Maria Fernanda Caballero

A Colombian environmental entrepreneur pioneering circular economy solutions in South America

Maria Fernanda Caballero is a Colombian innovator and founder of TerraCycle Colombia, a company that has revolutionized waste management through circular economy principles since 2021. Born in Medellín, she developed a passion for environmental sustainability during her studies in industrial engineering at Universidad de los Andes. Recognizing the lack of recycling infrastructure in Latin America, Caballero created a unique business model that collects hard-to-recycle waste from communities and transforms it into valuable products.

Her most impactful initiative, the Plastic Fish Project, focuses on recycling discarded fishing nets from Colombia's Caribbean coast. Partnering with local fishermen and NGOs like Oceana, she has diverted over 150 tons of marine plastic waste since 2022. These materials are upcycled into eco-bricks and used in construction projects across coastal regions, creating both environmental and economic value.

Caballero's approach integrates technology through a mobile app (TerraApp) that connects households with waste collection points, incentivizing participation through a points system redeemable for products. This model has inspired similar programs in Peru and Ecuador, demonstrating scalable solutions for the region's growing waste challenges.