Droppie raises €4.2 million to expand its recycling stores
Droppie plans to expand to 70 locations and is committed to clean, reward-based waste collection in the Netherlands.
Published on June 22, 2026
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The Dutch startup Droppie has raised €4.2 million in growth capital to significantly expand its network of recycling stores. The company aims to grow from 13 to 70 locations in major cities throughout the Netherlands. Droppie operates a one-stop recycling store where consumers can drop off items such as textiles, returnable packaging, old appliances, and cooking oil.
Rewarding consumers directly
Droppie focuses on encouraging better waste separation by directly rewarding consumers for turning in materials such as plastic packaging, textiles, and small electronics. In the stores, this is done via the so-called Dropbot: an AI-powered drop-off machine that recognizes the material, weighs it, and automatically issues a reward through the Droppie app.
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High-quality recycling
According to the company, cleaner collection is essential for high-quality recycling. Many waste streams in the Netherlands are currently contaminated, making it difficult to reuse materials. By collecting waste directly from consumers and linking it to a digital system, a more traceable and cleaner flow of raw materials is created.
This development is part of a broader context. Europe aims to reduce its dependence on imported raw materials and, through legislation such as the PPWR, is increasingly prioritizing the use of recycled materials. At the same time, recycled materials often remain more expensive and scarcer than newly produced materials, partly due to inefficient collection.
Jobs for people facing barriers to employment
In addition to its environmental impact, Droppie also has a social mission. With support from investors such as the Amsterdam Climate and Energy Fund and the Social Impact Fund, the company is creating jobs for people facing barriers to employment.
Collecting data
With the new funding, Droppie aims to further roll out its technology and collect data on waste streams, so that manufacturers can better demonstrate which recycled materials they use. In this way, the company hopes to become a key link in the Netherlands’ circular economy.