Sam Linfield, University of Bath graduate and winner of Graduate Startup of the Year for the South West at the National StartUp Awards 2023, is the founder and CEO of ECOZE, ‘the planet’s most powerful carbon footprint tracker’.
Background
After graduating from the University of Bath with a BSc (Hons) Physics, Sam returned home during the pandemic and joined the family business. Working alongside his parents, he was dealing with large-scale procurement and supply of sanitary equipment. During this time, he was able to develop his business skills, learn how to identify and overcome challenges, and gain a wealth of experience associated with running a company.
It was whilst working at home, that ECOZE was born. Working with big corporations, Sam witnessed their reluctance to procure sustainably, the reason was due in part to a perceived lack of customer demand, which Sam did not believe was the case, saying:
Consumers are more aware than ever of the need to reduce their carbon footprint and will often look for more sustainable options.
His initial idea was to develop a sustainable company accreditation scheme. This would give companies an ‘eco’ rating dependent on the sustainability of each product they sell and give consumers a continuous point of comparison. Assessing the feasibility of this approach, Sam was researching the issue with local businesses to see whether he was solving a real-world problem with a viable solution.
It was at this point that he realised he needed professional support to turn his idea into a credible business.
Working with the Innovation Centre
Sam contacted the Bath Alumni team asking for marketing support with his accreditation scheme and was put in touch with SETsquared at the University of Bath’s Innovation Centre.
As a member of SETsquared’s Incubator Programme, Sam was able to access the support services, enterprise activities and investment networks he needed to develop ECOZE. The Innovation Centre facilitated networking opportunities and perhaps most importantly, introduced Sam to his mentor, Peter Keevil, the Entrepreneur in Residence. It was under his guidance that the ecoTracker emerged and is now the main focus of ECOZE.
Peter’s support included tough critiques and the identification of unforeseen problems. Sam addressed these, working together with his mentor to continually develop and refine the ecoTracker. Drawing on his physics background, Sam says:
One thing I’ve learned, is that I have to smile when I come across a difficult problem. A problem means there is a solution, I’ve just got to find it. Personally, many of my low moments have been swiftly followed by a great positive change in direction which has brought me one step closer to success.
The pair have regular bi-weekly meetings and ECOZE plans to bring Pete onboard in-future, as a member of the board of advisors.
The support offered by the Innovation Centre and SETsquared Bath has been invaluable in helping me develop the ECOZE ecoTracker. In particular, the ongoing help and encouragement provided by my mentor Pete Keevil will enable me to bring to market a product that far exceeded my expectations.
How the ecoTracker has been developed
ECOZE actively engages in collecting a user’s data to calculate their carbon footprint using a framework developed by University of Oxford researchers in 2022. The framework calculates a product’s carbon footprint using detailed information on its packaging. The data supplied by companies enables the tracker to give each product a sustainability rating and provides the customer with a wide range of greater sustainable alternatives.
By harnessing the user's right to Data Portability and Subject Access Requests, ECOZE enables a seamless transfer of essential information. For example, if a customer directs Tesco to share their purchase data, accumulated via their Clubcard, with ECOZE, Tesco is legally bound to comply. This innovative approach (product-by-product level carbon footprint tracking) is applicable to any retailer or supermarket that gathers users' non-anonymised data. In simple terms, ECOZE functions as a bridge between consumers and retailers - connecting individuals to their environmental impact in a way that's never been done before.
The eco-tracker app provides the customer with information, allowing them to make informed decisions about reducing their carbon footprint and includes:
- automated tracking for all aspects of their footprint, from purchases to travel
- unmatched accuracy in carbon footprint calculations
- scoring made using real data collected from brands and supply chains
- feedback on choices in products, brands & retailers with product-by-product precision
- extensive guidance for improving sustainability
The future
ECOZE is much more than just the ecoTracker, it is a community - and with the consumers in charge of making decisions to purchase sustainability, ECOZE is set to become a powerful force for driving sustainability on a large scale.
ECOZE is planning a Beta launch in Spring 2024 across iOS and Android Devices for individuals signed up to the waitlist to be the initial test users of the app.
And finally, asking Sam for advice for any future entrepreneurs, he says:
Do what you enjoy, it makes everything so much easier!
For further information about ECOZE visit: www.ecoze.co.uk