We had the good fortune of connecting with Sriram Kakumanu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sriram, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Me and Sahil Hora scrolling through TikTok one day and noticed how much excess food restaurants and donut shops throw away at the end of their day. We decided to look into this further and research how much food these restaurants wasted. Approximately 22% of food waste in the United States comes from restaurants and grocery stores, which can amount to 1.76 billion pounds of food wasted per year. We decided to take matters into our hands and started a business along with two other people, Ashvin Jayanthi and Rithvik Chikoti, to combat food waste.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
PlateConnect aims to reduce food waste and alleviate food insecurity by providing a user-friendly interface that enables restaurants and grocery stores to easily donate their surplus food by connecting them with nearby food banks and charities that can use that food to feed people who do not have access. To increase the accessibility of our service, we have expanded to using both a website and iOS app. Our website’s objective is to create a sustainable system with a user-friendly home page and navigation menu that allows customers to learn of our mission, connect with either food banks or donors based on their respective needs, create an account, and learn about our app. When users create an account, they will input their location, as well data regarding how much food they are willing to donate per week (only applicable to donors) in order to gain more personalized preferences for connections and will be able to access an in-built chat feature for both donors and receivers. What we are doing at PlateConnect has not been done before and we are a business in which everybody wins! Food Banks can receive money from restaurants, and the worth of the food that restaurants donate, we deduct from their taxes at the end of the year. It is a win-win situation. There were many obstacles that occurred for us to reach this point, but our company is the big change that is necessary to reduce global food waste and help solve the UN global goal 2 (Zero Hunger).

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Day 1: Explore Downtown Dallas

Morning: Start your trip by exploring the iconic Dealey Plaza, where you can learn about the history of JFK at the Sixth Floor Museum.
Afternoon: Visit the Dallas Arts District, home to the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, and the Crow Museum of Asian Art.
Evening: Head to the trendy Deep Ellum neighborhood for a variety of restaurants, live music venues, and vibrant street art.

Day 2: Nature and Science

Morning: Spend the morning at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, enjoying the beautiful gardens and scenic views of White Rock Lake.
Afternoon: Visit the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, a family-friendly attraction with interactive exhibits and a fascinating dinosaur exhibit.
Evening: Experience the beautiful sunset at Klyde Warren Park, a green oasis in the heart of the city, offering food trucks, outdoor games, and live entertainment.

Day 3: Dallas Zoo and Bishop Arts District

Morning: Head to the Dallas Zoo, one of the oldest and largest zoos in the USA, to see a wide variety of animals and habitats.
Afternoon: Explore the Bishop Arts District, known for its unique boutiques, art galleries, and delicious dining options.
Evening: Relax with a show at the Texas Theatre, a historic movie theater with a diverse selection of films and events.

Day 4: Sports and Shopping

Morning: Tour the AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, to see the massive stadium and learn about the team’s history.
Afternoon: Shop till you drop at NorthPark Center, one of the top shopping destinations in Dallas, offering a mix of luxury and popular brands.
Evening: Catch a Dallas Mavericks basketball game or Dallas Stars hockey game at the American Airlines Center.

Day 5: Fort Worth Day Trip

Morning: Take a short drive to Fort Worth and visit the Fort Worth Stockyards, where you can experience the Wild West with cattle drives and western-themed shops.
Afternoon: Explore the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and the Kimbell Art Museum, known for its impressive art collection.
Evening: Enjoy a delicious Tex-Mex dinner at one of Fort Worth’s famous restaurants.

Day 6: Family Fun

Morning: Spend the morning at the Dallas World Aquarium, a unique indoor attraction featuring exotic animals and marine life.
Afternoon: Visit the Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park, a perfect spot for families with young kids to enjoy interactive exhibits.
Evening: Head to Topgolf for some fun golf games, delicious food, and lively atmosphere.

Day 7: Relax and Recreation

Morning: Enjoy a relaxing morning at White Rock Lake, where you can bike, jog, or have a picnic by the water.
Afternoon: Visit the Dallas Museum of Art or the Dallas Contemporary to immerse yourself in the city’s vibrant art scene.
Evening: End your trip with a scenic view from the Reunion Tower observation deck, where you can enjoy breathtaking views of Dallas at night.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We would love to dedicate our shoutout to the BizWorld program and our business mentor William Cole for all their assistance in developing our business and giving us ways to reduce any liabilities or obstacles in developing our business. Furthermore, we would like to thank them for the knowledge they bestowed upon us for our business.

Website: theplateconnect.com

Instagram: @plate_connect

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plateconnect/?viewAsMember=true

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