Turning Waste into Opportunity: How Eco Glasera Brought Circular Innovation to STRI4Society Week 2026

The buzz of conversation filled the exhibition hall at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) as innovators, researchers, policymakers and entrepreneurs moved from booth to booth during STRI4Society Week 2026. Amid displays of cutting-edge technologies and scientific breakthroughs, stood a table lined with products that had once been discarded glass bottles.

For Eco Glasera, it was more than an exhibition. It was an opportunity to tell a story. One about waste, young people, and the possibility of building a greener future from materials many people throw away without a second thought.

As visitors stopped to examine the recycled glass products, questions quickly followed. How are they made? Who collects the glass? Can this create jobs? Each question opened a conversation about Eco Glasera’s mission: transforming glass waste into valuable products while creating opportunities for communities and young people.

On the 18th of May, Eco Glasera’s co-founder, Ryan Gathitu, had the opportunity to engage with Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, Principal Secretary for Science, Research and Innovation. Standing beside Eco Glasera’s display, the two discussed the role of innovation in solving everyday environmental challenges and how youth-led initiatives can contribute to Kenya’s development agenda.

The interaction represented something larger than a meeting with a government official. It was recognition that solutions to some of Kenya’s biggest challenges can emerge from young innovators who are willing to see opportunity where others see waste.

The encounter reflected the spirit of STRI4Society Week, a national platform designed to bridge science, research and innovation with the needs of society. The event brought together innovators from across the country to showcase practical solutions addressing sustainability, economic development, climate resilience and social impact.

For Eco Glasera, participation in the event was a reminder that the conversation around waste is changing. Glass bottles are no longer viewed solely as rubbish destined for landfills. Increasingly, they are being seen as resources that can be repurposed, transformed and returned to the economy.

As Kenya continues to invest in science, research and innovation as drivers of development, Eco Glasera remains committed to demonstrating that solutions to environmental challenges can emerge from local ideas, community action and a willingness to rethink what we throw away.