Utilitarian lands in Rotterdam to scale circular retail innovation across Europe
Utilitarian, a fast-growing startup in the circular economy space, has officially launched its European operations in Rotterdam. With a mission to make circularity commercially scalable, Utilitarian is turning product returns into loyalty-driving, data-rich experiences for both retailers and consumers — starting with shoes.
The company’s arrival in Zuid-Holland marks a significant step forward for the region’s position as a leading hub for circular innovation and smart retail technologies.
Closing the loop, one return at a time
Today, most product take-back programs end at the bin, with no way to know who returned what, or why. This creates a costly gap between compliance, customer insight, and product improvement. Utilitarian solves this problem with a smart solution that can be retrofitted into existing in-store collection points. Their system uses AI-based product recognition to capture return data, reward customers, and provide traceable outcomes for brands.
“Circularity isn’t a bin at the back of the store, it’s a system we design — where every return is a moment of insight, a moment of loyalty, a moment of change.”
— Tim Lee, Co-Founder & CEO.
From sustainability app to circular retail tech
Utilitarian pivoted from a generic sustainability app to a focused, in-store return solution that transforms anonymous product take-backs into traceable, loyalty-driven experiences for brands and consumers. This shift allowed the team to better align with retailer needs, regulatory frameworks, and real-world customer behaviour — turning good intentions into measurable impact.
Tim Lee, Co-Founder & CEO, has spent 15+ years at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and consumer behaviour — including roles advising multinational retailers and leading national recovery programs. From Rotterdam, he now leads Utilitarian’s global vision and growth strategy, with a focus on building tech that empowers both people and the planet.
Utilitarian connects physical product returns to digital insights and real customer interactions. A customer drops off their old sneakers, takes a photo and can instantly be rewarded. This helps brands meet rising expectations around Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), CSRD, and the upcoming Digital Product Passport (DPP) — not with abstract data, but with practical systems that engage customers and drive measurable impact. This makes DPP more than just a compliance checkbox.
Why Rotterdam?
Utilitarian chose Rotterdam for its strong mix of innovation, diversity, and business accessibility.
“In Australia, we were pushing change into systems that weren’t ready. Here in the Netherlands, we felt a pull,” explains Lee. “Rotterdam stood out for its policy and ecosystem alignment, global brand presence, and a clear ‘Make it Happen’ mindset.”
Supported by InnovationQuarter, the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), Rotterdam Partners and the wider Invest in Holland network, Utilitarian’s soft landing quickly turned into commercial traction.
“InnovationQuarter has been invaluable, from strategic intros and co-hosting events to navigating networks,” Lee says. “Their support helped us go from curiosity to real commercial traction in a matter of months.”
Partnering for circular retail at scale
Utilitarian’s post-pivot product — a shoe return platform built in partnership with Dutch recycling expert FastFeetGrinded — is already live. The team is onboarding early adopters in the Netherlands and Germany, with plans to scale to over 100 store locations in the next year.
As they grow their presence, Utilitarian is actively seeking new partners:
- Retailers and brands in fashion, footwear, sports and consumer goods
- Logistics and recycling partners
- Data service providers
- Academic and R&D collaborators
The company’s European operations will be based in Rotterdam, with local hires planned in business development and engineering to support long-term growth.
“Utilitarian brings a fresh and practical approach to circularity — one that blends data, design, and user experience. We’re proud to support their landing in Rotterdam and excited to see their solution helping brands across Europe turn compliance into customer connection. Their story is a great example of how Zuid-Holland supports the growth of visionary founders who want to scale real-world impact.”
— Ron van Zuilen, Account Manager Foreign Investments at InnovationQuarter.
Tim Lee, Co-Founder & CEO of Utilitarian, sharing his vision for scalable, everyday circularity during InnovationQuarter’s annual event on 16 June 2025 — the company’s first public presentation in Europe, in front of over 700 entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, and innovation professionals.
A vision for the next three years
Utilitarian sees the Netherlands as a launchpad for scaling circular retail across Europe. The goal? To return millions of products with traceability, reward thousands of customers for sustainable behaviour, and make compliance effortless through data-driven systems.
By 2027, they aim to help make the Digital Product Passport not just a regulation, but a working reality for retailers and consumers alike.
Learn more about Utilitarian at https://utilitarian.world
