# Sparklo UAE Startup Revolutionizing Recycling with Rewards
Sparklo, a UAE-based cleantech startup founded by Max Kaplevich, is breaking new ground in recycling by making the process both enjoyable and financially rewarding. The company's AI-powered reverse vending machines — called Sparklomats — have already recycled 33 million plastic bottles and aluminium cans across the MENA region in just 18 months, marking one of the fastest recycling scale-ups the region has seen.
How Sparklomats Work
Deployed at major retail and fuel destinations including LuLu Hypermarket, Carrefour, and ADNOC Distribution stations, Sparklomats let users deposit empty plastic bottles and aluminium cans in exchange for instant rewards. Those rewards include discounts on groceries, bill credits, and electric vehicle charging points — tangible, everyday benefits that incentivise repeat behaviour rather than relying on goodwill alone.
The machines use artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify and sort containers without needing barcodes or labels. Users interact through the Sparklo Rewards Club mobile app, where points accumulate and can be redeemed across partner services.
Rapid Growth and UAE Expansion
Sparklo has attracted more than 300,000 registered users since launch. The company is now targeting a UAE network of 5,000 Sparklomats, a scale that would place a machine within easy reach of the vast majority of UAE residents — and make a measurable dent in the country's plastic and aluminium waste stream.
The reward-based model has proven effective: by pairing immediate, practical incentives with a frictionless drop-off experience, Sparklo has driven recycling rates that traditional collection schemes have struggled to match.
International Footprint
Beyond the UAE, Sparklo is already operating in Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, India, Kazakhstan, and Georgia — a geographic spread that underlines the company's ambition to become a global cleantech player, not merely a regional one.
UAE Circular Economy and Government Alignment
Sparklo's expansion aligns closely with the UAE's national sustainability agenda and circular economy targets. By working with government officials and deepening commercial partnerships, the company is helping build the infrastructure needed to close the loop on plastic and aluminium packaging at scale across the UAE and the wider MENA region.
