We were lucky to catch up with Aswin Bandaru recently and have shared our conversation below.

Aswin, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

Undertaking an innovative startup has been one of the most challenging endeavors of my life, yet I have no regrets. There are fluctuations; some days are rewarding, others challenging, but the prospect of working on making an impact is exhilarating every day.

Am I satisfied with the current state of the business? There’s room for improvement, a sentiment likely shared by many business owners.

Having spent over a decade in the industry, the job provided the means to establish my life post-university and gain diverse experiences. While I face the same financial responsibilities that come with existence, post university/education, I hold the belief that the purpose of human life extends beyond merely holding a job or building a career. So, the job served primarily as a platform to continue the exploration I began in university: delving into the sciences that elucidate the interactions of fluids with structures and their significance to our world. Mid-career, content with my acquired knowledge, I chose to embark on another journey intrinsic to my identity: disruptive innovation aimed at the sustainable transformation of our ecosystem.

Aswin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was raised in the rural areas of India, where I developed a profound bond with nature and the environment. The color green holds a special place in my heart. I relocated to the US to explore life in the land of the free.

For about a decade, I worked as a sales engineer in the maritime and offshore energy industry. Being green at heart, I pondered on the sustainable transformation of energy and our ecosystems. Deciding to address some of our species’ most critical problems, I recognized these issues were intertwined with business and economics. Pursuing an MBA seemed a solid foundation for this endeavor. In 2017, I moved to Denmark, enrolled in an MBA program at Copenhagen Business School, and by the end of it, we were employing a startup/disruptive innovation framework to capture CO2 and mitigate global warming. We realized the need to tackle the even more significant and longstanding issue of Consumption. Consuming of not only food but a lot of other goods is leaving a lot of waste contaminating our natural environment. So, we started Fizzit, offering CO2 carbonation services to soda water machine users, aiming to boost zero waste home carbonation solutions and reduce waste. However, COVID-19 altered many business and personal plans, leading to my return to the US in early 2022.

COVID-19 may have been a significant shock, but it was not enough to overcome our resilience. With determination to persevere, we launched Mission Zero in 2023, incorporating lessons learned from our venture in Denmark.

At Mission Zero, we’re creating smart, reusable alternatives to the plastics and disposables used in food service and consumer goods packaging, which pose health risks, exacerbate climate change, and drain our tax dollars. The disposable model is not economically viable. We also zero waste logistics and infrastructure solutions for facilities with significant food service operations. We are on a mission to eliminate waste from our food and consumer goods.

Our Smart Takeout product line includes intelligent cups designed to replace the disposable ones used for takeout coffee. These reusable cups, crafted from sturdy materials like metal, undergo industrial cleaning and are reused multiple times before reaching their end of life. It is estimated that a single reusable cup can replace up to 50 disposable cups. Moving away from the traditional purchase and transaction model, we are pioneering a “Takeout as a Service” approach. In this innovative model, coffee patrons “borrow” a cup for their use and return it after they’re done. We provide a convenient and complimentary curbside pickup service, or alternatively, we have a return bin system where patrons can drop off the cups at various locations at their own convenience.

Our goal is to expand this responsible consumption model to include other foods, beverages, and consumer goods.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Since my college days, I have been an advocate for improving methods and practices. This passion only intensified throughout my industry career. I enhanced content, streamlined processes, and turned data into actionable insights. Naturally, I pondered over issues that spanned beyond organizations, considering broader solutions. In 2012, at a pivotal point in my career, I secured a provisional patent for an idea, sparking my interest in disruptive innovation and propelling me on an ongoing journey. In 2017, I relocated to Denmark for an MBA program, which culminated in starting a business, marking a significant pivot in my career, industry, and location.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The sources of new customers for a business vary based on multiple factors, such as the company’s stage of growth etc. For startups and small enterprises, close friends, neighbors, and personal networks often serve as initial ambassadors. This was the case for my business in Denmark, where we secured our first clients through connections with those close to us. Subsequently, we began to attract more customers via online platforms. Currently, my business is concentrating solely on direct sales. In an era dominated by social and viral media, traditional channels may be overlooked; however, depending on the nature of the business, direct selling can be highly effective to not only deliver value for customers but also build long term relationships of trust.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.missionzero.green
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missionzero.green/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missionzero.green
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-bandaru/
• Twitter: https://x.com/AswinBandaru