Utilitarian Launches in the Netherlands to Accelerate Circular Retail Innovation Across Europe
Australia-based tech startup locates in Rotterdam to further develop its smart, sustainable AI-based solutions
Utilitarian, a fast-growing Australia-based tech startup focused on circular economy solutions, has officially launched its European operations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. With a mission to make circularity commercially scalable, Utilitarian is turning product returns into loyalty-driving, data-rich experiences for both retailers and consumers, starting with shoes.
The company’s arrival in the Netherlands, particularly in Rotterdam, marks a significant step forward for the region as a leading hub for circular innovation and smart retail technologies. Utilitarian becomes one of the latest international innovators to join the Dutch IT & Tech ecosystem.
Stimulating smart recycling
Utilitarian makes a digital platform that supports smart recycling of retail products such as clothing. Today, most product take-back programs end at the bin, with no way to know who returned what, or why. This creates a costly gap between compliance, customer insight, and product improvement. Utilitarian solves this problem with a smart solution that can be retrofitted into existing in-store collection points. Their system uses AI-based product recognition to capture return data, reward customers, and provide traceable outcomes for brands.
“Circularity isn’t a bin at the back of the store, it’s a system we design, where every return is a moment of insight, a moment of loyalty, a moment of change,” says Tim Lee, Co-Founder and CEO of Utilitarian. Utilitarian connects physical product returns to digital insights and real customer interactions. For example, a customer drops off their old sneakers, takes a photo and can instantly be rewarded. This helps brands meet rising expectations around Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), CSRD, and the upcoming Digital Product Passport (DPP), not with abstract data, but with practical systems that engage customers and drive measurable impact. This makes DPP more than just a compliance checkbox.
Making sustainable impact for people and the planet
Utilitarian pivoted from a generic sustainability app to a focused, in-store return solution that transforms anonymous product take-backs into traceable, loyalty-driven experiences for brands and consumers. This shift allowed the team to better align with retailer needs, regulatory frameworks, and real-world customer behaviour, turning good intentions into measurable impact.
A concrete example of this is Runnersworld, the Dutch running specialist, which recently launched a groundbreaking circular retail concept in Eindhoven. Since 2016, Runnersworld has been collecting worn-out running shoes in its stores, and by 2025 more than 100,000 pairs have already been returned. Many of these have found a second life as playground surfaces or running tracks. With its new concept, the brand has taken the next step: the Eindhoven store interior, including wall panels, and even a special running track, was built using 22,000 recycled shoes. In collaboration with FastFeetGrinded, which operates the world’s only dedicated shoe recycling machine, and production partners Pyrasied, Swooda, and Soboçan, the materials were transformed into visible, high-quality retail elements. Customers can literally see their old shoes embedded in the store environment.
The innovation goes further with the introduction of the Utilitarian app. For the first time in European retail, every returned shoe is digitally registered, triggering an automatic notification to FastFeetGrinded. This system makes recycling faster, more efficient, and more transparent. Customers are rewarded for participating and will know when their shoes reach the recycling machine.
Photo courtesy of: Daniel Verkijk
Why the Netherlands?
Utilitarian chose the Netherlands for its strong mix of innovation, diversity, and business accessibility. From Rotterdam, Lee now leads Utilitarian’s global vision and growth strategy, with a focus on building tech that empowers both people and the planet.
“In Australia, we were pushing change into systems that weren’t ready. Here in the Netherlands, we felt a pull,” explains Lee. “Rotterdam stood out for its policy and ecosystem alignment, global brand presence, and a clear ‘Make it Happen’ mindset.” Support by InnovationQuarter, Rotterdam Partners, the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), all part of the Invest in Holland network, quickly turned Utilitarian’s soft landing into commercial traction.
“InnovationQuarter has been invaluable, from strategic intros and co-hosting events to navigating networks,” Lee says. “Their support helped us go from curiosity to real commercial traction in a matter of months.”
Partnering for circular retail at scale
Utilitarian’s post-pivot product, a shoe return platform built in partnership with Dutch recycling expert FastFeetGrinded, is already live. The team is onboarding early adopters in the Netherlands and Germany, with plans to scale to over 100 store locations in the next year. “Utilitarian brings a fresh and practical approach to circularity, one that blends data, design, and user experience,” said Ron van Zuilen, Account Manager Foreign Investments at InnovationQuarter. “We’re proud to support their landing in Rotterdam and excited to see their solution helping brands across Europe turn compliance into customer connection. Their story is a great example of how the Netherlands supports the growth of visionary founders who want to scale real-world impact.”
A vision for the future
Utilitarian sees the Netherlands as a launchpad for scaling circular retail across Europe. The goal? To return millions of products with traceability, reward thousands of customers for sustainable behaviour, and make compliance effortless through data-driven systems. By 2027, they aim to help make the Digital Product Passport not just a regulation, but a working reality for retailers and consumers alike.
Source: InnovationQuarter and Rotterdam Partners
11 September 2025