DA.AI Technology aims to reduce plastic waste by using PET bottles and plastic bags as raw materials to produce textile products and oil. Through its eco-friendly products and environmental education, DA.AI hopes to inspire businesses and the public to protect the environment. The company utilizes a closed-loop cradle to cradle process with over 76,000 volunteer collectors. If awarded $50,000, DA.AI would invest in pyrolysis technology to convert plastic bags into oil and develop higher value recycled materials.
1. Environmental Protection ļ½„ Technology ļ½„ Humanitarian Culture
Extending Articleās Life by Bringing New Life to Plastic Wastes, and
Promoting Environmental Education
Dr. Ting Hung
DA.AI Technology Co. Ltd./Head of RD Department
No. 63, 2F, Zhouzi St, Neihu Dist., Taipei City 11493
TEL: (886)2-2657-5245 # 1902
FAX: (886)2-8751-3450
EMAIL: Ting_hung@daait.com,
Siewhui_chong@daait.com
Website: www.daait.com, shop.daait.com 1
2. Our Green Mission
Fact: According to Taiwan EPA (2010), Taiwanese consume 4.5 billion PET bottles and 18
billion plastic bags each year !
Our green mission: DA.AI Technology, with the concept of
āCoexisting with the Earthā, aims
to reduce the amount of these accumulated plastic wastes (PET
bottles and plastic bags), and use them as the raw materials in Waste PET bottles
producing textile products and oil respectively.
most importantly, through telling the stories of our products,
to educate people to be environmentally conscious.
to convey our concept of: It is not to encourage consumption,
but to promote the importance of using alternatives, and
cherishing things in our daily lives. Waste fabrics Waste plastic bags
Our target: To achieve a sustainable zero-waste Cradle to Cradle (C2C) manufacturing closed-loop process.
Our ultimate goal: To encourage and inspire more businesses, organizations, industry leaders and the
general public to join our efforts in cherishing and protecting our Mother Earth and giving back to society.
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3. DA.AI Eco Brand
Meaning āGreat Loveā in Chinese
DA.AI Tech. serves as an educational platform promoting
green livings, as well as an integrating platform Incinerated Landfilled
combining the efforts from individuals and entrepreneurs to Dumped at seas
recycle and reuse the resources.
A) All DA.AI eco textile products have: In 2010, the global bottled water
High purity, are safe to use. consumption was about 237 billion L
No piece dyeing (original color of bottles/dope-dyed). ā 6.85 million tons of waste non-
Mostly 90-100% of recycled material content (50% as degradable PET plastic!
the min., and 100% as the goal). (Ref.:Zenith International, 76 countries)
Production History Card ā allows our customers to
understand our green technology. If landfilled
QR Code ā moving stories of our volunteers, thus inspiring = Emitting 0.27 million tons of CO2e;
customers to apply recycling in daily lives. If incinerated
Thus DA.AI Brand is, eco, educational & humanitarian. = Emitting 8.49 million tons of CO2e.
B) Pyrolysis oil from waste plastic bags
(upcycling): However, if recycled and processed
Good quality into chips for textiles =
Can be used to replace boiler fuel oil Saving 7.59 million tons of CO2e !!
Potential to replace diesel fuel *As compared with using virgin materials
(Ref.: Calculated using WARM, USEPA)
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4. Eco Products and Stores
Eco Products: Blankets, Garments, Bags, T-shirts, Coats,
Stores in Taiwan Scarves, Daily supplies
7 DA.AI Eco Concept Stores
47 DA.AI Service Booths (in Tzu Chi Jing Si
Halls, Tzu Chi Offices, Tzu Chi Hospitals)
50 Jingsi Book Stores (To sell DA.AI classic
eco products)
Stores Overseas
1 DA.AI Eco Concept Stores in China
9 Jingsi Book Stores (To sell DA.AI classic
eco products in USA, China, Dominican
Republic, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia,
DA.AIās Eco Products are all derived from recycled PET bottles,
Australia, Hong Kong and Philippines)
which are collected, treated and sorted by 76,000 volunteers in Taiwan.
Tzu Chi followers (about 4 millions), members and environmental
E-Shop protectors all over the world who recognize the concept and values of
DA.AI, are our potential customers.
http://shop.daait.com (Taiwan)
http://www.taibaoo.com/shop/daait DA.AI has organized more than 280 presentations, exhibitions and events
to educate and promote our environmental concepts and eco products.
(China)
KIOSK DA.AI APP (under construction)
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5. Our Technology
Technology 1 (mature): To use waste bottles as the raw materials for textile products
This technology is now in the mature stage, producing eco textile products and sustaining our company.
Nearly 160 tons of PET bottles are recycled at the 5413 recycling stations in Taiwan, 76,000 volunteers each month.
