistics platform that sells recycling credits to packaged goods manufacturers to offset packaging placed on the market under PNRS. Closest direct competitor to Polen’s credit-issuance business, with overlapping target customers (CPG manufacturers) and similar tonnage-based and percentage-based compensation plans.

Emerging players

• Cataki: Brazilian app/platform that connects waste pickers (catadores) and cooperatives with generators of recyclable materials. Overlaps with Polen’s operator partner network and social-impact storyline around cooperatives, though its primary monetization is matchmaking rather than credit issuance.
• Carbonext: Brazilian carbon and environmental credit marketplace that tokenizes and trades environmental assets for corporate buyers. Comparable as a regulated environmental-credits platform model with similar sustainability narrative, though focused on carbon rather than packaging recycling credits.

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Brasil: Large waste-management and environmental-services operator in Brazil with national collection infrastructure. Offers broader environmental and compliance services to industrial customers and could disintermediate pure-play compliance platforms by bundling recycling credit issuance with physical waste handling.
• Bureau Veritas Brasil: Global testing, inspection and certification major with Brazilian operations covering sustainability verification, chain-of-custody audits and ESG assurance. Comparable as a regulated third-party verifier that corporate compliance teams already procure from, making it a potential substitute or partner for Polen’s certification workflow.
• Control Union Brasil: Global certification body operating in Brazil across sustainability, recycling chain-of-custody and traceability standards. Overlaps with Polen’s compliance-verification proposition and could compete on regulated certification for reverse-logistics evidence.
• Ecocert: International sustainability certification body with a Brazilian presence offering environmental labeling and verification services. Comparable as a third-party assurance provider for corporate sustainability claims and packaging/recycling labels adjacent to Polen’s Selo Polen product.

Others

• BVRio: Brazilian environmental-markets organization that develops trading infrastructure for environmental assets (including reverse-logistics credits). Relevant ecosystem participant that influences the regulatory and standards framework Polen operates within, even though it is not a direct commercial competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/reciclaorla

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about POLEN