Utilitarian accelerates circular retail innovation in Rotterdam

Utilitarian turns product returns into loyalty-driving, data-rich experiences for both retailers and consumers. The company's  arrival in the Netherlands, specifically at Rotterdam’s tech co-working hub 42workspace, 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 Rotterdam’s IT & Tech ecosystem.

Utilitarian has developed a digital platform to enable smart recycling of retail items like shoes and consumer electronics. Most take-back schemes stop at the bin, offering no insight into who returned what or why, creating a costly gap between compliance, customer understanding  and product development. Utilitarian bridges this gap with a retrofit-ready system for in-store collection points. Using AI-powered product recognition, it captures return data, rewards customers, and delivers 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.

By linking physical returns to digital insights and real customer engagement, the platform helps brands meet growing demands around EPR, CSRD, and the Digital Product Passport (DPP), not with abstract data, but with practical tools that drive measurable impact. DPP becomes more than a compliance tick-box.

Utilitarian shifted from a broad sustainability app to a targeted in-store return solution, turning anonymous take-backs into traceable, loyalty-driven experiences. This pivot aligned the team more closely with retailer needs, regulatory demands, and real customer behaviour, transforming good intentions into real-world impact.

Utilitarian chose the Netherlands for its blend of innovation, diversity, and business accessibility. From Rotterdam, Tim now leads the company’s global growth strategy, focused on building tech that benefits 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 Tim. “Rotterdam stood out for its policy and ecosystem alignment, global brand presence, and a clear ‘Make it Happen’ mindset.”

“In my first proper visit after settling at 42workspace (last week of January), I was doing a deep dive on our product with an intensive strategic review. We soon realised that the AI-led focus would be the key enabler for our new solution. That afternoon I was having drinks on the roof of 42workspace overlooking Rotterdam, when 42workspace initiator Ohad Gilad mentioned a group of coders called 010 Coding Collective, which is a community of independent developers based in Rotterdam. We connected and they agreed to help me build the first working prototype in one day. Which is actually what we did! To me, this is exactly why we set up in Rotterdam and at this tech hub, to be surrounded by collaborators who are eager to help us innovate. We continued our collaboration and they still support us in the development of the revised solution.”

With support from Rotterdam Partners, InnovationQuarter, NFIA and the wider Invest in Holland network, Utilitarian quickly moved from soft landing to commercial traction.

“The involvement of Rotterdam Partners proved very useful, granting us access to deep local insights, key industry contacts, and hands-on support during our fact-finding mission. From the outset, their enthusiasm and expertise in presenting Rotterdam’s unique strengths were both compelling and contagious, reinforcing our confidence in choosing the city as our new base. Looking ahead, we are excited to continue working closely with the Rotterdam International Center and other local partners as we further establish and grow our business in the region. We are also very much looking forward to participating in the Red Carpet Dinner later this year, an event that perfectly reflects the warm welcome and collaborative spirit we’ve experienced so far.” says Tim.

Utilitarian’s post-pivot product, a shoe return platform developed with Dutch recycling expert FastFeetGrinded, is already live. Early adopters in the Netherlands and Germany are coming on board, with plans to expand to over 100 store locations within a year.

The Netherlands serves as a strategic launchpad for scaling circular retail across Europe. Utilitarian’s ambition is to enable the return of millions of products with full traceability, reward thousands of customers for sustainable actions, and simplify compliance through smart, data-driven systems. By 2027, the goal is clear: make the Digital Product Passport not just a regulation, but a practical reality for both retailers and consumers.

^{This article is a co-production with InnovationQuarter and NFIA. 
Header photo: Tim Lee presenting Utilitarian at InnovationQuarter's year event at De Doelen ICC, June 2025. Photo: Daniel Verkijk.}