Ghana - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

A plastic formwork board made from recycled plastic to replace one time use wooden boards in the building construction process

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

Nullwood Fabrication is climate-aware startup that seeks to create solution to mitigate and or slow down the adverse effects and causes of climate change. We do this by manufacturing formwork boards from recycled waste plastic to replace most especially one time use wooden boards in the construction industry. The board produced, EcoLin, can be used for Lintel, Pillar and concrete formwork. It can also be used in other applications can Interior decoration and any other use of wooden boards.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

The building construction industry in Ghana requires a lot of one time use wooden boards especially for the lintel and pillar making process. Due to the nature of the work, these wooden boards are mostly used once and discarded. This one-time-use system increases the demand for these wooden boards which puts a great toll on the forest leading directly to deforestation. On the other hand waste plastic is filling up in landfills, gutters, street, rivers and even up to the ocean. By recycling the waste plastic into reusable formwork boards, we solve two major climate change issues. Deforestation and plastic waste.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

By using our plastic formwork boards, we decarbonize the building construction industry mainly. Our plastic form work board also allows constructers to reduce their cost by over 85%. The board gives a very smooth finish, is more durable than wooden boards, can be reused a minimum of 20 times. Having the boards on hand also reduces the effort put in to source these wooden board which are hard to come by off late due to stringent measures put in place to counter the indiscriminate falling of trees in Ghana.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

EcoLin is intended to be used primarily by form work constructers, real estate agents and or building foremen

01.05 When was your company established?

2023-09-01

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

2

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

1

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

Praise-Carol Fayiah is a nature loving and climate- change advocate. With a Communications and Marketing background, she brings on board tons of experience from her 3 years workings with other climate awareness groups and climate smart companies. As the Business Development and Customer Engagement Lead, she is able to get our customer and other stakeholders to clearly understand our business and what we want to achieve. With a passion for a green environment Praise shows an unapparelled level of dedication and commitment to the growth and success of the company

01.10 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link(s) here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/nullwoodfabs/

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

b) Materials (agriculture, fishing, chemical products, construction materials, containers and packaging, metals and mining, paper and forest products)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

4

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

3

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

02.03.01 My startup contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

4

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

3

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

2

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

Repurposed plastic is saved from entering into rivers, streams and oceans.

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

2

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

The Ecolin boards assist in transforming the building construction industry in Ghana to a Green one,

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

decarbonize the building industry whilst making it more sustainable whilst introducing improved materials and processes into the industry.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

3

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

4

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

By recycling waste plastic into the EcoLin Boards, we create a circular system where waste from other sectors serves a new materials for others

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

By producing the Ecolin Boards, we anticipate to reduce the Deforestation in Ghana annually by 1%. This is huge step in combating climate change and its impacts.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

4

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

By producing the Ecolin Boards to replace one time use wooden boards, we anticipate to reduce deforestation in Ghana annually by 1%.

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

3

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

06.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

6

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.06 The product/service responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

5

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.08 Justification for my startup

Construction workers already use wooden boards for formwork and other concrete works on site, the EcoLin Board is an improvement over the existing material used and more gives a more satisfying finish as compared to the wooden boards traditionally used.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Wooden Boards Suppliers scattered across the country. Our unique stand out point from the wooden bords is the reusability of our boards as compared to the one time use nature of wooden boards.

11.05 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

We are encouraging female waste pickers in our area to form a cooperative and register it. This will allow them to service large contract from other plastic recycling companies in Ghana