MKB-Amsterdam, an interest group that backs entrepreneurial interests in the Amsterdam region, announced the winners of the February Product of the Month during the monthly MKB-Amsterdam Borrel at the Oranjekerk.Â
February’s “Product of the Month” winners
NoWa (No Waste), a company founded by Josetta and Joyce, has won the Jury award.Â
NoWa makes jewellery from recycled gold and silver from old telephones.
The founders collaborated with Closing the Loop, an organisation that collects old mobile phones in Africa to reduce electronic waste. For every piece of jewellery NoWa sells, Closing the Loop collects discarded phones from Africa.
The jury chairman, Bert Bos, called their idea a ‘fairy tale that has become a reality,’ and went on to say that their product is ‘ripe for international roll-out’ and that it represents ‘Amsterdam at its best’.
Kumasi, a startup that develops a variety of natural and nutritious drinks from cocoa byproducts, has won the Audience award.Â
Utilising the pulp of cocoa beans that would typically be discarded, Kumasi makes delicious tropical soft drinks. This not only minimises waste but also generates additional revenue for cocoa farmers in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, says MKB-Amsterdam.
March: Product of the Month nominees
In addition to the winners of the February Product of the Month, MKB-Amsterdam has also announced the nominees for the (digital) Product of the Month for March.Â
The nominations were made this month by Bas Beekman, program manager of StartupAmsterdam.
The nominees are:
Climate Savers
Climate Savers is a green cashback platform that helps consumers and employee discount programmes make going-green cheaper.Â
When a Climate Savers’ user purchases a sustainable, zero-emission company or brand, they are eligible to receive a cashback reward for every EUR, GBP, USD, and CAN spent.
Once savings reach 20 (EUR, GBP, USD, CAN), users can choose to transfer the funds back to their account or redeem them for discounts offered by Climate Savers on the platform.
This not only benefits users’ wallets but also contributes to the preservation of the environment, says the company.
Peddler
Peddler’s mission is to turn every local retailer into a searchable and sellable omni-channel marketplace.Â
Through the platform, users can order their favourite products from local retailers and have them delivered the same day through a safe and eco-friendly delivery service.
SkillLab
SkillLab started with a focus on the integration of refugees into European labour markets and evolved to assist all job seekers that would benefit from career support.Â
The company’s solution enables employment services and training providers to deliver skill-based career orientation remotely and at scale.
Its mobile solution allows people to identify their skill sets and connects them to education and employment opportunities.
Eevery
Eevery provides SMEs with a sustainability platform designed to promote sustainable practices.Â
The platform functions through a set of questions that generate a roadmap highlighting the opportunities for enhancing sustainability within the company, and how to implement these opportunities effectively and efficiently.
Eevery tracks the sustainability score of the company and the progress made following the application of its recommendations.
The platform also offers a great tool to share this information with customers, suppliers, and employees.
Vote for your favourite product
Selected your favourite product already?
Cast your vote here. You can vote until Thursday, March 30, 2023.Â
The winner will be announced on Monday, April 3 during the SME drink.
