TripleR Is Revolutionising Mattress Recycling, Starting with the Healthcare Challenge

In this interview, Rik Holvoet, co-founder of TripleR, explains how his company is addressing circularity in the mattress industry and how the Circular Kickstart Healthcare Challenge is helping them enter the healthcare sector. Rik shares his hopes for working with hospitals, gaining new insights, and expanding his network through the programme. 

What is TripleR’s mission, and how did it all begin?  

TripleR started two years ago, when my business partner Stefaan and I decided to address a knowledge gap in the mattress industry: what happens to mattresses at the end of their life? Right now, it’s difficult to recycle mattresses because companies don’t know what materials they’re made of. 

We came up with a system for identifying components, helping create pure waste streams and allowing for optimal recycling. We realised this solution could also help organisations become compliant with new sustainability regulations. TripleR's platform facilitates the creation of Digital Product Passports (DPP), soon to be a legal obligation for many manufacturers. But, we want to go further than just composing informative DPPs. We want to inspire action.  

Our platform connects all stakeholders by gathering and providing all relevant information of a mattress from start to finish. By creating a community of people who collect matrasses and recuperate their components, we enable proper processing at the end of life. Our goal is to build a circular ecosystem tailored to the mattress and furniture industry, ensuring that components are recycled and reused as much as possible. 

How did TripleR get involved with the Circular Kickstart Healthcare Challenge? 

We knew Mieke, the Circular kickstart's founder, through another project we both worked on. She suggested we join the Healthcare Challenge, and we’re really glad we got selected. It's a unique opportunity to access and explore a new market full of unmined potential. Right now, the mattresses used in the healthcare sector do not perform very well in terms of circularity, so we are looking forward to helping the industry transition to a more sustainable solution. 

The healthcare sector is interesting for us because hospitals buy mattresses through public procurement, and they're under pressure to make more sustainable purchase decisions. Our platform facilitates this and allows hospitals to better manage their mattresses and integrate them into a Digital Asset Management system, helping them reduce their carbon footprint by incorporating more circularity. 

What value has the Healthcare Challenge brought to TripleR so far? 

The programme has been fantastic. It’s not just about accessing the healthcare market. It’s also a great learning experience. Hospitals are more focused on sustainability than I expected, which was a pleasant surprise to me. 

We are learning a lot about how hospitals operate and about public procurement, which will be useful for us in the long run. Plus, the interactions with other start-ups in the programme so far have already been really inspiring. It’s great to be part of a group where everyone's working towards a circular economy. 

What are your goals during the Healthcare Challenge? 

Our main goal is to learn more about the healthcare market and how to approach it. We’re also focusing on refining our business model, exploring funding options and expanding our knowledge about the circular world in general. TripleR was founded in answer to a gap in the market, and while we want to leverage our platform to improve sustainability and circularity in the mattress industry, we are not necessarily sustainability experts The programme will help us master the intricacies of circular entrepreneurship and address any areas that we currently still need to improve upon. 

Building a network in healthcare is crucial for us too. We want to make sure we’re connecting with the right people so we can grow and eventually bring our solution to more hospitals. 

What’s on the horizon for TripleR? 

Right now, we’re focused on the healthcare sector, but we see potential in the wider public sector as well. Public procurement goes beyond hospitals, so there’s room for us to expand. 

In the long term, we want to make the mattress and furniture industries more sustainable. Our goal is to ensure that products are recycled and reused properly, leaving behind a better world for future generations. 

Any advice for startups considering joining the Circular Kickstart? 

Do not hesitate. Just take your chance and apply. You will get answers to your questions, meet likewise minded people, be challenged but also guided, expand your network and explore new opportunities.