Substation33

What Substation33 does

Substation33 is a registered charity and social enterprise founded in 2012 (per firmographic data; another source infers 2015) and headquartered in Meadowbrook, Queensland, Australia, with 11-50 employees. The organization specializes in electronic waste recycling, accepting a wide range of electrical items with power cords, battery-powered devices, working fridges, and lead acid batteries through walk-in drop-offs at its facility (Units 9 & 10, 24-26 Ellerslie Road, Meadowbrook) and through a Containers for Change dropsite at Uptown Centre. Its core capability is manual dismantling and component separation of e-waste into streams that can be recycled, reused, or repurposed, with a specialist partnership with Second Life Batteries (SL Batteries) handling lithium-ion battery management.

The social enterprise model is the company's defining feature: alongside recycling, Substation33 delivers government-funded vocational training programs under the Queensland Government's Skilling Queenslanders for Work Initiative, including Build IT (22-week construction training building an off-grid tiny home), Refurb IT (IT refurbishment), and Drive IT (12-week driving instruction with workplace skills certification). Programs target young people aged 15-24 and other disadvantaged cohorts, with participants referred through employment service providers. The organization also maintains a small innovation pipeline that includes a Solar Coffee Trailer operated by trainees, 3D-printed products from e-waste materials, AMPLFY, a Wicking Garden demonstration project, a Bridging the Digital Divide initiative, and an Automated Flooded Road Warning System.

Revenue is generated through a mix of government training funding, free e-waste drop-off (with selective fees for certain battery types routed through SL Batteries), and modest income from product and event activities such as the Solar Coffee Trailer and Containers for Change deposits. The company does not disclose pricing tiers and operates as a non-profit, with no public funding rounds, institutional investors, or parent company identified. Its principal partners include PowerWells, Containers for Change, SL Batteries, OzHarvest, Logan City Council, YFS, and Logan District Elders, and it has earned multiple awards including the Banksia Award (2019), Social Traders Award (2019), and Containers for Change Change Maker Award.

Name

Substation33

Legal name

Substation33

Website

https://substation33.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Substation33 is an Australian e-waste recycling social enterprise and registered charity based in Meadowbrook, Queensland, that combines manual dismantling of electrical waste with government-funded vocational training programs (Build IT, Refurb IT, Drive IT) for disadvantaged young people aged 15-24.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electronic Waste Recycling Services

NAICS

Waste Collection (56211), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Hazardous Waste Collection (562112)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

E-waste & Universal Waste Collection/Transfer (Electronics, Lamps, Batteries) (EUAIABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Recycling & E-Waste Collection/Hauling (HSAKALAJ)

Keywords

• Electronic waste recycling
• Vocational skills training
• Social enterprise programs
• Waste management services
• Circular economy projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. E-waste Recycling Fees: Substation33 accepts electrical waste from individuals and businesses, dismantling and separating components for recycling. Some items like batteries may incur fees.
2. Government-Funded Training Programs: Skilling Queenslanders for Work funded programs including Build IT (construction), Refurb IT (IT refurbishment), and Drive IT (driving instruction) provide vocational training with government funding.
3. Container Collection Revenue: Partnership with Containers for Change enables bottle and can collection, generating revenue through the container deposit scheme.
4. Second Life Battery Processing: Partnership with SL Batteries for battery management and second-life applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Substation33 operates a physical e-waste recycling facility in Meadowbrook, Queensland, where customers can drop off electrical items with power cords, battery-powered devices, working fridges, and lead acid batteries for manual dismantling and component separation. The organization also delivers government-funded vocational skills training programs (Build IT, Drive IT, Refurb IT, See IT Be IT) and develops innovative repurposed products from deconstructed e-waste materials.

Product overview

Substation33 is a social enterprise and charity offering e-waste recycling services alongside skills training and employment programs for young people. The core offering combines electrical waste recycling with inclusive workforce development, featuring programs like Build IT (construction training), Drive IT (driving instruction), and Refurb IT (IT skills). The organization also develops innovative products from deconstructed e-waste through its innovation team, including the Solar Coffee Trailer, Wicking Garden, and 3D printing projects. All programs are funded by the Queensland Government through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work Initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• E-waste Recycling Service Walk-in e-waste drop-off service that dismantles electrical items and separates components into parts that can be recycled, reused, or repurposed, diverting materials from landfill. Accepts items with power cords, battery-powered devices, working fridges, and lead acid batteries for free; specialty battery types may incur fees. Open Monday–Friday 8:00–4:00 with no appointment needed at the Meadowbrook facility.
• Build IT 22-week full-time construction training program funded under the Queensland Government's Skilling Queenslanders for Work Initiative. Participants gain hands-on experience building an off-grid tiny home while working towards a Certificate I in Construction, combining vocational training with paid work experience. Targeted at young people aged 15–24 referred through employment service providers.
• Drive IT 12-week program funded under the Queensland Government's Skilling Queenslanders for Work Initiative that combines driving instruction with vocational training towards a Certificate I in Workplace Skills. Participants build driving skills with qualified driving instructors in a supportive environment, supporting transition to employment. Targeted at young people aged 15–24.
• Refurb IT IT traineeship program funded under the Queensland Government's Skilling Queenslanders for Work Initiative. Trainees learn the fundamentals of IT with hands-on practical experience, working towards a Certificate I in Workplace Skills for future employment. Targeted at young people referred through employment service providers.
• See IT Be IT Skilling Queenslanders for Work traineeship program focused on IT skills training and employment transition for young participants. The program concluded in 2025. All participants in the program secured employment or were in final stages of securing employment at the time of completion.
• Solar Coffee Trailer Mobile coffee service powered by solar energy, operated by Substation33 trainees to practice barista and customer service skills while generating revenue. Used at community events such as the LEAF festival and the All In: Logan Reconciliation Event, demonstrating renewable-energy applications in operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trainee employment outcomes - All participants in See IT Be IT program secured employment or were in final stages of securing employment
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PowerWellscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPowerWells is featured as a key partner on the Substation33 website, suggesting a strategic relationship in the social enterprise ecosystem around sustainable energy and infrastructure.
• Containers for ChangecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSubstation33 operates as a dropsite for Containers for Change, accepting bottles and cans for recycling. They received the Change Maker Award from this organization. This partnership provides container collection services to the community and generates revenue through the container deposit scheme.
• Second Life Batteries (SL Batteries)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Andrew at SL Batteries for battery management. Substation33 accepts batteries (except lead acid on-site) and refers customers to SL Batteries for proper handling and second-life applications. This addresses the complex regulatory and safety requirements of battery recycling.
• OzHarvestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOzHarvest partnership mentioned on website, suggesting collaboration in food rescue or community support initiatives alongside their environmental mission.
• Logan City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogan City Council partners with Substation33 through the 'All In: Logan Reconciliation Event' and other community initiatives. Council provides support for community events and environmental programs.
• YFS (Youth, Family and Community Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYFS partnered with Substation33 for the 'All In: Logan Reconciliation Event' as part of National Reconciliation Week. YFS is a community organization serving the Logan region.
• Logan District ElderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogan District Elders partnered with Substation33 for community reconciliation events, demonstrating local indigenous community engagement.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/substation33
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/substation33
• Instagraminstagram.com/substation_33
• Xx.com/substation33

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Substation33