In January, the Emerging Enterprise Center(EEC) welcomed UNISCRAP PBC to the International Soft Landings Program. UNISCRAP, founded in August 2014, is a Public Benefit Corporation, headquartered in Delaware. They currently operate in both the US and Europe. The core activities of UNISCRAP PBC focus on the Resource Management Industry and the sourcing of recyclable resources, to develop investment that creates Social, Environmental, Financial and Industrial Impact.
Panagiotis Kollas, CEO and Founder of Uniscrap, is responsible for the company strategy, leading the Business Strategy Office and the Finance Strategy Board. He establishes partnerships with other recycling corporations as well as suppliers and clients spearheading efforts for business development. Panagiotis also formulates the international partnerships roadmap for the Social and Environmental Impact that UNISCRAP PBC. is committed to.
Panagiotis, has strong experience on international business and trade by working in Greek and international organizations and by setting up startup companies in UK, US and Greece. He has a degree in Economics from University of Piraeus, Greece as well as a masters’ degree in International Business from University of Wollongong in Dubai, UAE. Panagiotis gained further insights on environmental topics when attending the Extension School of Harvard University.
Public Benefit Corporations (PBC) are relatively new. In July 2013, Governor Markell signed into law a new type of public benefit corporation. As defined in General Corporation Law (Title 8, Chapter 1 of the Delaware Code), a PBC is a for-profit corporation intended to produce a public benefit and operate in a responsible and sustainable manner. The PBC is to be managed in a manner that balances stockholders’ pecuniary interests, the best interests of those materially affected by the corporation’s conduct and the public benefit for which the PBC is formed.
According to Kollas, “In UNISCRAP we believe that the generation for public benefit is a MUST for affecting positively the sustainability of our work. We give emphasis on the Global Goals of United Nations.” Uniscrap divides the public benefit in four (4) categories:
- Social Impact level: UNISCRAP has developed the roadmap for working with organizations, and foundations in Delaware, in order to generate measurable impact on the sectors of education, entrepreneurism, and tapping into the cultural approach to environmental sustainability.
- Environmental Impact level: Through their activities Uniscrap aims to affect the carbon dioxide emissions to satisfy international agreements, such as the recent Paris agreement for Climate.
- Financial Impact level: Plans are to generate financial income from activities to guarantee the financial sustainability of the company, and to impact the community through taxes and wages for our employees. Last but not least, the profits will give emphasis to the Industrial Impact through innovation and technology generation.
- Industrial Impact level: Partnerships will be the emphasis for the industrial impact, through the quality of the materials being used, as well the satisfaction of the production needs of the partners. Uniscrap will work to develop the best solutions for business challenges of resource management and recycling, addressing challenges such as production infrastructures, logistics needs, quality control etc. On this front also, they will give strong emphasis on the smart innovation and technology development to multiply the effect and the sustainability of the community
Frank DeSantis, Program Director for the EEC said, “I am so pleased that we were introduced to Panagiotis Kollas and Uniscrap by Andrea Tinianow’s team at the Delaware Department of State, as part of their Global Delaware initiative. Our International Soft Landings Program is designed to help foreign companies that are looking to establish a presence in US markets. We provide support and services that allow them to open an office, learn the business culture, and make the contacts they need, while they determine where in Delaware they want to permanently locate.”
The Emerging Enterprise Center has worked with two other companies in The International Soft Landings program. One of them, originally known as Idea Italia, now operating as Delaware is Good for Business (DIGFB), brought the “Treasures and Tales of the Guardia di Finanza, Italy’s Art Recovery Team”, an interesting and interactive art exhibit, to the Grand Opera House in Wilmington in the Fall of 2014.
Uniscrap has an ambitious, global vision, that is rooted in a very practical approach, utilizing current industry resources and technology to develop relationships that will create funding and revenues that will finance future innovations and revenue streams. Currently, Panagiotis and his team are actively pursuing a variety of partnerships and sourcing agreements. In Europe, Uniscrap has established a partnership with FCC Environment on the Sourcing of Recyclable Resources (Alternative Fuels & Materials), and are working with the following materials: Tire scrap, Biomass (wood chip), Plastics, Metals and solid Recovery Fuel as well as Paper. At the moment they are working to supply Alternative Fuels to the Greek Cement Plants Industry.
Here in United States, UNISCRAP PBC is seeking to work with the government of Delaware, and participating on the Organics Task Force Committee, for designing and developing a solution for recovery the Organics Waste materials from the Poultry Industry and producing bi-products such as biogas, power and organic fertilizer. UNISCRAP has also established a partnership with North East Recycling Council organization.
In addition to the International Soft Landings Program, The Emerging Enterprise Center has a other incubation programs designed to assist start-up companies, including both a resident program for members who need office space, and a virtual program for members who want all of the benefits of support, access to resources and advice, without the need for space. Check it out at www.EECincubator.com. For more information, contact Frank DeSantis @ [email protected].
