Borro Raises $1.4M to Expand Smart Cup Deposit System

Jan de Vries · 2026-05-28

Borro, a Brussels-based startup that's built a digital deposit system for reusable cups, just raised $1.4 million to fuel its expansion into the Netherlands, Germany, and France this summer. The company is tackling a problem that's becoming impossible to ignore: how do you make reusable cups work at scale without creating chaos for event organizers or frustrating visitors? The investment round was backed by Seeder Fund, imec.istart, bluesnipe, PMV, and butterfly & elephant (the corporate venture arm of GS1 Germany). Back in November 2024, Borro had already pulled in $380,000 in its initial funding round. So this fresh cash is a clear signal that investors see real potential here. "The funding will be used to further strengthen our team and accelerate our growth across Europe," said co-founder Kasper Albers. "We see the same challenges around reuse emerging everywhere. Our ambition is to make Borro the European reference for digital deposit systems." ### How Borro's System Actually Works Founded in 2023 by Glenn Verhaege, Kasper Albers, and Niels Willems, Borro has developed an intelligent deposit system that's refreshingly simple. Instead of handing out tokens or managing piles of physical deposit slips, the system links each reusable cup directly to a visitor's bank card. Here's the flow: - A visitor buys a drink and gets a reusable cup with an invisible code printed on it. - That code is linked to their payment card through a quick scan. - When they return the cup to a smart collection point, the deposit is automatically refunded. No fumbling for change. No lost tokens. No extra work for staff. It's the kind of frictionless experience that makes you wonder why nobody thought of it sooner. The system also provides 24/7 live monitoring. Organizers get real-time insights into return rates, which stands are performing best, peak usage moments, and overall system health. And because each cup is uniquely linked to a payment, fraud is virtually impossible. ### Why They Skipped RFID Technology Most competing systems rely on RFID tags embedded in cups, but Borro's team took a different path. Co-founder Glenn Verhaege explained: "We deliberately decided not to use RFID technology like many other systems. We wanted to build a solution that is simpler and more affordable. That's why we developed an alternative based on invisible codes that can be read through cameras. We're happy that we've now been able to prove that this also works at scale." This decision isn't just about cost. RFID tags add to the per-cup expense, and they can be tricky to recycle. Borro's invisible codes are printed directly onto the cups, making the whole system cheaper and more sustainable. ### Real-World Traction and Big-Name Partners Borro isn't just a cool idea on paper. The company is already live at Belgian football clubs like Club Brugge and KV Mechelen, and they report that millions of reusable cups have been processed through their system. That's real traction. Recently, Borro joined PSG Labs, the innovation program of Paris Saint-Germain based at Station F. They're now preparing an implementation at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. And the interest isn't limited to sports venues. Concert halls, amusement parks, and festivals are all reaching out. ### The Bigger Picture: Regulation Is Driving Change European regulations are pushing hard for reusable packaging, and the event industry is feeling the pressure. Stadiums and festivals generate mountains of single-use waste, and regulators are demanding change. But organizers need systems that are both user-friendly and operationally viable. That's exactly the gap Borro is filling. With $1.4 million in fresh funding and a growing list of high-profile clients, Borro is positioning itself to become the go-to digital deposit system across Europe. And honestly? It's about time someone made reusing cups this easy.