Ugandan Climate-Tech Company Modernizes Waste Management

Yo-Waste is a Ugandan climate-tech company using digital technology to modernize waste collection and recycling across Africa. Founded by Martin Tumusiime (CEO) together with Gideon Mpungu, Enock Lubowa, Brenda Namuli, and Rogers Kibuule, the company launched in 2018 with a mission to solve one of Africa’s most persistent urban challenges through smart, on-demand waste management.

Its cloud- and mobile-based platform connects households, businesses, municipalities, waste collectors, and recyclers, making waste collection faster, more reliable, and more efficient.

Often described as the “Uber for waste,” Yo-Waste enables users to schedule waste pickups through its mobile app while intelligently matching them with the nearest collection providers. The platform also empowers independent waste haulers to access new customers, reduces unnecessary transportation costs, and diverts recyclable materials away from landfills.

Today, Yo-Waste serves more than 1,000 households, businesses, and municipal clients, collects approximately 320 tonnes of municipal waste each month, and is helping communities across Uganda become cleaner and more sustainable.

What began as a student research project at Makerere University has grown into one of Uganda’s leading climate-tech startups, supported by organizations including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as it expands its smart-city and recycling solutions.

Yo-Waste has earned international recognition for its innovation, with founder Martin Tumusiime named a finalist in the 2024 Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, further cementing the company’s reputation as a pioneer in technology-driven environmental solutions.