Re-sorting De-capping Removing bottle Cutting into flakes Washing of flakes
waste bottles rings
Chips from Textile products Yarn Granulation
waste fabrics
Recycling of waste fabrics
Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Closed-Loop Process
Technology 2 (bench scale): To use waste plastic bags as the raw materials for oil production
It is now in the experimental stage (bench scale, 20 kg/h).
Nearly 2.8 million plastic bags are recycled at the 5413 recycling stations in Taiwan, 76,000 volunteers each month.
Breaking up
Re-sorting waste plastic bags
(about 1 cm)
Feeding Pyrolysis process āPlasticā oil 5
6. Marketing and Sales Strategy
Domestic and international exhibitions in 2012:
ā¢ 38 oversea exhibitions Tzu Chi Recycling
ā¢ 9 domestic exhibitions Supply Chains Stations
Seminars:
ā¢ 183 presentations
ā¢ 54 eco product promoting activities
Runaway shows:
ā¢ 2 large-scale runway shows Business to Business to Business
ā¢ 10 small-scale runway shows Customer B2B
B2C
Cross-industry alliances:
ā¢ 4 business alliances Physical Virtual Semi-
channel channel Products manufactured
Media: products
ā¢ Quarterly Journals named āGreen Bodhiā
ā¢
ā¢APP
ā¢
ā¢
ā¢
ā¢ Tzu
ā¢ Magazines, DVD
ns
statio
ce
Servi
s
store
ept
conc
Eco-
orate
Corp
es
offic
Chi
k
Kios
ites
Webs
Bra
nd
ā¢ Photography
ā¢ EDM marketing
ā¢ Online marketing It cost approximately US$100 thousand dollars for
DA.AI Eco concept stores promotion events in 2012.
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7. The Market
of our textile products
Company Taiwan's brand A Japan's brand B
DA.AI
Name items
Time to market 2008 2007 2003
Market share (%) 99 0.06 0.27
Functional recycled PET yarn and
Market segmentation 100% recycled PET end products Functional recycled PET yarn recycled PET textiles yarn
Marketing channel Eco brand supplier ODM ODM
1. Controls the source and the quality of raw 1. Uses chemical methods on 1. Uses chemical methods on the
materials on its own, achieving more energy the recycled PET bottles to recycled PET bottles to achieve
savings and carbon emission reduction achieve quality stability and quality stability and functionality.
through physical melting technology. functionality. 2. Develops a wide range of
Technology advantage 2. High (90-100%) recycled polyester content 2. Develops a wide range of applications from the functional
increases the feasibility of re-processing of applications from the yarn.
the waste PET textiles. functional yarn.
1. High purity of raw materials. 1.Has a wealth of production 1.Has a wealth of production
2. Non piece-dyed as the goal. experience. experience.
Controlling of key
3. High (90-100%) recycled polyester content, 2.Produces a variety of 2.Produces a variety of functional
components
with 50% as the min and 100% as the goal. functional recycled PET yarns. recycled PET yarns.
1. Obtains good quality of eco-friendly Limited to the use of chemical Limited to the use of chemical
Quality advantage products through the control of raw materials. methods to meet customer methods to meet customer
2. High yield rate. demands. demands.
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8. Our Story & Team
Volunteers are the source of strength
for changing the world in the 21st century
Tzu Chi International Humanitarian Aid Association (TIHAA) was formed out of the compassion of Dharma
Master Cheng Yen, the founder of Tzu Chi Foundation (the largest non-profit charity organization in Chinese-
2003 speaking world) in view of the massive destruction to the earth by human beings, which causes natural disasters.
Master instructed her disciples to research and develop products which can be used in international relief missions.
Looking at the adverse impact of non-biodegradable plastic bottles, the head of TIHAA, Walter Huang, started to
2006 gather vendors to set up assembly lines producing eco-friendly textile products using recycled plastic bottles.
After Masterās approval, Walter Huang, James Lee, and three other entrepreneurs then established DA.AI
2008 Technology Co. Ltd., aiming to solve the environmental problem and promote environmental education.
Board of directors: Tzu Chi Foundation (http://tw.tzuchi.org/en/)
Director: Walter Huang ā Also the President of Texma International Co. Ltd.,
AND a happy volunteer who helps tirelessly in international relief missions.
Executive director: James Lee ā Also the Vice President of Kee Yeh Co., Ltd.,
AND a volunteer executive director at DA.AI Tech.
These groups of entrepreneur volunteers have their own business or career to
manage, and at the same time are committed to Tzu Chi as volunteers. The main
objectives of these entrepreneur volunteers are to combine both charity and Director, Walter Executive Director,
Huang helping in James Lee sharing
environmental protection. international relief experience with young
mission generation
We also have a group of dedicated volunteers who recycle and re-sort wastes for
DA.AI to use as the raw materials for production. Currently we have 76,000
volunteers around Taiwan.
