No need to speak at length with Arnaud and Guillaume Louiset to detect a great bond. The two brothers, aged 28 and 29 respectively, launched the Wetri app in January 2022. The goal?? “Bring the right waste to the right place so that it is valued to the maximum ecologically and economically”, they sum up.
An idea that we owe to Guillaume: “I’ve been working on it for two years. The app was born from the observation of an evolution in consumption and a need to act on the environmental level. […] From one city to another, the instructions change. We want to provide a solution to better sort and know what to do with your waste, ”explains the eldest. “I asked my brother to join me because I knew that we would be complementary and that I couldn’t carry out such a large-scale project alone,” he continues.
1,000 points = 1 euro
Concretely, once installed on a smartphone, Wetri offers a list of offers with partner brands. “If we take the example of this frying pan, the app shows me a collection point in Nevers. I go there to drop off the product to be recycled. And thanks to the proof of deposit, I can earn points that can be converted into gift cards, donations or cash,” explains the duo. 1,000 points = 1 euro. At the bottom of each offer, it is also specified what becomes of the object once deposited.
Before that, Guillaume and Arnaud Louiset both went through business schools in Lille, Skema and Ieseg, then worked for five years. The first in a ready-to-wear group (Happy Chic). The second in a construction company (Bouygues Construction). “Today Guillaume takes care of the finance and technical part, he is the one who develops the app. And me, I am in charge of the trade and marketing part”, distinguishes Arnaud.
3,000 users
If the two brothers remain attached to Nevers – their parents run the Milord’s shop in Marzy – they have taken up residence at EuraTechnologies in Lille. It is the largest start-up incubator in Europe, with offices at their disposal, the possibility of discussing with financial and legal experts, to develop their business.
Currently 3,000 people use Wetri. “The objective is to have several tens of thousands before the end of the year to have more collection sites, closer to people. We also want to reach medium-sized towns and municipalities. The siblings use their own funds to develop Wetri. Fundraising should take place at the end of 2022-beginning of 2023, and will help create the first jobs.
Linda Hammer
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