From Rental Stores to SaaS: How BIYU is Scaling Circularity Through Technology

In a recent episode of HappyPorch Radio, hosts Barry O'Kane and Jo Weston sat down with Frans Biegstraaten, co-founder of BIYU, to explore a journey that many software teams will recognise: the challenging transition from building internal tools to creating commercial products.

His story offers valuable lessons about embracing uncertainty, learning from users, and the surprising ways business pivots can unlock new opportunities.

A Story of Transformation

BIYU's story is one of transformation. What began as a consumer rental service in Amsterdam, complete with physical stores and electric bike deliveries, has evolved into a software platform powering circular operations across Europe.

Drawing on years of hands-on experience running their own rental service, Frans and his team built a modular SaaS solution that supports businesses offering rental, subscription, and Product-as-a-Service models.

"When crisis becomes catalyst — BIYU transformed in-house software into a circular economy platform that's helping businesses across Europe."

Technology Meets Circular Experience

Their journey shows how technology, data, and practical circular experience can come together to solve complex challenges — from tracking assets and managing refurbishment to integrating with existing systems like Shopify and Firmhouse.

Key Topics Covered

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• The journey from running a rental business to building a SaaS platform
• How BIYU's technology supports repair, refurbishment, and reverse logistics
• The importance of integration and modular design for circular operations
• Using data to manage products in use and extend their lifecycles
• How to build scalable circular solutions that fit into existing business systems

Listen Now

You can listen to the full episode on HappyPorch Radio or via Spotify.