Wosup: how two mates turned the war on single-use plastic into a stadium clean-tech business

Wosup began, fittingly, at the footy. In 2018, founders Karl Page and Martin Salter were at a Sydney Swans game at the Sydney Cricket Ground when they grew tired of the sea of broken plastic and waste around the stands. Rather than accept it as part of the experience, they set out to fix it. The result is Wosup, short for War On Single Use Plastic, a Sydney clean-tech business taking on one of the most visible waste problems in sport and entertainment, one cup at a time.

An idea born in the stands

The problem the founders noticed that day is enormous. Single-use plastic cups are everywhere in stadiums, festivals and major events, and they are used for minutes before being thrown away. A federal study found that every Australian uses at least 35 single-use plastic cold cups a year, which adds up to roughly 900 million cups annually. Public-facing venues and events are some of the most concentrated sources of that waste, which is exactly where Wosup decided to focus.

Reusable cups, real-world impact

Wosup's answer is deceptively simple: a lightweight, reusable and infinitely recyclable aluminium cup, backed by the integrated services venues need to actually run a reusable-cup program at scale. Aluminium is endlessly recyclable without losing quality, and it delivers a better cold-drink experience than flimsy plastic, so the sustainability win does not come at the cost of the punter's enjoyment.

The traction speaks for itself. Wosup cups have featured at venues and events alongside some of the biggest names in Australian sport and entertainment, including:

• Rugby Australia, with 20,000 reusable cups replacing single-use plastic at a single test match
• The GWS GIANTS and major stadiums such as Suncorp Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground
• Stadiums Queensland, the Sydney Showground and the Australian Turf Club
• Drinks giant Lion, among other commercial partners

The cumulative impact is real and measurable. Wosup says it has diverted more than 90,000 plastic cups from landfill since January 2023, and it has steadily scaled its event count year on year as more venues come on board. Each new event is both an environmental win and a proof point for the next venue considering the switch.

The timing also works in Wosup's favour. Governments across Australia have progressively moved to ban a range of single-use plastics, and venues, sporting codes and event operators face growing pressure from regulators, sponsors and fans to clean up their environmental footprint. Sustainability has shifted from a nice-to-have to a genuine expectation, and that puts a ready-made, proven alternative like Wosup in an increasingly strong position. Rather than asking venues to sacrifice the fan experience to do the right thing, Wosup lets them do both at once.

A clean-tech business model built to scale

What makes Wosup more than a product company is the model behind it. Rather than relying on a single sale, the business generates revenue across four complementary streams:

• A fee per cup used at events
• Upfront service fees from venues and partners
• Sponsorship opportunities on and around the cups
• Direct public sales

That diversified mix means Wosup grows alongside the venues and events it serves, turning sustainability into a commercial offering rather than a cost centre. The company has also strengthened its leadership for the next phase of growth, appointing Andy Marinos as Chairman to help guide its expansion across the sport and entertainment sector.

A track record of community backing

This is not Wosup's first time inviting the crowd to come along for the journey. In a previous Birchal campaign in late 2024, the company reached its maximum target of around $300,000, bringing 93 investors onto the register. That early support reflected a community that believes in the mission as much as the business case.

Its most recent campaign built on that foundation. Wosup raised $367,620 from 238 investors through its latest Birchal equity crowdfunding round, which closed in March 2026. For a brand whose customers literally hold its product in their hands at the footy, equity crowdfunding is a natural fit, turning fans of the mission into shareholders who have a stake in seeing single-use plastic disappear from the venues they love.

What is next

With fresh capital and a growing shareholder community behind it, Wosup is focused on winning more venues and events, deepening its existing partnerships, and scaling the volume of plastic it displaces. Every additional stadium, festival and corporate suite that switches is another step toward the founders' original goal, formed in the stands at the SCG: a future where a cold one at the footy does not come with a side of single-use plastic.

You can explore Wosup's profile on Birchal.

This article is general information only and is not financial advice or an offer of securities. Past campaign performance is not indicative of future results. Investing in early-stage companies involves significant risk, including the loss of your investment. Always read the relevant CSF offer document and the general CSF risk warning before investing.