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9. Financials
Type of company: Self-Sustaining Social Enterprise
Name of brand: DA.AI
Number of employees: 98
Major products: Eco textile-related products (chips/pellets, yarns, fabrics, garments, bags etc.)
DA.AI hopes to inspire more businesses, organizations, industry leaders and the general public to form a Cycle of Love
100% net proceeds donated
5,413 recycling stations DA.AI Tech. &
to domestic/international relief
76,000 volunteers business partners and charity
Startup capital and projected revenue:
In 2008, five entrepreneurs equally invested 91.6
Revenue (million US $)
30
million New Taiwan (NT) dollars (ā US $3.1 25
million) in total, and founded DA.AI Technology,
20
the first green, socially responsible enterprise in
15
Taiwan, which contributes entirely to the society.
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As seen in the figure, the revenue growth
5
rate increased exponentially in the first few years
since its establishment (2008-2012). 0
We project that in the next three years (2013-2015), 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Year
DA.AIās revenue would be exponentially increased
at a growth rate of 20-30%.
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10. Sustainability
Cradle to CradleĀ® closed-loop system Production History Card
Transformation of waste plastic bags
Development of new functions for eco-fabrics
Ventilation and moisture
absorption Technology Product ā¢ Traces back to the sources of material
ā¢ Allows users to understand the making
Cooling and heating process and production time
QR Code-Stories of EP Volunteers
Good elasticity
Allows users to
84% energy savings, and ā¢ realize how small powers can be
77% carbon emission gathered to affect the Earthās future
reduction ā¢ be inspired and apply recycling in
Operation daily lives
Emphasis on sharing and environmental education Implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility
ā¢ More than 280 programs organized each year ā¢ Values corporate interest, the interests of employees,
customers and shareholders
Professional certifications and recognitions ā¢ Cares for social and ecological interests
ā¢ Recognitions with 13 certifications and 11 awards
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11. Achievements and Timeline
Short-term strategy:
International and Domestic Recognitions: Enhancing our technologies:
Improve the functionality of products.
Further reduce carbon and plastic footprints.
Obtaining certification and authentication for our
Control Union GRS TĆV Rheinland Group
Recycled Material Product Water Footprint processes.
Achieving an industrial scale of producing oil from
Cradle to Cradle Products
Innovation Institute (C2CPII) waste plastic bags, in order to replace the use of fossil
Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM Silver fuel.
EPA
TĆV Rheinland Group
Taiwan Green Mark Providing more education and exchange programs for
Recycled Material
the general public.
Forming an alliance with individuals, schools,
Ministry of Economic TĆV Rheinland Group
Taiwan Textile Research businesses and industrial leaders for protecting the
Institute
Affairs (MOEA) Product Carbon
National-standard for
environment.
M.I.T. Green Product Footprint
textile products Long-term goal:
DA.AIās Resource Recovery Statistics 2009~2012 Become a global role model in the environmental
industry.
Recycled 254 million PET bottles If we won the $50,000 Prizeā¦
ļ® First, we would invest in building a demo pyrolysis
Saved 4 million L of oil unit for converting waste plastic bags into useful oil,
for use in various industries in place of fossil fuel use.
Reduced 16 million kg of CO2-e ļ® Second, we would develop functional RE-PET chips to
maximize the value of recycled resources.
Saved 686 million L of water 11
Editor's Notes
Team Name: What is your organizationās name, contact info, name and title of primary contact? Include a one-sentence description of what your company does.
What specific problem are you tackling? We know youāre helping solve plastic pollution, but which part of it, specifically? Persuasively describe what youāre targeting.
How does your product solve the problem you described? Explain your value proposition and how your impact will be measurable. For this slide, focus on being persuasive, rather than technical.
How does your company make money? Who are your customers and how do they find your product? ā check overseas stores no.
Tell us about your technology. How does it work, and what resources does it require? Diagrams may be more helpful than text here.
What is your marketing and sales strategy? Describe how you will reach your target audience and customers. What channels will you use, and what are the approximate costs?
Who are your competitors? Better to be thorough than narrow: We want to see that youāve done your homework. Focus on why youāre good instead of why your competitors are bad.
Whoās on your team? What experience do they bring? Describe your management and, if applicable, board of directors, advisors and investors.
Financials: What is your projected revenue three and five years out? How many customers do you expect to have then, and at what conversion rate? What startup capital do you need? Have you raised any money through friends, family or angels? How long will that money will last, and when will you need to raise your next round? Financial forecasts are, by nature, guesses, but we need to see your thinking behind them.
Sustainability: Explain how your company is ecologically sound. What action are you taking to build sustainability into both the production of your product and operations of your company?
What is your current status? Any accomplishments to date youād like to mention? Whatās on your timeline for the near future? If you win the $50,000 First Prize, how will you use the investment?