GarGeon uses analysis programming to pursue its zero waste goal
WHEN the Tee brothers were asked to help their grandmother sort out recyclables in their yard, they took it to a whole new level. They created an app that offers recyclable collection services to everyone.
Today, Jacky Tee Zhe Khong, 24, and his brother, Darren Tee Chan Teng, 22, are the proud owners of GarGeon, a cloud based waste and recycling management platform. Armed with a business administration diploma, Darren, who graduated from Southern University College in Skudai, Johor, tells how the GarGeon app came about.
“Everything kick-started when we joined The Hangout Malaysia, a start-up acceleration programme and a business incubator in Imagineering Labs located in the Mall of Medini in Iskandar, Nusajaya, Johor,” said Darren.
The Tee brothers managed to secure some seed capital for their startup company. They took three months to develop the platform. GarGeon is their first startup business. The app is based on a locally developed program. Their first step was to hire three contractual workers to develop the programme and services for GarGeon.
The company runs on a relatively small team; only three full-time employees for its operation, marketing and software development.
HOW IT WORKS
As a platform that offers sustainable waste management solutions, GarGeon helps businesses cut down on the costs of waste collection and divert wastes from landfills by sending them to the “correct” locations, for example, recyclables to recycling centres, etc.
Darren says this helps reduce waste in the long run, maximise recycling, and encourage waste measuring efforts for more efficient waste management in the future. “We are more than a waste company. Our approach is more towards achieving sustainability. We are pushing towards a
zero-waste environment,” he says.
GarGeon is designed to be a “disruptor” for the waste industry, and the app is available on both web and mobile applications.
“GarGeon takes all types of waste and through a data algorithm programme, it provides detailed information on the waste collected,” explains Darren.
The platform helps customers achieve affordable, smarter and sustainable solutions despite not owning any recycling facilities, transport assets or landfill.
WHY GARGEON?
“I asked my classmate to design a name for my startup and she came up with GarGeon. I think it is has a nice ring to it especially when it was a combination of ‘Gar’ from garbage and ‘Geon’ from pigeon, as in the messenger bird,” says Darren. “This name is suitable as it gives a big and powerful mental image,” he adds.
GarGeon leverages on its regional hauler partners network and get all the data from them through its cloud-based tracking system.
“We provide the best data tracking guidelines based on the customer’s operating preference with the help of our technology to make it smarter and sustainable,” says Darren.
“The platform focuses on customer-oriented stuff (data and analysis tracking, customer service, payment, marketing, information sharing) through data technology.”
GarGeonis a very new concept. Despite being a young company, it has already garnered trust from 15 clients from different industries, including developers like the Ace Empire Waterfront, food production company Dlaksa, a construction company Cogri Asia, Sunway Iskandar and the Hershey group.
Currently, the company is working with a school in Johor Baru to provide a tracking and analysis programming tool for it to achieve zero waste within its compound area.
”It is a great opportunity for GarGeon to not only provide services to companies but also SMK Sultan Ismail. We are honoured to be accorded such trust,” says Jacky.
POWER OF DATA
Being a new operating business model in the 21st-century waste industry, GarGeon relies a lot on data technology to achieve the zero waste goal they aimed for.
To achieve that, both brothers work closely with their software developers to ensure that GarGeon fits the customers’ needs.
Although not directly involved in waste separation stage, GarGeon offers guidelines and successful steps for customers to follow in diverting waste effectively. The customers will then, based on the guidelines, set up separation procedures internally before an externally-engaged hauler comes to collect the waste at the designated areas.
One important function that GarGeon has is its data, where all GargGeon hauling partners record data such as type of waste, point of collection and weight before leaving their customers’ premises.
What’s more, customers can also track the whereabouts of the waste, making sure that it is sent to the proper locations.
It is one of GarGeon’s best features, offering data as and when needed.
The platform also works to consolidate everything, from time of collection to billing.
STRATEGIC MOVE
Although the app is only available in Johor Baru, from West Pontian to East Tanjung
Langsat, the Tee brothers are looking to expand to northern Johor, Kuala Lumpur and up to Penang.
“Now that we have a working system, the expansion requirement will be less demanding as long as we can find regional hauling partners who are willing to work with us for the collection operation. “But with our mostly automated processes, people in the northern states of the peninsula can still use our services even though we are based in Johor,” adds Darren.
“We’re happy that we have turned an idea into reality. We always believe that technology can help solve the traditional waste management issues,” says Darren. “Traditionally, waste companies earn more by filling up landfills, but for us, we want to divert the waste from the landfill, using data technology.
We have a bigger mission in the waste industry by changing the current way we deal with waste. We need a more comprehensive waste and recycling platform that can benefit everyone, from collectors to customers and even the waste processors.
“And we are proud to be the first to provide such a unique waste operating model for Malaysia’s waste and recycling ecosystem,” adds Jacky.
Captions:
GarGeon is a cloud-based programme that allows a company to run with a minimum number of people under its pay cheque
The Interface on GarGeon app shows details of waste and recyclable collection data.