The Australian Government's Innovation Report

BottleCycler: efficient and quiet glass recycling
Bars and restaurants can safely and quietly crush
empty glass bottles on site using a recycling device
called BottleCycler.
Photo credits: DITR
BottleCycler was developed from a Dutch prototype
adapted to the requirements of the Australian hosp -
itality industry. The device reduces the volume of
empty bottles by 80%, which also provides storage and
occupational health and safety solutions.
BottleCycler is compact and can be positioned behind a bar or in other convenient
places. The 60-litre device can hold 350 crushed glass bottles. The device is much safer
because staff no longer need to carry, sort and dispose of glass bottles, reducing
injuries from broken glass and from lifting.
The BottleCycler company was formed in 2002. A consultant referred the company
to the Commercialising Emerging Technologies programme and after a successful
application, it received a grant. The company was assigned a Commercialising
Emerging Technologies business advisor to help raise capital and provide general
business advice.
During the past two years BottleCycler has been sold to more than 160 restaurants,
bars and clubs in Sydney and Melbourne. The device won the best new hospitality
product award at the Sydney Fine Food Hotel Show in 2003-04 and was also
featured on the ABC television programme The New Inventors.
A recently published report looking at the sources of capital raised by COMET customers, Commercialising
Emerging Technology (COMET) Programme – Sources of Investment Study, found that:
• over 18 months (July 2004 to December 2005), 77 past and present COMET customers sourced
investments worth approximately $90 million;
• 65% of companies’ sourced investment from business angels valued at just under $30 million;
• three companies were listed on the stock exchange, valued at $30 million; and
• the remainder of investments were other equity sources, such as venture capital and corporate investments,
debt finance and other investments such as sale of IP and the acquisition of companies by ASX-listed
companies.
More information about COMET can be found at: www.ausindustry.gov.au
Chapter 2 - Initiatives for a dynamic national innovation system 63