A Fremantle-based startup is expanding the reach of its smart dog bag dispensers across more local communities after securing a three-year deal with the City of Swan.
In an innovative approach to tackle the lack of dog waste bags in public spaces and alleviate the burden on councils to replenish them, Little Rippers dispensers use connected sensors to alert councils when bags are running low.
Designed with the environment in mind, the dispensers are made of hardy UV-stabilised materials to stop the compostable bags from sticking together in the Australian heat.
Little Rippers founder and CEO Peter Konstek said ongoing support from the City of Fremantle played a key supportive role.
We’re forever grateful to the City of Fremantle for opening their doors and working with us to develop our product. As a Fremantle-based startup, it’s been refreshing to know that my local council has my back and has encouraged one of its residents to innovate.
Peter Konstek, founder and CEO of Little Rippers.
The partnership highlights the impact local council support can have on a startup by turning a vision into a significant council contract.
City of Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said “Fremantle is pleased to support local entrepreneurs, especially when the innovation leads to improved outcomes for our community.”
The dispensers are being trialled by seven other WA councils, with regional towns like Denmark, Bunbury and Karratha also jumping on board.
“It’s a huge benefit, especially for regional areas because some of these dispensers are twenty to thirty kilometres away.
“Often the rangers who have to check up on them spend up to three-quarters of their day doing this one job, so now they will have more time for other projects,” Peter said.
Peter hopes to roll out Little Rippers products to more communities in WA, with his eyes set on the eastern states and overseas in the future.
“Next year we’ll start rolling out over the east coast and also start looking at international markets with licensing it into other countries for local distributors,” Peter said.
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