In an era where sustainability is no longer a trend but a mandate, few names stand out in the region’s circular-economy movement like Mostafa El Kabbany, the founder of Big Scrappers. His journey didn’t begin with an app, a pitch deck, or a tech office. It began more than a decade ago — on the ground, in scrapyards, in informal markets, and inside a recycling ecosystem that desperately needed transparency, fairness, and innovation.
From identifying inefficiencies that had been overlooked for years to building a technology platform that today operates across Egypt, Bosnia, and Dubai, Mostafa has spent the last decade pushing a simple but powerful idea: Recycling should be easy, rewarding, and accessible for everyone.
Today, Big Scrappers is not just a recycling company — it is becoming one of the region’s most forward-looking digital circular-economy platforms, empowering households, businesses, and entire communities to turn “waste” into resources.
Below is our exclusive interview with the founder who is redefining the future of recycling across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
Mostafa, let’s start at the beginning. What first drew you into the world of recycling and scrap trading?
I began my journey in 2012, long before Big Scrappers existed. I was deeply involved in the buying and selling of metals — especially aluminum — and spent years building relationships across the recycling supply chain. The deeper I went, the more I realized how much value was being lost through informal channels. People weren’t getting fair prices, businesses had no transparency, and the industry lacked technology entirely. That moment of clarity is what pushed me to commit to transforming this sector.
Before founding Big Scrappers, what experiences shaped your understanding of this industry?
My background is a mix of entrepreneurship, operational management, and early family-business exposure to recycling. I managed scrap trading operations, handled pricing, learned logistics firsthand, and saw the fluctuations in market demand. All of these experiences built the foundation for what Big Scrappers would eventually become.
For readers who are new to Big Scrappers, how would you describe the company today?
Big Scrappers, founded in 2024, is a digital recycling and circular-economy platform that makes recycling simple, fair, and rewarding for individuals and businesses. We turned a traditionally offline, informal sector into a transparent, app-driven service that offers:
- Door pickups
- Cash or points rewards
- A mobile app
- A free online marketplace
- Transparent pricing
- Reporting tools for businesses
- And an easy way for anyone to earn from recycling
Today, Big Scrappers serves tens of thousands of users across Egypt, Bosnia, and Dubai — from households and compounds to hotels, SMEs, and large institutions.
What inspired you to build Big Scrappers specifically as a digital platform?
I saw a gap that was too big to ignore. The industry didn’t need more trucks — it needed technology. A platform that connects people directly to trusted collectors, tracks materials, manages pricing, schedules pickups, and rewards users through a digital system. That is what Big Scrappers does. We digitized every step of the recycling process so people can manage it entirely from their phones.
What services and features does the Big Scrappers app offer?
Our services include:
- Door-to-door recyclable collection
- Cash or redeemable points for every pickup
- A free marketplace for used/new items
- Waste management solutions for compounds and businesses
- Community engagement and awareness programs
For individuals, the app allows users to schedule pickups, choose cash or points, track their recycling history, receive impact summaries, and access exclusive bonuses and rewards.
For businesses, we offer recurring pickups, account managers, monthly recycling reports, CSR support, special retainer rates, and the ability to onboard employees or residents.
Our tech features include:
- A logistics engine matching users to the nearest collector
- A digital pricing calculator
- In-app wallet & points system
- A marketplace engine
- Automated monthly reporting
Example use case:
A residential compound partners with us. We install recycling bins, handle weekly pickups, and provide monthly reports — plus an extra 10% cash bonus every time a resident recycles through the app.
What is Big Scrappers’ mission and what values guide the company?
Mission:
To be the most reliable and efficient recycling partner for individuals and businesses by transforming recyclable materials into valuable resources and driving sustainability forward.
Core values:
- Sustainability
- Transparency
- Fairness
- Accessibility
- Community empowerment
- Innovation
My long-term vision is to build the leading circular-economy platform across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe — operating in 10+ countries and empowering millions.
Success, for us, is when recycling becomes effortless, valuable, and a natural part of everyday life.
How is Big Scrappers driving real impact on the ground?
Our impact is measurable and growing:
- We divert significant volumes of plastic, aluminum, carton, and other recyclables from landfills each month.
- Thousands of households earn real income or rewards from recycling.
- We run community programs with schools, compounds, companies, and events.
- We’ve built partnerships with sustainability-focused organizations — particularly in Dubai and through multiple activations in Egypt.
Let’s talk expansion. Why did you choose Dubai as your next major market?
2025 marks our official entry into the UAE. Dubai is a global leader in sustainability and a tech-first city that embraces innovation. It offers the perfect environment to expand our digital recycling model. We are currently launching our on-ground operations, onboarding partners, and preparing a full-scale rollout across the city.
Big Scrappers has also entered Europe through Bosnia. What made Bosnia a strategic choice?
Bosnia became one of our first international expansions even before Dubai. It gave us a flexible, strategic entry point into Europe, allowing us to refine our logistics and digital operations in a new market. Europe is absolutely part of our long-term plan — and Bosnia is just the beginning.
As a tech pioneer, what do you see as the future of your platform?
We’re working on:
- More efficient routing and dispatch systems
- Enhanced B2B dashboards
- AI-assisted pricing and sorting
- More marketplace capabilities
- New store locations in additional markets
- Gamified rewards and loyalty tiers
In the next five years, we aim to operate across multiple countries and become the leading digital recycling platform in MENA and Europe.
What personal challenge shaped you the most as an entrepreneur?
The biggest challenge was building trust in an industry that was mostly informal. Convincing people that recycling could be digital, transparent, and rewarding required a lot of persistence and education. But that challenge became the foundation of our success.
Before we wrap up, what drives you personally in this journey?
Recycling is not just business — it’s impact. Every household, every company, every pickup makes a difference, and that’s what drives me every day.
Where can readers learn more about Big Scrappers or follow your journey?
Stay tuned for the official launch of Big Scrappers Dubai and upcoming announcements across the region and beyond.
