Davaam, the refill station startup, has a $120,000 grant from the World Bank. What are they using it for?

Three years ago, when Profit first covered Davaam, the sustainability-focused startup was aiming to revolutionise waste management and install innovative refill stations, hoping to convince multinational FMCGs to embrace a more environmentally conscious approach to packaging. 

It was the kind of plan that hopes large companies manufacturing products such as shampoo will encourage their customers to refill their bottles (and save a little money in the process) instead of buying new ones. They were banking heavily on their refilling stations. 

Three years later, this plan has failed to materialise. In case you have not noticed, there are not any refilling stations offering these services, or any companies advertising their products at refilling stations. 

Yet Davaam is alive and kicking. 

The company has evolved into something far more ambitious; a technology company that's finding unexpected success in industrial solutions, private labelled products for refilling old plastic bottles and corporate partnerships for its sanitary napkin vending machines. 

So what is Davam doing now, after big MNCs closed their doors on their face.