On a quiet afternoon near their school in Thane, two childhood friends Henik Gala and Shreyas Jalapur, watched a kabadiwala meticulously sort through heaps of discarded waste. What seemed mundane to most sparked a flicker of inspiration in the young boys. Years later, that single image would grow into a thriving business model and a startup called ScrapJi, a new-age scrap management venture that now earns them lakhs each month.
A Vision from the Streets
Henik and Shreyas grew up like any ordinary boys, but their shared curiosity made them observant of the everyday scenes that often went unnoticed. That one interaction with a roadside scrap collector planted a thought: if local kabadiwalas could make a living off unorganized waste, could a streamlined, tech-savvy version of this be more scalable and sustainable?
They didn’t rush into it. The idea simmered through college and matured with time. It wasn’t until both turned 26 in 2023 that they decided to take the plunge. Thus, ScrapJi was born, not just as a business, but as a mission to clean cities, reduce landfill burden, and create organized income opportunities for waste workers.
The Business Blueprint
What sets ScrapJi apart is its structured approach. Unlike traditional scrap dealers, Henik and Shreyas integrated collection, segregation, and recycling into one platform. The startup collects waste directly from households and businesses, ensuring it is weighed, logged, and recycled in the most efficient way possible.
They established partnerships with recycling units and began educating housing societies about responsible disposal. ScrapJi also uses digital tools to track collections, provide invoices, and maintain transparency something rare in India’s informal waste economy.
Their model resembles that of an aggregator, combining tech with logistics and environmental consciousness.
Challenges in a Dirty Business
Getting people to take a digital scrap collector seriously wasn’t easy. The duo faced hesitation from families and skepticism from businesses. Convincing investors was another uphill task, especially with a business that dealt in “trash.” But their clarity of vision, operational transparency, and early traction helped them push through.
By the end of 2024, ScrapJi had reached a point where it was processing several tons of scrap every month and seeing returns that outpaced their modest initial investments.
The Impact: Environment + Employment
ScrapJi isn’t just about profit. It’s solving a dual crisis, urban waste and unemployment. By involving informal workers in their model, Henik and Shreyas have offered job stability to many who otherwise lived on the fringes. In doing so, they’ve introduced dignity and predictability into a sector long viewed as dirty and disorganized.
What’s Next?
Henik and Shreyas now plan to expand ScrapJi to multiple cities across Maharashtra, and eventually across India. They’re also looking into adding AI-driven sorting technology to increase recycling efficiency and possibly launching an educational initiative to build awareness about household waste segregation.
Their story is a testament to how India’s startup ecosystem is no longer restricted to glitzy apps or fintech unicorns. Real change is coming from the ground sometimes, quite literally from the garbage beneath our feet.
Industry Being Redefined
Henik Gala and Shreyas Jalapur didn’t just build a business, they redefined an industry. Their journey from being curious students watching a kabadiwala to entrepreneurs who created a sustainable, scalable waste-management company is a blueprint for grassroots innovation. In a world drowning in waste, ScrapJi stands as a story of hope and hard work turned into a cleaner, greener opportunity.
Also Read: Can Drones Save Indian Farming? BharatRohan Thinks So
