Student Social Impact Innovation

Story by Grace Richards

 Social Venture Academy is an on-campus program that launches student startups (nonprofit or for-profit) that solve social problems. A three-credit class runs concurrently with the program for students to develop skills, receive mentorship, and pitch for up to $24,500 in funding. The story below highlights one student’s successful experience in the program. 

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 Ryan Smith grew up with a passion for recycling. As a BYU student, he began finding new ways to help his apartment complex recycle materials, as there wasn’t a program.  

 Smith's innovative ideas evolved into Recyclops, a tech-driven startup creating and bettering existing recycling programs for communities. What started with one truck purchased from BYU surplus is now a nationwide business operating in over 30 states, bringing accessible recycling to over one million households. 

 Recyclops customers sign up for weekly or biweekly recycling pickups from their home. Recyclops hires local pickup drivers to reduce their carbon footprint and boost local economies. After pickup, the drivers transport the recyclables to the nearest sorting center. 

A Recyclops worker picking up materials from customers.

 Smith honed his entrepreneurial skills in BYU’s Marriott School of business and the Ballard Center’s Social Venture Academy (SVA). Through the SVA program, Smith secured funding and collaborated with a mentor to refine his business strategies. 

 "School becomes much more engaging when you can immediately apply what you learn to your business," Smith shares. "I gained so much more from my degree because I could directly apply my lessons to something I was truly passionate about." 

 After graduating in 2016 from BYU, Smith dedicated himself to Recyclops. In 2018, the company faced a major setback, losing eighty percent of its profits due to changing recycling policies in China. On the brink of personal bankruptcy, Smith witnessed a market recovery as countries like India and Malaysia began accepting U.S. plastics. Simultaneously, Smith revamped Recyclops' business model to maximize efficiency and profitability. 

 This strategic pivot enabled Recyclops to rebound and thrive. Today, Recyclops operates in over 30 states and attracts substantial investments, including a recent three-million-dollar seed investment led by the Clorox Company. Smith frequently returns to BYU Marriott to give guest lectures and hires interns from the school every semester. 

 "I received tremendous support from many people during my time at BYU Marriott, so I feel a strong obligation to give back," Smith explains.