Marta Iglesias, alumna IED Barcelona
Marta Iglesias, the co-founder of Recovo, holds a Master's degree in Fashion Design from IED Barcelona and is now a successful entrepreneur. Thanks to a brilliant, innovative and sustainable idea, which attracted the attention of a big in the fashion world such as Mango. We met her to ask for her point of view on the current market and some advice for tomorrow's entrepreneurs.
Your startup is recognized as one of the success stories in the industry. It has been selected for funding by Mango. What are the strengths that enabled Recovo to achieve this result?
Our main strength is a business model that places circularity at its centre, providing a solution to one of fashion's most significant problems: textile waste. The world is at a turning point where significant changes must occur in how the textile industry produces its products. Thanks to our platform, we can give leftover materials a second life, turning surplus from other companies into resources, contributing to a positive impact on the planet. And finally, we identified that many companies share our vision, which is to facilitate the implementation of circularity's 7Rs at the different points of the chain through technology.
In a world where everything has already been invented - but which changes so fast that it always generates new needs - what are the sectors or trends to watch out for to identify new innovative projects?
In today's world, there is a saturation of businesses, and it is increasingly difficult to progress as a company due to the high level of specialization in most sectors. That is why at Recovo, we are committed to projects that seek to positively impact the planet and defend the regeneration of nature. If we had to choose a direction to follow for the coming years, it would be the development of innovative materials and processes that allow us to reduce the use of natural resources through R&D or biodegradable raw materials.
Mistakes not to make and some pieces of advice for those dreaming of an entrepreneurial future.
Learn as much as you can from other companies. If you can work in a company in the sector, you will see situations that will save you from mistakes in the future. Lean on the network, both people you know and workers in the industry, and ask how they have done it. Their experience will be advantageous to you, and you will create friendships with people who will be by your side throughout your professional career. Don't be afraid. If you need the necessary resources, launch an MVP and see if it works. Imagine you spend years developing a web and production system, and the market doesn't want it when you launch it. You will save a lot by testing it before and making the necessary changes.