In India, waste management is often chaotic and overwhelming, with growing piles of garbage threatening both land and air. According to a report by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India generates over 62 million tonnes (MT) of waste annually, of which about 70% is collected.
But in the midst of this challenge, WeVois Labs, co-founded by Abhishek Gupta and Abhinav Vashistha, is changing the narrative. From tackling everyday sanitation issues to fostering behavioural change, WeVOIS Labs is poised to play a pivotal role in making India cleaner, greener, and more sustainable.
A Vision rooted in experience
Abhishek Gupta didn’t always imagine himself in the waste management industry. His story began in 2014 when he was an undergraduate student at IIIT Jabalpur, participating in the Indian government’s Swachh Bharat (Clean India) Mission. The mission aimed to clean up the streets and waste systems across India, and it was there that Abhishek first noticed how serious the waste problem was. “To be honest, I had no plans to work in waste management,” he reflects.
The turning point came two years later when Abhishek saw something that stuck with him—a man urinating against a wall, even though there was a nearby public toilet. “It bothered me because there was a clean toilet right there,” he recalls. “I thought, maybe he didn’t know it was there, or maybe it was unhygienic.” This sparked an idea: what if technology could help solve this problem?
Abhishek reached out to his friend Abhinav, and together, they developed an app to help people locate public toilets and waste bins. “We wanted to do something simple, something that would make everyday life easier and cleaner,” says Abhishek. But what started as a small project quickly turned into a mission to change waste management across India.
Building the Solution
In 2018, Abhishek and Abhinav officially founded WeVois Labs, a waste management company dedicated to cleaning cities and creating sustainable solutions. They began their operations in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan (the largest state of India), as the headquarters with operations across 15 cities.
The solution has seen some positive feedback. For instance, in Sikar, a small town in Rajasthan, the waste collection was disorganized and incomplete. “When we started, only about 50 to 60 percent of the waste was being collected,” Abhishek recalls.
Through persistent efforts, including training sanitation workers and deploying their technology, the duo raised the city’s waste collection rate to 100%. “We saw the change happening right before our eyes,” says Abhishek. “People started to segregate their waste, and it was a huge breakthrough for us.”
Today, WeVois Labs operates in 15 cities across India, employing 1,200 sanitation workers and serving over three million people. But their ambitions stretch far beyond that. “We want to be in 30 cities by the end of the year, and 300 cities in three years,” says Abhishek.
Challenges and Solutions
One of the biggest challenges WeVois Labs faced was working with sanitation workers, many of whom come from underprivileged backgrounds with little or no formal education. “These workers are the backbone of our operations,” Abhishek emphasizes. “But they have their own challenges—most of them want to be paid daily, and they have limited skills.”
By understanding their needs and providing them with the tools and support to do their jobs better, WeVois Labs not only improved waste collection but also changed the lives of its employees. “Many of our workers have seen their incomes rise by 50 to 60 percent, and they are now able to provide better lives for their families,” Abhishek proudly shares. “Some are even building their own homes for the first time.”
In addition to financial improvements, WeVois Labs is focused on upskilling its workers. “We’re teaching them new skills that go beyond just collecting trash. They’re learning how to manage waste, understand recycling, and even use technology,” Abhishek explains. The company aims to give sanitation workers dignity and a path to a better future, while making the cities they work in cleaner and healthier.
Moreover, working with different municipal authorities, each with its own rules and expectations, posed an obstacle. “Every city has a different waste management model. Scaling our operations to fit different municipalities is one of our biggest challenges,” Abhishek explains. However, by tailoring its core waste management system to fit local requirements, WeVOIS Labs has successfully navigated these challenges.
Another significant obstacle is the public’s lack of awareness regarding the importance of waste segregation. “People in India are still not fully aware of the problems improper waste management can cause,” Abhishek laments. But he remains hopeful. We are continuously trying every day. Awareness programs are key, and we are already seeing changes in behavior.
Harnessing Technology for Change
At the heart of WeVois Labs’ success is its innovative use of technology. Abhishek and his team have developed a platform that functions much like the ride-hailing apps used by millions worldwide. Each sanitation worker has a smartphone with a GPS-based app that guides them to every household and waste bin they need to visit. “This way, we make sure no household is missed,” Abhishek explains.
The data collected by these apps is also shared with municipal authorities, allowing them to monitor progress and ensure accountability. “The authorities can track everything in real time—how many homes have been visited, how much waste has been collected, and where there are gaps,” he says.
WeVois Labs is also pioneering the use of video analytics to foster behavioural change. “We installed cameras on our collection vehicles, and we can see which households are segregating their waste properly and which aren’t,” Abhishek reveals. This targeted approach allows the company to focus its awareness campaigns where they are needed most. “It’s all about creating small but significant changes in behaviour.”
Towards a Circular Economy
WeVois Labs isn’t just about collecting waste—it’s about creating a sustainable, circular economy. The company plans to build bio-methanation plants to turn organic waste into energy. “We’re already working on it,” Abhishek says excitedly. We want to convert wet waste into compost and use the gases released as energy.”
Their efforts are already making an impact. The compost produced from organic waste is being used by local farmers, reducing their reliance on chemical fertilizers. “We’re creating a system where nothing is wasted—everything is recycled, reused, or repurposed,” Abhishek explains.
But there’s still a long way to go. “There are challenges, of course,” Abhishek admits. “Different cities have different waste management models, and scaling our operations to fit each one is tough.” Despite these hurdles, WeVois Labs is making strides towards a future where waste is no longer a problem, but a resource.
Looking to the Future
Abhishek Gupta has big dreams for WeVois Labs. “In the next five years, we want to be in 500 cities and create at least 100 zero-waste cities,” he shares. The company’s goal is to build cities where every bit of waste is collected, segregated, and processed in a way that benefits the environment and the economy.
But for Abhishek, it’s not just about business—it’s about making a difference. “We are devaluing what Mother Earth has given us,” he says passionately. “We need to stop polluting our land, air, and water. This is our planet, and we need to take care of it—not just for ourselves, but for future generations.”
A Call to Action
As WeVois Labs grows, its mission remains clear: to create cleaner, greener cities while improving the lives of those who live and work in them. And while the company has already made significant strides, Abhishek believes there’s still much more to do.
“We all need to contribute,” he urges. “Whether it’s planting trees, recycling, or just being mindful of the waste we create, we all have a role to play in protecting our planet.”
For Abhishek and the team at WeVois Labs, the journey is just beginning. But one thing is certain: they are determined to make a lasting impact—one city, one bag of waste, and one step at a time.
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