In 2019, Walid Hadjadj made a decision that would radically alter his career path. Although established as an engineer within the comfort and stability of Algeria’s oil industry, he felt a growing disconnect between his deep-seated aspirations and his daily reality. The situation around him was stark: while the world was accelerating toward an ecological transition, the local management of commercial waste and certain industrial waste streams remained a largely untapped frontier, dominated by the informal sector and a lack of proper infrastructure. Driven by a desire to make a tangible environmental impact, he chose to leave the hydrocarbons sector and dive into the world of green entrepreneurship.

His vision sharpened that same year when he joined the SwitchMed training program. Immersing himself in the rigorous principles of the circular economy acted as a catalyst. Walid realized that to bring about lasting change in mindsets and industrial practices in Algeria, simply offering a cardboard collection service was not enough; he needed to build a business model that was viable, transparent, and highly professional. In 2020, the startup Revadex was officially launched in the heart of Algiers with a clear mission: to become a key player in the circular economy by helping businesses integrate sustainable practices into their daily operations.

From digital platform to on-the-ground operations

The early days were defined by the agility typical of startups. Initially, Revadex was conceived as a digital platform designed to directly connect waste generators with certified recyclers. However, the realities on the ground quickly revealed the limitations of this approach: the office waste sector suffered from a lack of logistical structure and operational rigor. Companies needed a turnkey solution, not just a directory of contacts. Making a pragmatic pivot, Walid is transforming Revadex into an integrated, end-to-end circular management service. The approach is comprehensive. The startup installs tailored sorting systems at client sites, schedules punctual, regular collections (with a 100% on-time record), and transports waste streams to its own warehouses for meticulous secondary sorting before directing each material to certified recovery channels.

Traceability as a performance driver

In an ecosystem accustomed to the opacity of traditional waste channels, the startup introduces total transparency through detailed, digitized reporting. Every kilogram of collected waste is weighed, tracked, and converted into environmental impact metrics (such as volumes recovered and reductions in landfill waste).

This operational and scientific rigor quickly appeals to major accounts and demanding international groups. Multinationals such as Henkel, Promasidor, Swissport, Lactalis, Siemens, and PwC entrust their office waste management to Revadex. For these companies, waste is no longer merely a bulky item to be discarded; it is a line item in their carbon footprint.

“By combining FSC certification, rigorous secondary sorting, and digitized reporting on recovered volumes, we provide the scientific evidence they need to validate their environmental commitments.” — Walid Hadjadj, Founder of Revadex.

Scaling up and inspiring the future

Today, Revadex is a thriving success. Driven by a close-knit team of nine dedicated employees—handling logistics, sorting, administration, and business development—the company supports over 50 leading organizations. After securing crowdfunding aimed at young entrepreneurs, the start-up successfully validated its business model by expanding into several Algerian cities. In 2024, it reached a new milestone by conducting its own baseline carbon audit, establishing a rigorous trajectory to reduce annual emissions by 7%.

Now in its commercial acceleration phase (Scale Stage), Revadex is seeking new markets and aiming for economies of scale, while exploring regional expansion opportunities to broaden its impact. Drawing on this experience, Walid Hadjadj readily shares his key principles with the new wave of sustainable entrepreneurs: “Start with a simple, highly concrete solution. Test quickly in the field and measure your impact from the very beginning. In Algeria, a green economy market certainly exists, but you need to be patient and rigorous, and build trust step by step.”

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