Refurbi - Turning Latin America's e-waste crisis into a profitable, circular smartphone business episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 27, 2025 · 56 MIN

Refurbi - Turning Latin America's e-waste crisis into a profitable, circular smartphone business

from Investor Talk

Refurbi is transforming Latin America's massive e-waste problem into a profitable circular economy solution, generating $7.5M in annual revenue while making quality smartphones accessible to millions. With 1.3 million tons of electronic waste piling up annually and only 3% properly managed, co-founders Sebastian and Sylvia have built the region's most trusted refurbished device ecosystem.Listen to Sebastian share how they've achieved profitability from day one through data-driven operations, secured exclusive partnerships with Apple and Samsung, and created a business model so efficient they sell devices before paying suppliers. From their high-tech warehouse in Bogota to their expansion into Mexico's 30-40 million device market, discover how Refurbi is capturing the proven global refurbished smartphone opportunity that represents 20% of sales in developed markets but remains largely untapped in Latin America.At 39:35 sustainability expert Carolina Ocampo-Maya joins for the Investor Talk segment, sharing insights from her facility visit and why this circular economy model represents both strong returns and measurable environmental impact.Hosted by Maaike Doyer, founder of Epic Angels.

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Refurbi - Turning Latin America's e-waste crisis into a profitable, circular smartphone business

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This episode was published on August 27, 2025.

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Refurbi is transforming Latin America's massive e-waste problem into a profitable circular economy solution, generating $7.5M in annual revenue while making quality smartphones accessible to millions. With 1.3 million tons of electronic waste piling...

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