The Pitch
Where real startup founders pitch to real investors—for real money. Forget everything you think you know about the world of venture capital. Host Josh Muccio takes listeners behind closed-doors and into the room where deals are made.
#124 ECGO: Turning Trash Into Treasure With AI
In this episode, Eko founder Nicole Toole pitches her startup's mission to impact recycling rates. She details Eko's funding needs, expansion plans, and current customer base. The investors provide feedback and discuss the competitive aspect of Eko's rewards system. Nicole reflects on her fundraising experiences and startup journey.
Key Points
- Eko is a mobile app that uses artificial intelligence to help students properly recycle by identifying the recyclability of materials through a photo and rewarding them with points redeemable for discounts.
- Investors on the show recognized the potential in Eko's approach to solving recycling contamination and suggested that increasing user engagement through competition and leveraging data for B2B opportunities could significantly scale the business.
- Despite the positive feedback, investors ultimately passed on funding Eko at this stage, citing concerns over the current business model, monetization strategy, and the need for a clearer go-to-market strategy.
Chapters
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Transcript
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