Turning Passion into Impact: The Rise, Fall & Rebirth of a Movement

Speaker Introduction

Raphael Fellmer is an entrepreneur, climate activist, author, and co-founder of SIRPLUS, a Berlin-based startup with a vision of Zero Waste for Zero Hunger. After founding 7 SIRPLUS supermarkets and generating over 20 million euros in revenue, he restructured the company after a failed financing round, making it economically sustainable. SIRPLUS sells surplus food and products at discounted prices through its online shop, saving 5 million kilograms of food and funding 500,000 school meals in Africa. Raphael’s mission is to create a world where everyone has enough to eat, bringing food rescue into the mainstream and promoting greater food appreciation in society, business, and politics. Starting as a dumpster diver in 2009, he later traveled across Europe, Africa, and the Americas to raise awareness about consumerism. Raphael founded foodsharing, Europe’s largest volunteer movement, which has saved over 180 million kilograms of food. He’s also the author of Happy Without Money! and a prominent speaker on Zero Waste and food rescue.